A THRIVING PIECE OF MOVIE HISTORY

Tampa Theatre is a timeless treasure

By Heather Turk

While many movie theaters are struggling to attract audiences in the streaming era, one of America’s best preserved movie palaces — Tampa Theatre — continues to be one of Tampa’s hottest tickets.

“As our CEO, John Bell, likes to joke, Tampa Theatre has survived the Great Depression, World War II, all seven ‘Police Academy’ movies and — most recently — a global pandemic,” said Jill Witecki, Tampa Theatre’s vice president and director of marketing.

Celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2026, part of Tampa Theatre’s resilience can be credited to its diverse programming. Witecki noted that the opulent theater opens its doors more than 700 times a year not only to screen new and classic movies, but also host live shows, special events and behindthe-scenes tours.

September actually marks the highly anticipated return of Tampa Theatre’s September Sing-Along Sundays, where audiences are invited to sing along to such beloved films as “The Greatest Showman” and Disney’s animated masterpiece “The Little Mermaid.” Fall also marks the return of Tampa Theatre’s 11th annual A Nightmare on Franklin Street series. From Oct. 13 through 31, guests not only can see such classic horror films as 1978’s “Halloween” and creepy cult favorites as “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” back on the big screen, but also learn more about the theater’s ghostly guests and eternal employees on a Ghosts of Tampa Theatre Tour, see the Victorian horror troupe Phantasmagoria perform and more.

Several other notable acts will grace Tampa Theatre’s stage this fall, too, including comedians Michelle Wolf and Taylor Tomlinson.

“Whether you are a history buff, a cinephile or just looking for a cool way to spend a hot Florida afternoon, I guarantee we have something on the schedule that will let you make a lasting memory and take home a little piece of Tampa’s history,” Witecki concluded. tampatheatre.org