Musicians, Dancers, Community Partners and Vendors Will Gather
at the Nonprofit Movie Palace for FREE All-Ages Event
Summer’s here and the time is right for dancing in the street…
TAMPA, Fla. (June 15, 2020) – On Friday, July 2, Tampa Theatre will celebrate opening night of the new documentary Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised) with a Franklin Street Block Party from 5-7pm in front of the historic movie palace.
Providing the sound track for the celebration, WMNF 88.5FM DJ Steve “The Hitman” Williams will broadcast his long-running Friday Night “Soul Party” LIVE from under the Theatre’s historic marquee. Giving Tree Music will be keeping the beat with an audience-participation drum circle, and the United Soul Line Dancers will be encouraging everyone to let the music move them.
Oh it doesn’t matter what you wear, Just as long as you are there…
Of course, it wouldn’t be summer without popsicles, so the folks from The Hyppo Gourmet Ice Pops will be there selling their gourmet flavors. Theatre neighbors SuperNatural Food & Wine will be there as well, and the list of vendors continues to grow.
Several community partners will also be on-hand with information, giveaways and door prizes, including WEDU-PBS, Symphonic, and The Resiliency School.
It’s just an invitation across the nation: A chance for folks to meet…
Tampa Theatre is especially excited to welcome a very special guest: Robert Fyvolent, who served as a producer on the film. Though he has since relocated to the West Coast, the Tampa native will be in town to chat with guests during the Block Party and introduce his film onstage before the 7:30pm screening.
All we need is music, sweet music… There’ll be music everywhere…
ABOUT SUMMER OF SOUL: In 1969, during the same summer as Woodstock, a different music festival took place 100 miles away. More than 300,000 people attended the summer concert series known as the Harlem Cultural Festival. It was filmed, but after that summer, the footage sat in a basement for 50 years. It has never been seen. Until now.
Summer of Soul is a stunning unearthed treasure destined to become a significant part of the catalog of films documenting American music and the Black experience in America. In his striking debut as a filmmaker, legendary musician Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson presents this transporting documentary — part concert film, part historical record — about an epic event that sparked the wholesale reevaluation of Black history, culture, fashion, and music. Deftly incorporating original performance footage that includes many rare gems (such as a Stevie Wonder drum solo and a duet between Mahalia Jackson and Mavis Staples) and contemporary interviews with significant cultural figures like Chris Rock and Lin-Manuel Miranda, Summer of Soul shines a light on the importance of a clear and full accounting of history to our spiritual well-being, and stands as a testament to the healing power of music.
Admission to the Block Party is free for all ages. Tickets for the 7:30pm screening of Summer of Soul are $11.50. For details, tickets, and additional show times, visit tampatheatre.org/movie/summer-of-soul/
Media support is provided by WEDU-PBS, WMNF 88.5FM, Power Broker Magazine, The Florida Courier, and the Carter G. Woodson Black History Museum.
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.
