Walking through the front door of Tampa Theatre, the history of the building is immediately evident. From the intricately carved ceilings above to the statues linings the walls, an evening out at this cinema is no typical night at the movies. The theatre has been open just over 90 years, celebrating the milestone in 2015. Showing everything from small independent films from holiday classics like It’s a Wonderful Life, the movie house is an institution in the Tampa Bay Area.
This afternoon walking up to the theatre’s entrance, an odd sight is in front of the box office: one of the original seats being loaded into the back of a truck. “A donor is actually throwing a little ‘Cush Your Tush’ party this weekend,” explains Teresa Gallar, who is a stage and event manager for the theatre, as well as the Straz center and other venues around Tampa Bay, “so she wanted to display the original chair and how close we’ve come to recreating it- except comfortable.”
The aforementioned “Cush Your Tush” campaign is an ongoing fundraiser at the theatre, where patrons can donate funds and, in exchange, have a seat bearing their name or personalized message on the back. While the original seats were crafted with delicate details, the cushioning and tight spaces in between left something to be desired.
Describing the new seats, CEO John Bell lights up with excitement: “The number one complaint we get- we get a lot of compliments, but- the number one complaint that we get is the seats are ‘oh my god, uncomfortable,” Bell says with a laugh, “I think everyone’s excited about it. There are going to be new seats, they’re going to be spaced farther apart, there’s going to be more leg room. They’re going to be beautiful, they’re going to be comfortable, and there are going to be cupholders.”
The improvement of the seats is going to be the latest in a long line happening at the Tampa Theatre.
In the fall of last year, one huge transformation made was to the electrical system. While now completely updated, the old system has been left intact as a fond reminder.
Director of Marketing and Community Relations Jill Witecki walks through Tampa Theatre restorations. Audio and Photos by Chelsea Matthews
While the theatre may be modernizing, Patt Vida, assistant house manager and employee for eleven years, holds their classic reputation close to her heart. While most other movie theatres show whatever box office hit happens to be popular at the time, Tampa Theatre does things a little differently. “You’ll never see a Star Wars here,” said Vida, “I like to say that they show movies- we show films.” Sit with her for a moment under the blasting fan of the box office and Vida will weave tales of ghosts that haunt the theatre, and, if you’re lucky, share her favorite place to sit.
Vida is not alone in her affections. The building is beloved by many, including former Tampa City Council Chairman Lee Duncan. In 1977, Duncan convinced then Mayor William Poe to save the theatre, which he visited nearly every Friday evening with his wife in the 1950’s. In 1991, after a lifetime of public service, the auditorium was named after him, and the theatre itself dedicated to him. Since then, the journey of improvements has been a long one for the historic theatre. In 1988, the theatre made a significant change to the projection and sound systems “from 16mm monoaural to 35mm with Dolby stereo sound." At that time, the theatre also modified the acoustics of the building and installed a new screen. In 2011, the Tampa Tribune wrote an article on the Tampa Theatre, noting that “a ‘Dream Project’ of replacing the existing seating with replicas of the theater's originals will remain a dream until the appropriate funding is secured.” This fall, that dream and many more are destined to become reality, thanks to donations from generous patrons around Tampa Bay. The very next year, the theatre was once again looking to keep up with the times, this time by making the switch to digital films. Just as they are now, Tampa Theatre reached out to the community for support in the improvement. In a Tampa Tribune article. John Poltilove explains the project and subsequent raising of $150,000: “The high cost for the technology partly is because the theater at 711 N. Franklin St. would need custom installation. The projector at the 1,400-seat venue is farther from the screen and at a greater angle than projectors at modern theaters.” The need for donations is an easy one to grasp. “Since we’re nonprofit, sixty percent of our operating budget comes from concessions, ticket sales, and rentals,” says Maggie Webber, the Director of Development, “the other forty we have to raise…so, that’s through grants, that’s writing grants- as many as we can. That’s state, county, and individual foundations, - as well as sponsorships.” Webber goes on to list events such as Oscar Night, Beer Fest and other fundraisers that occur throughout the year, as well as the available memberships, which range from $50 a year to $2500 a year, depending on the benefits. As for the funds necessary for the restorations, Webber said “We’re at about eighty six percent done. So, close, but not fully there yet. So, that’s what we’re working on this year- to really get there.”
The greatest challenge facing this project has been striking a balance between what needs to be done and, to some degree, what the customers are going to appreciate. “In terms of lining up the projects,” said Bell, “we realized we could spend five or six million dollars on the building and people could walk in and, if it was all infrastructure, then people would walk in and say ‘what did you do with my money?’ Because it wouldn’t look any different.”
The next big steps for the theatre will come this fall, when the seat restoration will finally come to fruition.
As improvements and preservations continue to be planned for this historic landmark, Tampa Theatre just might go on to see another ninety years.
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