Fox Tucson Theatre facts for kids
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Fox Theatre in 2019
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| Address | 17 W. Congress St. Tucson, Arizona United States |
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| Public transit |  Tucson Sun Linkat Congress & Stone and Broadway & Stone |
| Owner | Fox Tucson Theatre Foundation |
| Operator | Fox West Coast Theatres (1930–1970), National General Corporation (1970–1973), Mann Theatres (1973–1974), City Of Tucson (2005–present) |
| Type | Movie palace |
| Capacity | 1,197 |
| Screens | 1 |
| Construction | |
| Opened | April 11, 1930 |
| Reopened | 2005 |
| Website | |
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Fox Theatre
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 Location in Arizona
Location in the United States
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| Area | 0.8 acres (0.32 ha) |
| Built | 1929 |
| Architect | M. Eugene Durfee |
| Architectural style | Art Deco |
| MPS | Downtown Tucson, Arizona MPS |
| NRHP reference No. | 03000905 |
| Added to NRHP | September 12, 2003 |
The Fox Tucson Theatre is a historic building in downtown Tucson, Arizona, United States. It first opened its doors on April 11, 1930. This theater is a special place for many kinds of shows. It hosts everything from ballets and jazz concerts to pop music, world music, and rock bands.
Contents
The Fox Theatre's Story
How the Fox Theatre Began
The Fox Theatre was first planned in 1929. It was going to be called "The Tower." The Diamos Family, who owned other theaters like the Plaza Theater and the Grand Theatre, built it.
Before "The Tower" was finished, the Fox company wanted to buy it. They told the Diamos family that if they didn't sell, Fox would build a bigger theater and only show their movies there. So, the Diamos family sold the theater but got to keep managing it.
The Fox Tucson Theatre is in the middle of downtown Tucson. It has 1,200 seats and is about 30,000 square feet. It is a special example of a Southwestern Art Deco movie palace.
Building the Theatre
The Fox Theatre was designed to host both vaudeville shows (live stage performances) and movies. It was supposed to have a stage, a special area above the stage for scenery (a fly loft), and dressing rooms below the stage.
However, the Great Depression happened, and "talkies" (movies with sound) became very popular. This meant fewer live plays were performed. Because of this, the dressing rooms were never finished. The total cost to build the Fox Theatre, including all the furniture, grew from $200,000 to $300,000.
Opening Day and Early Years
The Fox Theatre opened on April 11, 1930, and closed on June 18, 1974. When it first opened, it showed movies, hosted community events, and had vaudeville performances. It was also home to the Tucson chapter of the Mickey Mouse Club.
The Mickey Mouse Club was open to all children in Tucson. However, other shows at the theater were separated by race. African American people had to sit in the back balcony.
The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is important because of its unique style and special sound system called 'Acoustone'. This system was designed for "Talkie" movies, and the Fox Theatre is the only place known to still have it.
Opening night on April 11, 1930, was a huge party for Tucson. Congress Street was closed for dancing, with four live bands playing. There was a live radio broadcast and free trolley rides downtown. About 3,000 people bought tickets to enjoy the show inside. They watched the film Chasing Rainbows, a Movietone short, and a Mickey Mouse cartoon. The Fox Theatre became the center of Tucson's entertainment for 40 years.
Why the Theatre Closed
Over time, other entertainment options appeared. Drive-in theaters and television became popular. This made the Fox Theatre less busy. Even though parts of the theater were updated, most of its original details remained. But with fewer shops and homes downtown, the theater eventually closed in 1974. People tried to save it, but it stayed empty for a long time.
Bringing the Fox Theatre Back to Life
The Restoration Project
After being empty for 25 years, the theater was in very bad shape. It had water damage, vandalism, and was neglected. The owners wanted to tear it down to build an office building. They were not interested in selling it.
However, a non-profit group called the Fox Tucson Theatre Foundation worked for two years to buy the building. In 1999, they bought it for $250,000. They immediately started fixing it, beginning with a new roof to stop more water damage. Small projects, like fixing the chandeliers, kept the community interested. They held open houses and fundraisers.
After six years and $13 million of work, the theater reopened on December 31, 2005.
What Was Restored
The restoration project fixed many parts of the theater:
- The beautiful plaster and murals were repaired.
- The special 'Acoustone' sound material was fixed.
- New seat fabric, carpet patterns, and light fixtures were made to look like the originals.
- New lighting, sound, and projection systems were added for modern shows.
The theater is important to the community because of its size. Many local and touring performers were excited for it to reopen. Today, the theater hosts dance, theater, music, and film events. It also has activities for children and community gatherings.
How the Project Was Paid For
The Fox Tucson Theatre restoration was paid for by a mix of public and private money. It was one of the first historic theaters to use special tax credits to help with funding. Money also came from the City of Tucson, the United States Government, the State of Arizona, and private donations. This way of funding is now a model for other historic buildings.
Community Support
The community helped a lot with the project. Over 200 volunteers worked on it. The Fox Tucson Theatre Foundation's volunteer Board of Directors worked very hard. They raised almost $1 million each year for five years. Even though building costs went up, the City of Tucson approved more funding in 2005 to finish the project.
The Theatre's Impact
The reopening of the Fox Tucson Theatre has made a big difference for downtown Tucson and Southern Arizona. The Fox now hosts over 100 events each year and welcomes more than 100,000 visitors. This brings more sales tax money, helps local shops and restaurants, and increases parking revenue downtown. It has been a very successful preservation project.
Many people helped make the project happen, including:
- John A Hill – The main architect
- Herb Stratford – Founder and first Executive Director of the Fox Tucson Theatre Foundation
- The Fox Tucson Theatre Foundation Board of Directors
- The Mayor and Council of the City of Tucson, Arizona
- The Rio Nuevo Multipurpose Facilities District
- Congressman Jim Kolbe
- B.C. McKinney – Technical Director during the rebuilding
The Fox Tucson Theatre Foundation (FTTF) started in July 1999. Its goal was to bring the theater back to the community. It is a non-profit group that grew from a citizen's group called the Fox Theatre Revival Committee, which began in 1997. This group wanted to see the theater fixed up and reopened. The Foundation's main job is to buy, restore, renovate, and run the historic Fox Tucson Theatre. It has a professional staff and is guided by a volunteer Board of Directors.
Gallery
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Fox Theatre, then and now
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The theatre at night in 2007
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Fox Theatre Marquee
See also
In Spanish: Teatro Fox Tucson para niños
- Rialto Theatre (Arizona)
- Plaza Theater (Tucson)
