Bragging about John Travolta sightings has become a favorite pastime in the Tampa Bay area. The high-profile actor and star of Saturday Night Fever and Pulp Fiction has a residence nearby, and frequently visits downtown Clearwater's seat of the Church's international religious operations.
On Sat., April 18, six days from his new movie's nationwide release date, Travolta will allow you to see him in the flesh on purpose for a worthy cause: He's introducing the new caper The Forger at the Capitol Theatre. Proceeds from the event will go to Ruth Eckerd's performing arts education center, the Marcia P. Hoffman School of Performing Arts. Tickets go on sale to the general public at rutheckerdhall.com on Saturday, April 4, at 10 a.m.
In the film written by Richard D’Ovidio and directed by Philip Martin, Travolta stars as a second-generation criminal who makes a deal with a crime syndicate to get an early release from prison. In return, he must perform a juggernaut of challenging feats: Forge a painting by Claude Monet, steal the original from a museum and replace it with a replica that no one will notice. The heist becomes a family affair when his father (Christopher Plummer) and son (Tye Sheridan) get in on the action.
For the big event, Cleveland Street in front of the Capitol Theatre will be transformed into a Hollywood movie premiere setting, including live entertainment, Klieg lights, a red carpet for VIPs and bleachers for spectators. Food and drinks will be available for purchase. The pre-show festivities on Cleveland Street are free to all, but tickets to the gala screening are $35 and include popcorn and soft drinks. If you'd like to mingle with the star, a very limited number of VIP Meet & Greet packages will be available for $175. They include a general admission ticket in the reserved section of the theater, popcorn, soft drinks and a meet-and-greet photo opportunity with Travolta.
Further adding to the event's youth-benefiting appeal, five scholarships will be awarded to local artists for their best interpretations of famous works, which will be displayed at the theater.
