If you have ever visited the Tampa Theatre, have you ever wondered where the Mighty Wurlitzer Organ goes when the movie starts? What about stuffed peacock perched near the proscenium (the part of the theater stage in front of the curtain)? If you have ever wondered about this and more, then you should take part in the Tampa Theatre’s Balcony to Backstage Tours.
You can learn the theater’s secrets, stories, art and architecture and witness its historic restoration efforts with a Balcony to Backstage Tour of Tampa’s majestic movie palace. The 90-minute tours will kick off in the lobby and include a demonstration of the Mighty Wurlitzer Theatre Organ.
The tours are offered monthly. The next tours will be offered on Saturday, February 10, at 11:30 a.m. and Wednesday, February 21, at 11:30 a.m. The cost to attend is $10 for adults, $8 for children 2-12 years old and free for Tampa Theatre members.
The Tampa Theatre has been hosting tours for at least 20 years.
Jill Witecki with the Tampa Theatre said, “As beautiful as Tampa Theatre is, we often have people stop by the box office and ask if they can just ‘come inside and look around a little bit.’ Hosting these public tours twice a month means we always have a date coming up within the next couple of weeks that we can direct people to. Once they are inside, our Balcony to Backstage Tours give us an opportunity to share the theater’s story. We can explain why it is so ornate, why it is still here when so many others of its era have been demolished and why — 97 years later — it is still as relevant and vibrant of an experience as it was on opening night in 1926.”
Witecki added, “Once people fall in love with the building, it is an easy next step to encourage them to buy a ticket to a film or concert, or to consider becoming a member. As a nonprofit, Tampa Theatre thrives with community support, and earning that support begins with a proper introduction to who we are and what we do.”
The Tampa Theatre is located at 711 N. Franklin St. in Tampa. For more information on the Tampa Theatre and to get tickets to the Balcony to Backstage Tours or for any other event hosted by the Tampa Theatre, please visit https://tampatheatre.org/ or call 813-274-8981.
