We have probably all seen the business men and women that inhabit downtown Tampa throughout the day. They cross the streets to get their lunch, eat it hastily and walk back to their office to get their paperwork done. Once 5 p.m. rolls around, those busy people start to disappear, leaving only a few locals strolling the streets. Yet in the middle of downtown, there is a cultural treasure that people aren’t fully aware of: the Tampa Theatre.
The building’s classic design and bright, shining “TAMPA” sign above it makes the theater hard to miss.
Even when it was established in 1926, the venue offered air conditioning, enabling Floridians to escape the humid weather and enjoy the up-and-coming world of film.
The theater is fitted with a Mighty Wurlitzer theater organ equipped with pedals that simulate different sounds, such as a police car siren. Why would an organ do such a thing? Before films had HD resolution and booming surround sound, films worked without any sound whatsoever. They had to convey their messages visually. But even in the 1920’s, filmmakers realized that a visual story paired with sound works quite well, so the organs were used to support the scenes and elicit emotions with the appropriate sound. Sounds like the police siren would make a film more realistic. In memory of those times, the theater still has volunteers who play the Mighty Wurlitzer before every screening. The oldest volunteer, Rosa Rio, is a 107 years old, playing as good now as she did 50 years ago. Another volunteer, Bob Baker, just passed away on Friday, Sept. 10 and is sadly missed.
Bob was an important part of the tours conducted by the theater. During the tour, he would come out of the orchestra pit, playing the Wurlitzer while explaining the instrument, its history and its connection to the audience.
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