The young blonde woman is wearing pink from head to toe. She parks her pink convertible in front of her pink mansion and walks inside. The walls are pink, the carpet is pink, the furniture is also pink.

Millions of people watched Barbie conquer the world two summers ago in her namesake movie. It received eight Oscar nominations, including nods for its costumes and production design, but some fans never actually “saw” it.

People with visual impairments will get a chance to picture the story in all its rosy glory at a special screening tonight at the Varsity Cinema. In between the dialog, a pre-recorded narrator will offer play-by-play descriptions of the images on screen, while closed captions offer another layer of accessibility.

The event is organized by the Iowa Radio Reading Information Service, which enlists volunteers across the state to read local newspapers over the radio for people who can’t easily read printed materials.

Over the last decade or so, the nonprofit has expanded its audio-description service, sending interpreters to live performances so they can describe shows for visually impaired audience members who wear headphones. IRIS regularly sends volunteers to designated performances at the Des Moines Civic Center, Des Moines Playhouse and university performing arts centers in Ames, Iowa City and Cedar Falls. The service is expanding to other venues as well, including the Des Moines Metro Opera and Hoyt Sherman Place, thanks in part to a grant from the Iowa Arts Council, a division of the Iowa Economic Development Authority.

Last month, interpreters described a Cedar Rapids Opera of “Cinderella” that featured a blind cast member. As soon as he heard that IRIS interpreters planned to come, he invited several of visually impaired friends to experience the elaborate show.

“The digital backdrops were absolutely breathtaking,” IRIS executive director Maryfrances Evans said. “The backdrops, the costumes — everything was so ornate.”

Obviously, the visuals for “Barbie” are quite a sight, too. Tonight, instead of relying on volunteers and headphones, the local screening will play the movie studio’s own pre-recorded description over speakers for the whole audience. IRIS worked with the Varsity team to buy a Blu-ray copy and figure out the logistics, with support from a grant from Polk County.

Tickets are $5 and include two drink tokens and popcorn.

“It’s going to be such a cool night — a demonstration and a celebration,” Evans said.

Volunteers wanted

IRIS is always looking for volunteers to read local newspapers aloud over the radio, either from home or the studio at Park Fair Mall. The nonprofit also relies on audio-description volunteers for live performances, and is planning another training session soon. If you’d like to help, check out the volunteer opportunities at iowaradioreading.org.

Editor’s note: I serve on IRIS’ volunteer board of directors and have taken a turn or two describing live performances. It’s a fun challenge. — Michael Morain