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The Navigator

Try taking in the theater - literally

By RICK GERSHMAN
Published May 19, 2006

It's like nothing else in downtown Tampa: majestic, lovely Tampa Theatre, an oasis of art and culture in the otherwise not-so-artsy, not-so-cultured north end of downtown.

Okay, there is culture, in a sense, at neighboring watering hole The Hub. And those bathroom walls might qualify as art - especially after your second round.

Let's stick to the theater, which celebrates its 80th anniversary in October. Whether you're enjoying a film or a live show, you can't miss the remarkable architecture, the star-studded ceiling, the attention to detail.

But if you haven't seen Tampa Theatre from behind the scenes, you're missing a lot. You can get educated during one of the theater's balcony-to-backstage tours, which generally run a couple of times each month.

The next one is Wednesday at 11:30 a.m. Tara Schroeder, the theater's community relations manager, leads the 90-minute tour, and after 14 years working there, she certainly knows the lay of the land.

Don't expect a boring script recitation from Tara as she guides you from the box office to the lobby, the auditorium to the stage, the balcony to the projection booth.

She'll take you backstage, which actually goes beneath street level, and show you how the theater makes magic year after year.

Here are a few highlights along the tour:

* The original movie ticket price was 25 cents.

* The auditorium has 1,446 seats, 893 downstairs in the orchestra and 553 upstairs (in the mezzanine and balcony).

* The ceiling has 99 stars, some of which twinkle.

* A sound and projection booth upgrade in 2001 added 24 new surround sound speakers, digital sound readers and a new screen.

I'll let Tara tell you the rest, because she's much better at it. But definitely check it out.And when you're done, ask Tara to tell you the pirate joke. (Well, maybe off to the side.)

Rick Gershman can be reached at rgershman@sptimes.com or (813) 226-3431. His Times blog, The Ill Literate, is at www.sptimes.com/blogs/tampaarts.

[Last modified May 18, 2006, 12:26:49]