After Missing Year 29 During COVID, Tampa’s Nonprofit Movie Palace
Brings Back a Lineup of Favorite Films PLUS Additional Show Times!
TAMPA, Fla. (May 10, 2021) – Tampa film fans know that when it comes to beloved classics, there is no more authentic way to watch them than in a majestic movie palace. For 30 years, the community has flocked to Tampa Theatre on hot Sunday afternoons to enjoy Summer Classics as they were meant to be seen: on the big screen, with a bag of fresh popcorn and a cold drink in hand, as a shared, community experience.
Last summer, with Tampa Theatre closed during the pandemic, the 29th annual Summer Classics series did not happen. This year, as people start to return to their favorite leisure activities again, we hope that this year’s lineup of all-time favorite Summer Classics – along with our reduced capacity and other safety precautions – may encourage our friends and fans to make their post-shutdown “First Movie Back” a classic at Tampa Theatre.
And to make that first trip back to the movies even easier to plan, Tampa Theatre is doing something our guests have often asked about – offering each Summer Classic more than once! We’ll kick off the series with a three-show “Wonderful Wizard Weekend,” and then each of the other films will be shown both Sunday at 3pm (as usual) and AGAIN at 7:30pm the following Thursday evening:
The Wizard of Oz (1939) 1h 52m / G / Fantasy, Musical
· 7:30pm Friday, June 4
· 7:30pm Saturday, June 5
· 3:00pm Sunday, June 6
Airplane! (1980) 1h 28m / PG / Comedy
3:00pm Sunday, June 13 & 7:30pm Thursday, June 17
The Gold Rush (1925) 1h 52m / Not Rated / Silent Comedy
3:00pm Sunday, June 20 & 7:30pm Thursday, June 24
Citizen Kane (1941) 1h 59m / PG / Drama
3:00pm Sunday, June 27 & 7:30pm Thursday, July 1
Glory (1989) 2h 2m / R / War Drama
3:00pm Sunday, July 4 & 7:30pm Thursday, July 8
North By Northwest (1959) 2h 16m / Not Rated / Thriller
3:00pm Sunday, July 11 & 7:30pm Thursday, July 15
The Big Lebowski (1998) 1h 59m / R / Comedy
3:00pm Sunday, July 18 & 7:30pm Thursday, July 22
Jaws (1975) 2h 10m / PG / Horror
3:00pm Sunday, July 25 & 7:30pm Thursday, July 29
Some Like It Hot (1959) 2h 12m / PG / Comedy
3:00pm Sunday, Aug 1 & 7:30pm Thursday, Aug 5
Singin’ in the Rain (1952) 1h 43m / G / Musical
3:00pm Sunday, Aug 8 & 7:30pm Thursday, Aug 12
Young Frankenstein (1974) 1h 46m / PG / Comedy
3:00pm Sunday, Aug 15 & 7:30pm Thursday, Aug 19
Casablanca (1942) 1h 42m / PG / Drama
3:00pm Sunday, Aug 22 & 7:30pm Thursday, Aug 26
The Black Pirate (1926) 1h 34m / Not Rated / Silent Adventure
3:00pm Sunday, Aug 29 & 7:30pm Thursday, Sept 2
With The Gold Rush and The Black Pirate, this is a unique opportunity to see those silent films exactly how audiences saw them back in the 1920s, presented in their original format with LIVE accompaniment on the Mighty Wurlitzer Theatre Organ. Tampa Theatre’s Artist in Residence, Steven Ball, will write and perform an original score for each of the films, and the overall experience is as close to time travel as one will ever experience.
Audiences are also invited stick around after select shows for Film Talks with some of the community’s most knowledgeable film experts, including retired USF film professor Harriet Deer and retired Tampa Bay Times film critic Steve Persall, who will examine the films’ themes, structure and cultural significance, and answer questions from the audience. (Film Talks are included with movie admission.)
TICKETS for Summer Classics films are $10.00 at the historic Franklin Street Box Office / $12.00 online ($7.00 for Tampa Theatre Members); Silent Films are $13.00 at the Box Office / $15.00 online ($10.00 for Members). For details, visit www.tampatheatre.org
MEDIA CONTACT: Jill Witecki at jill@tampatheatre.org or (813) 857-9089
Built in 1926, Tampa Theatre is a passionately protected landmark and one of America’s best-preserved movie palaces. The majestic building is owned by the City of Tampa and operated as a dynamic film and cultural center by the not-for-profit Tampa Theatre Foundation. Programming is sponsored in part by the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs and the Florida Council on Arts and Culture, the Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners, and the Arts Council of Hillsborough County. Tampa Theatre is a proud member of the League of Historic American Theatres and the Art House Convergence.
