Tampa Theatre is pulling out all the stops this October to ring in a century of movie magic. The City of Tampa–owned landmark, operated by the Tampa Theatre Foundation, has planned a week of events running October 10–15 to launch a full year of centennial festivities — and to show off its freshly restored Historic Duncan Auditorium, which has been closed for renovation.
The celebration opens October 10 with a members-only party featuring a screening of the 1985 whodunnit Clue, followed by a public open house on October 11 from 1 to 5 p.m. Visitors can tour the restored building, chat with volunteers, join staff-led mini-tours, and explore a new Digital Guide loaded with historic photos and information — accessible right on their own phones or tablets. At 3 p.m. that day, current President and CEO George Levesque and retired CEO John Bell will take the stage together for a conversation about the restoration.
Classic film fans get three nights of big-screen nostalgia: Casablanca (1942) on October 12, The Wizard of Oz (1939) on October 13, and the Marx Brothers' A Night at the Opera (1935) on October 14. All screenings begin at 7 p.m. with doors opening at 6 p.m., and tickets are $13.
The grand finale arrives October 15 — exactly 100 years to the day since Tampa Theatre first opened its doors in 1926. The birthday party kicks off at 6 p.m. on the sidewalk with live music, swing dancing courtesy of The Jazz Phools, and portrait opportunities in front of the historic marquee (1920s attire is encouraged). Inside, guests receive complimentary champagne and a souvenir program modeled after the original opening-night program. The Paragon Ragtime Orchestra and Tampa Theatre's Mighty Wurlitzer Theatre Organ will accompany the 1924 Buster Keaton silent comedy Sherlock Jr., and the evening closes with Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture — performed on opening night in 1926 and returning now with special effects made possible by modern technology. Admission to the birthday party is $26.
Tickets for all centennial events go on sale to the public at noon on September 18. The Centennial Celebration is presented by Urban E Recycling, with additional support from Amalie Oil Co., J.C. Newman Cigar Co., the Anderson Bucklew Charitable Foundation, and the City of Tampa, among others. Details were reported by Laker Lutz News.
