New Microcinema Is Tampa Theatre’s First Expansion Since It Was Built

TAMPA, FL — A new 43-seat microcinema is the Tampa Theatre’s first expansion in its 98-year history, according to a news release from the city.

The new addition, partially funded by the downtown Tampa Community Redevelopment Agency, opens to the public Friday.

The CRA donated $14 million to the theater’s larger restoration project ahead of its centennial anniversary in 2026.

“Tampa Theatre is one of the most iconic sites in Tampa, and the Downtown CRA is proud to play a role in its transformation for the next generation of theater-goers,” Erica Moody, CRA manager, said. “Our Downtown CRA will continue to invest and support the Tampa community by funding projects like the restoration of this historic landmark.”

“Following decades of dreaming, years of meticulous planning, and nearly a year of construction, the historic Tampa Theatre is thrilled to open the doors of the John T. Taylor Screening Room to audiences for the first time this June,” the theater wrote in a social media post.

The microcinema, formally named the John T. Taylor Screening Room, is a 43-seat intimate theater that was once the site of a florist shop adjacent to the Tampa Theatre’s box office. It’s named after a former Tampa Theatre board member.

“With just 43 seats, the John T. Taylor Screening Room offers an extraordinary promise to film enthusiasts: an exceptional movie-watching experience in an exceptionally intimate venue,” the Tampa Theatre wrote in a post.

The look of the 1200-square-foot room draws inspiration from Tampa Theatre’s original architect, John Eberson, and uses colors, textures, and details that Eberson used in his 1926 plans for the theater, the city said. The carpeting, seats and railings inside the microcinema are exact replicas of what guests see in the main theater

“As a Tampa native and educator, I have seen the integral role this theater has played for all ages in our community, from its Summer Film Camp to its Summer Classics Series,” Gwendolyn Henderson, city councilmember and CRA board chair, said. “This new addition might be called a ‘micro’ cinema, but it will have a mighty impact.”

The first film shown in the new microcinema will be “The Old Oak.”

• June 3, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• June 4, 4 to 6 p.m.
• June 5, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• June 6, 4 to 6 p.m.
• June 7, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.