Bringing the Obama Inauguration to a Theater Near You

We're less than 50 days away from the Mother of all Inaugurations (maybe that was Andrew Jackson's), and there is an almost unquenchable thirst throughout the country to participate, to celebrate, to possess the moment and relish it.

Is the Inaugural Committee doing enough to slake this thirst? Certainly the Inauguration will be on more "platforms," on terrestrial television, on satellite channels, streaming through the Internet, on YouTube, close to ubiquitous.

And if the Committee is like the rest of the incoming administration, it's some talented, diverse equivalent of Edward R. Murrow, Walt Disney and Cecil B. DeMille. But there seems to be a dimension missing.

What's absent, or at least hasn't been announced, is a nationally distributed opportunity to have the joy of the crowd and the experience of mass engagement anticipated by the more than a million people who will be traveling to Washington.

Because extraordinary times require extraordinary measures, here's a suggestion to the Obamites as they engage with a population seeped in the prospect of rapture.

Take a technologic and entrepreneurial leaf from Peter Gelb's innovation with the Metropolitan Opera. His brilliant impresario-move, Metropolitan Opera: Live in HD, spread live performance transmissions to movie theaters and noble halls across North America, Europe, and Japan, playing to a (paying) audience (now approaching or exceeding a million people.

The Obama White House can create a series of public opportunities like this: an event that can provide close to a communal and civic experience for tens of millions (in communities across the country and around the world).

Maybe it should be "live." Or maybe it should be a reprise performance that Inauguration evening -- replaying the speech and covering the post-Inauguration events. It should have material that is exclusive and fabulous. Like the Met performances, it can be distributed in high resolution to public venues like Times Square. Communities should suggest sites such as parks, screens on buildings and, if possible reflections in the sky. And of course, there's the global.

The Inaugural Committee could do it themselves -- or enlist the the Public Broadcasting Service and the network of local PBS outlets (that would be another great signal from the incoming Administration).

Here's the sense the Met seeks to convey in its live events as put by Julie Borchard-Young, the Met executive: "Our goal with these broadcasts is to take you to the event, to give you the whole ambiance -- from orchestral tune-ups and patrons mingling in the theater to the actual performance... In our first two seasons of broadcasts, we've discovered that our HD audience behaves a lot like the crowds at the Met. They cheer and applaud. They talk to each other during intermissions. They treat it as a special event. It's just not the same as sitting home watching."

If the Metropolitan Opera can do it, Barack Obama can as well. Why not bring the Inauguration live via HD to a theater near you. Why shouldn't millions of people around the country have the simultaneous experience of seeing the United States, after a long, long wait, joyously turn the page.

This post is inspired by a suggestion from Helen Horowitz, the Sydenham Clark Parsons Professor of History at Smith College.

Comments

[Stephmcc]

Anybody heard about movement on this idea? I think it's fantastic! On my desk I'm looking at a 33 1/2 rpm LP recording of JFK's "Ask Not What Your Country Can Do For You..." speech which for decades sat in a prominent place in my Irish grandparents' living room. I expect that a DVD would be similarly cherished in my own home. SKYNews HD is covering the event in HD for the global audience and I know for a fact that the theatre capacity exists here in Boston and many other megaplexes nationwide.

[janeyu]

So anyone who used BHO middle name during the campaign was called a racist Now he's decided its ok to use it :Too funny .Maybe we need a BHO to common sense dictionary so we can keep things clear..

President-elect Obama says he plans to use all three of his names when he takes the oath of office in January, giving voice to an unusual name that was rarely heard during the campaign

[mmgbizgirl]

Awesome Idea! This is in keeping with his inclusionary style during the entire campaign. I'm sure it will be live on every major network.

[JenniferEccles]

I hope this happens. I am hoping there is a big screen on Boston Common but thus far I haven't heard of one.

[berkeleygirl1962]

What a marvelous idea. I saw a preview of the Met Live in HD several months ago at the movies, and it was absolutely amazing. Making this kind of broadcast affordable would be such a mitzvah for the Inauguration Committee and for local donors.

[Jezreel]

Excellent idea. I hope they do it so that we can have a professional record of the inaugural ceremony for posterity. I'd buy a copy in a New York heartbeat.

[inwonderland]

YES WE SHOULD.

Like on Election Night in Harlem and Chicago there were wide screenings and gatherings.

How those were funded is for research, but it could be a re-uniting that re-ignites the spirit that this IS a new President coming in.

The day to day Obama, necessary but a bit jading, has depleted the sense of brand newness and the wider screenings or theatre showings, on jumbotrons. Not sure if folks should have to pay. Perhaps some vendors who could use a boost, could sponsor showings.

This country needs the unity it felt on Election Night.

Mass showings of the swearing in and the Inaugural Address would be historic, energizing and so, Obama-like.

[ChicagoSuz]

I think it's a great idea, as well. Please keep it affordable...

[Foy]

I'm taking that day of from work. I can miss one day for an event of a lifetime.

[NightflyLester]

Brilliant idea

[rosiebond007]

PLEASE - WE ALL WANT TO BE THERE IN THE MOMENT!

[politicojunkie]

Great idea! Now, all you need to is contact the Inaugural Committee with this suggestion.

[osusana]

Great idea! I'd buy a DVD to keep for posterity, but I'd love to watch it live, as well.

[gisellestwocents]

I would buy that DVD as well. That would be a wonderful keepsake.

[Pegi]

ME TOO!!! WANT TO SEE IT BADLY!!

[cdub1991]

I would definitely pay money for that.

[patianneb]

I think it is a wonderful idea!