Opened in 1926, the Tampa Theatre is one of the few historic theatres still functioning in the United States, and hosts over 600 show times annually. Deemed one of the top 10 theatres in the world, Millie Williams, a Tampa native, recounts what it was like to visit the theatre as a child.
“It was so beautiful. The statues, the marble, the ceiling and the organ—the playing the organ was always so beautiful,” Williams said.
It cost just a quarter in the 1930s for general admission, and guests could choose from popcorn, candy bars and soda. It was an affair to dress up for—and an affair that provided relief from the heat by being one of the first places to have air conditioning at that time.
Jill Witecki, director of marketing and community relations for the theatre, knows that without the guidance from the board of directors and the help of local volunteers, the theatre would not be the experience that it is today.
“We’ve heard from generations of people how much trips to Tampa Theatre mean to them, and it scares me to think that there might be a generation coming up that doesn’t have that experience,” Witecki said.
When asked what the future of the theatre holds, Witecki said, “We’ve been here for 87 and a half years, I don’t see any problem with being here for 87 and a half more.”
For more information about the theatre and what you can do to help keep its doors open for years to come, visit TampaTheatre.org.
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