Tampa Theatre Auditorium Paint Study

The Tampa Theatre, designed in a Florida Spanish and Italian Renaissance style, opened on October 15, 1926. Architect John Eberson, founder of atmospheric theatre style, designed the auditorium to embrace the audience in a Mediterranean garden under an open sky. While composing the architectural visions with Spanish patio, Italian columns and plasterwork, and French formal gardens, Eberson incorporated color schemes from Florida’s natural landscape. The Tampa Theatre was designed to suit the strong Spanish-Italian heritage and population of the Florida west-coast town.

To prepare the Tampa Theatre for the auditorium and mezzanine renovation, EverGreene conservators performed a paint study to best comprehend the historical finishes and provide insights on streamlining the restoration process.