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Patrons Sing Songs Full Of Holiday Cheer

Tribune photo by CHRIS URSO

Heather Di-Paola-Maranto, of Tampa, right, along with Jennifer Geoghan, of Orlando, left, and Manuel Ramon, of Tampa, back right, sing Christmas carols prior to a showing of the movie White Christmas Dec. 7 at the Tampa Theatre.

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By JAMIE PILARCZYK

jpilarczyk@tampatrib.com

Published: December 19, 2008

TAMPA - For the past two decades, holiday singalongs have broken out in downtown Tampa as Christmas approaches.

Tampa Theatre patrons will have an opportunity to continue the tradition this weekend with the annual showing of "It's A Wonderful Life," one in a series of holiday movies the theater presents each season.

Theater spokeswoman Tara Schroeder said "It's A Wonderful Life" has played every year since 1988 and, of course, when it was released in 1946.

Crowds roll in up to an hour before show time, trimmed in Christmas sweaters and reindeer antlers.

"It blows the doors off all of our holiday movies," Schroeder said.

Patrons who attend the holiday movie series are treated to a 10-minute karaoke-type singalong with the theater's Mighty Wurlitzer pipe organ, used during the silent film era.

At the showing of "Winter Wonderland" earlier this month, theater patron Lisa Graves said, the audience extended the caroling throughout the movie.

"People sang throughout 'White Christmas,'" said Graves, of Brandon. "Nowhere else can you do that and it be OK. It's fantastic."

Lisa Romano was mesmerized by Tampa Theatre before she even knew its name.

Romano, 27, first saw the historic theater in the late 1980s while watching a music video filmed there. When her family left Colorado in 1992 for Tampa, she had no idea she was moving to the home of the theater.

"It's the greatest movie experience ever," said Romano of Largo, who came to a show soon after arriving in town.

She now gives backstage tours and helps usher at shows as a volunteer. For Christmas, she has made going to the "It's A Wonderful Life" sing-a-long a tradition.

"The movie is so heartwarming and touching," Romano said. "It reminds me of how precious life is. Everyone has blessing in their life. You just have to change your outlook."

The film tells the story of George Bailey, played by James Stewart. After his suicide attempt, his guardian angel takes him on a trip through his past, showing him all of the lives he unknowingly touched. The film ends with Bailey and the community gathering together in song, in realization of life's blessings.

"During the frenzy of the season, it's nice to take a step away and into the historic theater," Schroeder said.

Graves and her 13-year-old daughter, Samantha, volunteer at the theater. They enjoy going to see the classics and have made seeing a holiday movie a family tradition.

"I look forward to doing that," said Samantha, a Mann Middle School eighth-grader. "I thought it was weird when we first went, but I appreciate more about the theater now. It's one of the oldest buildings in Tampa."

Opened in 1926, the Tampa Theatre is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is a Tampa landmark. The architecture is a unique blend of Florida Mediterranean. Set up like an outdoor terrace, there are even twinkling stars in the ceiling of the auditorium.

The atmosphere and history make the movie-going experience rich, Romano said.

"You don't get to see these old movies in the theater anymore," said Romano. "Can you imagine how many people sat in these seats and watched these movies over the years?"

IF YOU GO

WHAT: It's A Wonderful Life

WHEN: 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday

WHERE: Tampa Theatre, 711 Franklin St.

COST: $8 all ages, discount for members

CONTACT: Box office (813) 274-8286

Reporter Jamie Pilarczyk can be reached at (813) 259-7661.

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