Fox Theater (Stevens Point, Wisconsin) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Fox Theater
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The Fox Theater
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| Location | 1116-1128 Main St. Stevens Point, Wisconsin |
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| Built | 1894 |
| Architect | Oscar Cobb |
| Architectural style | Romanesque Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 82000698 |
| Added to NRHP | July 26, 1982 |
The Fox Theater is a historic building located in Stevens Point, Wisconsin. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. This means it's a very important building because of its unique design and long history.
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History of the Fox Theater
The Fox Theater building was first built in 1894. It was created for a man named G. F. Andrae. The architect who designed it was Oscar Cobb from Chicago, Illinois. When it first opened, it was known as the Grand Opera House. It was a popular place for vaudeville shows and live stage plays.
G. F. Andrae was a German immigrant and a well-known businessman in Stevens Point. He built several buildings in the city. The Opera House was his special gift to the community. His family owned the building for many years, until September 2020.
The Grand Opera House Era
G. F. Andrae bought the land for the Opera House in 1893. He wanted to build a modern and beautiful theater for Stevens Point. Work on the building started right away.
One exciting event happened on February 11, 1897. The very first motion pictures, called Vitascope, were shown at the Grand Opera House! This was a big deal for the time. The Grand Opera House closed its doors on February 3, 1915.
Becoming The Majestic Theater
The theater later got a new name: The Majestic Theater. Changes were made to the building. A larger stage area and dressing rooms were added at the back. The special box seats were removed to make the main audience area bigger. The Majestic Theater reopened on November 1, 1920. The first show was "All Aboard For Cuba."
The Fox Theater was updated again in 1941. A new entrance canopy was built, which you can still see today. New sound equipment and movie projectors were installed. They even added an air-conditioning system! The main floor was rebuilt with a new slope for better viewing. New seats were put in, making the theater hold 772 people. The main colors inside were burgundy, with green, turquoise, and yellow in the lobbies. The Fox reopened on August 14, 1941, showing the movie "Life Begins For Andy Hardy."
In May 1954, a new movie system called CinemaScope was added. This allowed for widescreen movies. "The Robe" was the first widescreen film shown at the Fox. The theater closed for a short time in May 1955 but reopened in July 1955.
Later, different companies managed the theater. United Artists Theaters ran it in the 1960s and 1970s. Rogers Cinema also operated it for a while. The theater was last run by Essaness Theaters before it closed in 1986. In the early 1980s, parts of the stage and dressing rooms were removed because of a new mall project. The theater only stayed open for a short time after that. The last two movies shown were "Off Beat" and "Out of Africa. The theater officially closed on April 25, 1986.
Efforts to Reopen the Fox
Many people have tried to reopen the Fox Theater over the years. In 2006, the theater's outdoor sign, called a marquee, was fixed up by the family who owned it. Its lights were turned on sometimes.
In 2011, the Sanders family, who were descendants of G. F. Andrae, announced plans to fix up the theater. This depended on Stevens Point voters approving money for the mall area. Voters said yes later that year. The Sanders family decided to donate the theater to the Arts Alliance of Portage County. This was a joint effort between Bill Schierl from the Arts Alliance and Ada Sanders, G. F. Andrae's granddaughter. On February 1, 2013, the Arts Alliance officially received the Fox Theatre as a gift.
Ada Sanders said, "My brother, sister and I have been waiting a long time for the right opportunity to contribute the Fox to the cultural vitality of our community. It has always been our goal to see the Fox reopened."
The Arts Alliance created a group to develop and run the theater as a non-profit organization. This group was led by Gerard McKenna.
In 2020, a new company called The Opera House LLC was started. They began to change the building into a place for many different events. They are adding a catering kitchen, a full bar, a ballroom on the second floor, and an elevator. They are also working to keep the building's old historical features. These renovations are expected to be finished in 2022. The land around the Opera House has also been restored to its original size. The city agreed to include the extra green space in the redevelopment plan. This extra space will become an outdoor gathering area, like a traditional German beer garden. It will have seating, an outdoor stage, and public Wi-Fi.
Famous People at the Fox
Some very famous people performed on stage at the Fox Theater:
- Harry Houdini, the famous escape artist, performed on April 7 and 8, 1897.
- Eugene V. Debs spoke at the Grand on January 6, 1904. He was a five-time candidate for president of the United States for the Socialist Party of America.
Key Moments in the Fox Theater's History
- 1893: G.F. Andrae announces he will build an Opera House. Work begins.
- 1894: The Opera House opens with F.E. Bosworth as manager. German comedian Andy Amann performs on opening night.
- 1897: Edison picture shows (early movies) begin to be shown.
- 1904: Traveling moving-picture shows are first seen.
- 1912: The first silent movie is screened.
- 1915: The Opera House closes.
- 1920: The Opera House reopens as the Majestic Theater with a new canopy.
- 1921: Myron "Archie" Neumann becomes manager and stays until 1952.
- 1923: A Barton theater organ is installed.
- 1928: Wisconsin Amusement Company (now Fox Corp.) takes over operations.
- 1930: The first "sound" films are screened.
- 1939: The theater closes for a month and reopens with a new Fox marquee.
- 1953: The theater closes for three days when students protest higher ticket prices. It reopens with new "student priced" tickets.
- 1961: Prudential Insurance takes over management from Fox.
- 1968: United Artists assumes management.
- 1978: Rogers Cinema becomes the new management company.
- 1982: During mall construction, 50 feet of the theater is removed.
- 1985: The theater closes.
- 2013: Arts Alliance of Portage County officially accepts the donation of the Fox Theater.
- 2019: Arts Alliance of Portage County sells the building to the city of Stevens Point for $1.
- 2020: Due to damage, the back two-thirds of the theater, including the auditorium, is taken down. Only the front part remains.
- 2020: The city of Stevens Point looks for someone to buy and reuse The Opera House.
- 2020: The city sells the remaining building and lot to a local business person.
- 2020: The Opera House LLC is created.
- 2020: Renovation work begins in the fall.
- 2022: The Opera House is expected to reopen.
