Happy dance is happening over here because Tampa Theatre's Summer Classics series starts tonight, June 4, with the creepily, fantastic “The Wizard of Oz” screening at 7:30 p.m. and two more times on June 5-6.
Since the historic movie house is still acting at reduced-capacity, almost all films will be shown more than once during Sunday matinees and a Thursday evening screening, with the only exception being this “Wonderful Wizard Weekend” where the venue is showing the 1939 classic three times over the weekend.
Other movies on the roster are Alfred Hitchcock’s “North by Northwest” starring the charmingly handsome Cary Grant and the Mel Brooks’ classic “Young Frankenstein.”
Two silent films “The Gold Rush” and “The Black Pirate” will be accompanied by the theater’s number one stunner—the Mighty Wurlitzer Theatre Organ—played by Dr. Steven Ball. In fact, Jill Witecki, Director of Marketing & Community Relations at Tampa Theatre, said that there’s a volunteer lined up to play the Wurlitzer at “if not all, then 98% of the summer classics dates.”
Some of the films will be followed by in-depth talks led by local experts like critic Steve Persall and former University of South Florida professor Harriet Deer.
Tickets for the Summer Classics are $10 at the box office and $12 online—the silent ones are $13-$15. Members get discounts for both. For more information, go to tampatheatre.org.
Tampa Theatre Summer Classics 2021 lineup
*silent movie w/Dr. Stephen Ball on Wurlitzer
- Wizard of Oz Friday-Saturday, June 4-5 (7:30 p.m.) and Sunday, June 6 (3 p.m.)
- Airplane! Sunday, June 13 (3 p.m.) and Thursday, June 17 (7:30 p.m.)
- The Gold Rush Sunday, June 20, (3 p.m.) and Thursday, June 24 (7:30 p.m.)*
- Citizen Kane Sunday, June 27, (3 p.m.) and Thursday, July 1 (7:30 p.m.)
- Glory Sunday,July 4 (3 p.m.) and Thursday, July 8 (7:30 p.m.)
- North By Northwest Sunday, July 11 (3 p.m.) and Thursday, July 15 (7:30 p.m.)
- The Big Lebowski Sunday, July 18, (3 p.m.) and Thursday, July 22 (7:30 p.m.)
- Jaws Sunday, July 25, (3 p.m.) and Thursday, July 29 (7:30 p.m.)
- Some Like It Hot Sunday, Aug. 1, (3 p.m.) and Thursday, Aug. 5 (7:30 p.m.)
- Singin’ in the Rain Sunday, Aug. 8, (3 p.m.) and Thursday, Aug. 12 (7:30 p.m.)
- Young Frankenstein Sunday, Aug 15, (3 p.m.) and Thursday, Aug. 19 (7:30 p.m.)
- Casablanca Sunday, Aug. 22, 3:30 p.m. and Thursday, Aug. 26 (7:30 p.m.)
- The Black Pirate Sunday, Aug. 29, (3 p.m.) and Thursday, Sept. 2 (7:30 p.m.)*
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