I thought it would be fun to devote several posts to some of the Midwest’s grand old historic theatres you can still visit. This is the last of a five-part series (republished from September 19, 2009).
After an introduction to classic theatres in the Midwest, we’ve visited the Paramount in Anderson, Ind., and dropped in at the CAPA (Columbus Association for the Performing Arts)-run Ohio Theatre.
In this post we’ll spend a little time with a Fox. Actually Foxes because when it comes to historic theatres, there’s a veritable den of them named Fox.
The Detroit Fox is one of five that carries the name built in the 1920s by William Fox. The other fortunate cities were Brooklyn, Atlanta, St. Louis and San Francisco.
Cities the likes of Oakland, Boulder, Tucson, Redwood City and Spokane (and probably countless lesser known communities) also boast a Fox Theatre. The majority of us, however, are most familiar with the Foxes in Detroit and St. Louis.
Detroit’s Fox Theatre is part of Olympia Entertainment. The Olympia banner also flies over these other Detroit venues: Joe Louis Arena, Cobo Arena, Masonic Temple Theatre, Comerica Park and The City Theatre.
The Detroit Fox opened in the fall of 1928 and held sway as the downtown Detroit movie house for decades. By the 1970s, the once-proud Fox was showing its age. In 1984 a renovation effort began but soon fizzled.
But in 1988 Mike and Marian Ilitch acquired the theatre and fully restored it at a cost of $12 million. The building was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1985. Four years later, the Fox was honored with a designation as a National Historic Landmark.
With 5,048 seats, the Detroit Fox is the second largest theatre in the country. Only New York’s Radio City Music Hall is bigger. The theatre is Detroit’s principal venue for Broadway presentations.
Groups of every size look to the Fox as a site for conventions, business meetings, awards banquets or client extravaganzas. And little wonder: The Fox can handle up to 800 for formal sit-down dinners, 1,500 for buffet receptions up to 4,800 guests for general business meetings.
If you can’t manage to actually see a show or attend an event at the Fox, you can a arrange a tour. It’s a 45-minute excursion behind the scenes of what long has been known as Detroit’s crown jewel. The only catch is that you must have a group of at least 15 persons.
Tours run Monday through Friday on non-event days. The cost is $6 per person. The tour hotline is 313/471-6677. Tours of other Olympia venues are also available.
The Gateway City, St. Louis, also has one of the original Foxes. The splendid St. Louis Fox was built between 1927 and 1928 on a site formerly occupied by Grand Avenue Presbyterian Church. Fast forward to 1981.
On a January morning of that year, the Fox’s eventual saviors first laid eyes on her. They soon formed Fox Associates and financed the private purchase of the theatre.
What played out over the next few years is the now-familiar saga of the fortunate few—the grand old theatres that get to live a second life, thanks to a top-to-bottom, from the inside-out restoration. Today, the St. Louis Fox stands proud, one of the survivors of the original five Fabulous Foxes.
Previous: Take pride in Kalamazoo’s State, a landmark theatre
Like what you are reading? Get our latest articles via e-mail every week!
No information will be given to outside parties. Unsubscribe
Article Comments
Leave a Reply