z WELCOME TROPIC MEMBERS!
In 1999, a small but resolute community of cinephiles in Key West started with a modest goal: To bring quality film to Key West.
Fourteen years ago this April, Tropic Cinema opened its doors.
Before
After
Tropic Cinema s Volunteer Board of Directors Holly S. Merrill, Chair Benjamin Egnatz, Vice Chair Andy Strunk, Treasurer Piper Smith, Secretary Terry George S. Runi Goyal Michael Marrero Victor McTeer Linda Mewshaw Scott Saunders Ginny Stones George Cooper, Emeritus
Our Staff Paul Melroy, Executive Director Lori Reid, Theater Manager Scot Hoard, Programming Director and Web Master Steve Raynn, Chief Projectionist Carla Turner, Membership & Marketing Manager John Abramson, Volunteer Coordinator and House Manager Mitzi Fiedler, House Manager Arlene Brush, House Manager Bob Rowand, Projectionist David Norwood, Business Manager Jeffrey Jacobs, President, Jacob Entertainment, Inc., Film Buyer
Film for our Community
It Takes a Community To sell you tickets. To pop and butter your popcorn. To select your films. To retrieve your membership card. To ice down your beer. To get you to the right theater. To fold our letters and stuff z our envelopes. To polish our condiment counter. To keep the Tropic spic and span. To help with your membership form. To pour you a glass of wine. To deliver our flyers. To find that lost sweater. To clean our 3D glasses. To smile and say, Hi! Welcome to the Tropic!
More than 150 Tropic Volunteers Bring Life into the Tropic and Bring the Tropic to Life.
Our Community of Volunteers Jeanne Arkin Jeff Frost John Baird Kate Gaboardi MaryJo Banks Michael Gaudiano Harry Barnett Norma Gilmore Nancy Bender Chuck Gilmore Sarah Benson John Glover Barbara Blackmore Gayle Glover John Bollinger Eddie Goldstein Steve Bornstein Dorothy Gray Ian Brockaway David Gray Bert Butler Jackie Gray Shelley Cambern Ed Guillory Ray Campbell Judy Hadley Suzanne Campbell Bridget Hall Stephanie Campbell Steve Hannan Christopher Cates Diana Heller Jaime Chapman Cathy Hesse Marie Cimino Janice Hilliard Steven Cohen Rick Holtz Jeff Cohen Marge Holtz J. David Cooper Florence Ireton Donna Dumke Hugh Johnson Michael Dumke Larry Johnson James Dwinell Dee Johnson Preston Everhardus Arlene Kass Suzanne Fagan Jill Keeler Ed Flack Craig Keeler Loretta Foreman Marilyn Kellner Lori Kjos June Klausing Andrea Kopelman Kimberly Kuhn Felicia Leamard John Lentes Hal Letts Jerry Lieberman Sharon Lieberman Duwayne Litz Jennifer Lopes Laura MacQuarrie Ray Madeo Jo Marcus Alieshka Mena-Farro Alicia Merel Dawn Messing Harold Metcalf Aloys Metty Carol Metty Nikki Miklos Stephen Miller Stephanie Miller Annie Miners Felix Munoz Anne Murphy Nancy Nead Jens Nielsen Jennifer O Malley Lynn Obringer Rejane Oldham Shane Oldham John O'Malley Maribelle Ortiz April Hope Owen Coco Page John Parce Paula Parker Pam Parsons Simone Peer Snow Philip Doc Pistole Andrew Printer Florence Quenin Elvin Quinones Keo Ramey Neo Ramey Sherry Read Isabel Reid Mark Reinnoldt Steven Richardson David Rooney Cindy Roy Emily Schulten Karen Schultz Cyndi Seiler
Our Community of Volunteers Mike Seiler Kathy Shackle Maureen Shaw Francisca Silva-Rojas Wanda Simmen Cliff Simmen Jim Simmen Cindy Simpson Siddarth Singh Paul Skinner Leslie Skinner Viktor Slavov Todd Spangler Thomas Spaulding Roberta Spencer Molly Stauffer Alex Symington Connie Tarpley MJ Taylor Steve Teachout Alan Teitelbaum Janie Teitelbaum Cookie Thatcher Naomi Van Steelandt Sid Waldman Craig Wanous Steve Wanta Bobbie Wanta Joey Webb Dakin Weekley Nancy Weiner Carl Weiner Mary Ann Westerlund John White Steph Wischerth Terry Wood Victoria Woodward Sherry Zisk Dianne Zolotow
We Love Our Members! The Tropic has more than 3,000 people at some level of membership. The average member comes to 9.5 films each year. Admissions to members represent about 25% of film revenues.
