Tampa Theatre Puts Personalized Messages on its Marquee For a Donation

The Tampa Theatre is putting personalized messages on its marquee from patrons who make a donation, even while shows are not going on, ABC Action News reports.

"We have never in our 93-year history been closed for this long," said Jill Witecki, Tampa Theatre Director of Marketing. "Thousands of tickets that we haven't been able to sell this year."

Because of this, the theatre is doing everything it can to raise the $100,000 per month it requires just to maintain the building. In response, the theatre has created the Marquee Messages Program.

"Given how many people this year had to give up the standard graduation, the standard birthday, the standard anniversary all of those milestone events, it's something special that nobody else in town can do," said Witecki.

Patrons can make a $150 donation to put any message on the marquee for one hour, during the day and time of their choosing.

"We can program it from my phone and it gives us the flexibility to be able to change those messages," said Witecki. "It is a thrill, I mean you are looking at a marquee that has been up there for 93 years that has had some of the biggest names in entertainment, the biggest names in Hollywood, splashed across it."

For more information, visit Tampatheatre.org.

Read the original story on ABC Action News.