George Levesque leads Tampa Theatre into next chapter

George Levesque wasn’t looking for a new job when he first stepped inside the Tampa Theatre.

He had a passion for visiting atmospheric theaters, and a friend had called to tell him Tampa had the most beautiful one in the country. Levesque traveled to see the historic movie palace in person, a visit that changed the course of his career. Walking through the doors, he immediately fell in love with the theater. The ornate architecture wasn’t the only thing that stood out.

“It was after meeting the staff that I felt assured this was the place I wanted to be,” Levesque says in an email interview.

Now Levesque is leading the century-old theater into its next chapter as the newly appointed president and CEO. He helms one of the city’s most cherished cultural institutions with a leadership style rooted in storytelling, community engagement, and genuine appreciation for the people behind an organization’s success.

A career built on connection

Before the Tampa Theatre, Levesque spent nine years as executive director of the Historic Paramount Theatre in Abilene, Texas. Before that, he built a career in front of the camera, working 25 years in broadcasting, including 18 years as a news anchor for a local ABC affiliate in Abilene.

Despite his time leading the historic theater, Levesque says, “I think the people there will always think of me as ‘the news guy.'”

The transition from newsroom to nonprofit leadership may seem a stretch, but Levesque sees a common thread. Both professions are ultimately about connecting with people. That focus on relationships has shaped the way he approaches leadership and community engagement.

Levesque officially started in June, following the retirement of John Bell, who led the theater for 40 years. 

“Let me be clear, the Tampa Theatre is a very successful organization,” Levesque says. “Looking at the growth over the past decade or so, it’s clearly going in the right direction.”

His goal is to build on that strong foundation. To that end, Levesque plans to continue to expand programming to reach diverse groups.  

“This theatre is for everyone,” he says.

Expanding youth educational programming is another priority, and the theater will have a dedicated space for it. The ongoing renovation of the historic theater is adding an education wing on the Florida Avenue side of the building.

“We can’t wait to see those classrooms filled with young artists of all kinds.”

Preserving wonder

Levesque understands the emotional power of historic theaters; he’s experienced it himself.

His love affair with atmospheric theaters began back in high school in Texas, when a girlfriend invited him to a Christmas musical at the local movie theater.

“We arrived downtown, walked under those marquee lights, headed to the balcony, and I couldn’t get over seeing the sunset, the twinkling stars, and clouds drifting on the ceiling,” he says. “That kind of thing stays with you forever.”

Decades later, that sense of wonder continues to guide his work. While programming will evolve and audiences will change, Levesque believes some things should remain constant.

“Ever since this movie palace opened in 1926, it has had one primary mission,” he says. “I think film will be the cornerstone of our programming forever.”

His challenge, he says, is finding ways to honor tradition while ensuring new audiences create memories of their own.

Looking ahead

Looking at short and long-term goals, Levesque wants the Tampa Theatre to become more involved with its downtown partners. Historic theaters, he says, are economic drivers for local businesses. 

“When we have a full house, that’s 1,200 people that came downtown to go out to eat, to look at the shops, to get a drink afterwards,” Levesque says. “I want us to be even more connected with our downtown neighbors in the short term.” 

“The long-term goal must be to build an endowment,” he says. “These theaters aren’t just restored and forgotten. Restoration is a continuing process. It’s wonderful that the people of Tampa helped raise more than $24 million for this phase of the restoration, but maintaining this movie palace is an ongoing effort. We have an opportunity to create a fund that will safeguard this theater and last forever.”

But beyond economics and programming, his vision is ultimately about creating experiences that endure long after the credits roll. The kind of experiences that inspired a young Texas teenager staring at a painted night sky decades ago and convinced a seasoned theater executive making his first visit to the Tampa Theatre that he had found where he belonged.

For more information, go to Tampa Theatre