Tropic Cinema is cultural town square for our Lower Keys community. In 2016, we collaborated with not-for-profit and for-profit organizations for screenings, meetings and live shows. AIDS Help Anchors Aweigh Club (AA) Bahama Village Music Program Battle of the Bands Big Pine Academy Blue Heaven Restaurant Body Concierge Casa Marina Catholic Daughters of America Dartmouth Dodecaphonics Dry Tortugas Artist in Residence Program Equality Florida Firefly Restaurant Florida Keys SPCA Florida Keys Waste Management Grace Lutheran Church School Grimmel Grove Orchard Historic Tours of America Hog s Breath Hog Trot 5K Key West Art & Historical Society Key West Botanical Garden Key West Business Guild Key West Cultural Crawl Key West Lodging Association Key West Nutcracker Ballet Key West Police Department
Tropic Cinema is cultural town square for our Lower Keys community. In 2016, we collaborated with not-for-profit and for-profit organizations for screenings, meetings and live shows. Key West Rotary Club Golf Tourney Key West Songwriters FestivaL Key West Wildlife Center Key West Wildlife Rehab Center Key West Women s Club Lower Key s Women s Club Lower Keys Chamber of Commerce Magic Hat Hot Trot MARC House Mary Immaculate High School Alumni Association Mel Fisher Days Monroe County School District One Human Family Possibilities in Paradise Red Barn Theater Run with the Deer 5K Sam Kaufmann Estate Planning Schooner Wharf Lighted Boat Parade Sigsbee School Southernmost Beach Resort Southernmost Bocce League St. Francis in the Keys St. Paul s Episcopal Church Star of the Sea Foundation Tennessee Williams Exhibit Tibetan Monks Truman Annex Owner's Association Visiting Nurses Association Waterfront Playhouse Wesley House WLRN Womankind
The Tropic Student Leader Program
Our Films and Programs
In 2016, Tropic Cinema customers bought more than 73,000 tickets for more than 5,700 performances of more than 200 different films and events.
Commitment to Quality Film 2016 Golden Globe Winning Films Screened at Tropic Cinema The Revenant (Best Picture-Drama, Best Actor-Drama, Best Director) The Martian (Best Picture-Musical or Comedy, Best Actor-Musical or Comedy) Room (Best Actress-Drama) Joy (Best Actress-Musical or Comedy) Steve Jobs (Best Actress in a Supporting Role, Best Screenplay) Son of Saul (Best Foreign Language Picture) The Hateful Eight (Best Original Score) Spectre (Best Original Song)
Commitment to Quality Film 2016 Oscar-Winning Films Screened at Tropic Cinema Spotlight (Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay) The Revenant (Best Actor, Best Cinematography, Best Directing) Room (Best Actress) Bridge of Spies (Best Supporting Actor) The Danish Girl (Best Supporting Actress) Inside Out (Best Animated Film) Amy (Best Documentary) A Girl in the River (Best Short Documentary) Son of Saul (Best Foreign Language Film) The Hateful Eight (Best Original Score) Spectre (Best Original Song) Bear Story (Best Short Animated Film) Stutterer (Best Short Live Action Film) The Big Short (Best Adapted Screenplay)
2016 s Top 10 Grossing Feature Films 1. The Big Short 2. Joy 3. Hail, Caesar! 4. The Lady in the Van 5. The Revenant 6. The Danish Girl 7. Brooklyn 8. Secret Life of Pets 9. Jason Bourne 10. Secret Life of Pets 3D
T R O P I C CINEMA Programming In 2016, the Tropic s top ten grossing films made up 36% of the cinema s film revenues. Our top twenty box office films made up 53% of our film revenues.
The Tropic Experience
The Tropic Experience At the core of all we do at Tropic Cinema is about creating the perfect moviegoing experience. Achieving that excellent customer experience includes The world s best films Efficient and friendly service Up-to-the-minute film presentation technology Clean, comfortable and user-friendly facilities Delicious snacks and drinks
The Tropic Experience In e-mail surveys, Tropic members and customers tell us: 55% of customers tell us they love our movies. Half praise our warm and efficient service When asked what we should change, 56% of customers say nothing. 91% say they are extremely satisfied with their Tropic experience. 98% of Tropic members tell us they would recommend a membership to a friend.
The Tropic Experience It s no surprise that Tropic Cinema is near the top of Key West s list for must-see attractions on TripAdvisor, the world s largest user-generated content travel site. A few recent reviews suggest visitors to Key West like the Tropic as well as our local members and customers do:
TripAdvisor 5 Star Reviews One of the Great Film Theaters Great indie movies Elegant and fun theatre! Wish there was one at home! Attractive and comfortable. Classic in design. Up to date in picture and sound.
Our Finances
The mission of Tropic Cinema is to bring the world s best film to the Florida Keys and to promote the cultural, artistic and economic well-being of Key West and the Keys. We work hard to achieve those goals for our community, but they come at a cost.
In 2016, 51 of every $1 spent on a Tropic movie ticket went to a film studio for rental fees.
Gross Concessions Sales Here is how some of our favorite concessions sold. Popcorn and wine are perennial favorites.
All domestic cinemas commercial and independent struggled in 2015 and 2016. Tropic Cinema was no exception, but managed increases in two key areas. Tropic Cinema Earned Revenues for Fiscal Years 2014-15 and 2013-14 FY 2014-15 FY 2015-16 $ Difference % Difference Feature Films $613,869 $648,576 $34,707 +5.7% Concessions $354,559 $362,480 $7,921 +2.2% Box office and concessions revenues are the two pillars of Tropic business. In FY 2015-16, they represented 57% of our total revenues.
The Tropic community has always supported the cinema and in many years fundraising is needed to bridge the gap between revenues and expenses. Tropic Cinema Donated Revenues for Fiscal Years 2014-15 and 2015-16 FY 2014-15 FY 2015-16 $ Difference % Difference Memberships $232,100 $222,736 -$9,364-4% Development $157,750 $141,467 -$16,283-10% Development Events $18,704 $8,760 -$9,944-53% Along with a lower cost of goods, generous friends and members put the cinema s bottom operating line well into the black.
It s All About Community There s one reason Tropic Cinema is best. That reason is you. Our volunteers, donors, members, county government and visitors keep the world of film alive in Key West. Because of our mutual love of the movies, we ll continue to make your Tropic experience the best it can be.
Thank you! We ll see you at the movies!