The Fox Tucson Theatre is located in downtown Tucson, Arizona, United States. The theater opened on April 11, 1930 as a performance space in downtown Tucson. It hosts a wide spectrum of events and concerts featuring a variety of performing talent, ranging from ballets, to jazz, contemporary pop, world music and rock acts.
History
The Fox, originally to be called "The Tower", was built in 1929 by The Diamos Family for their Southern Arizona "Lyric Amusement" chain of theaters. Other theaters owned by the Diamos family included the Plaza Theater in Tucson and the Grand Theatre in Douglas. Before the Tower's completion, Fox offered to buy the theater, threatening to build a larger theatre and make its films exclusive to that theatre if the Diamos's did not sell. Diamos sold the theatre but was given a contract to manage it.
The Fox Tucson Theatre is located in the heart of downtown Tucson, Arizona. The theater, a 1,200 seat structure, is the only known example of a Southwestern Art Deco movie palace.
The Fox Theatre was originally designed to be a dual vaudeville/movie house that would include a stage, a full fly loft, and dressing rooms underneath the stage. Due to the Great Depression and the up-and-coming "talkies", there were limited opportunities to hold live plays and performances, and as such, the dressing rooms were never completed. By the time the Fox Theatre's construction was completed, the overall budget increased from $200,000 to $300,000, including the furnishings.
It opened on April 11, 1930, and closed on June 18, 1974. Original programming at the theater included; movies, community events, vaudeville performances and the Tucson chapter of the Mickey Mouse Club. The building, listed on the National Register of Historic Places as a "Nationally Significant Structure" is so listed due to its unique decor and special acoustical treatment, 'Acoustone', designed due to the advent of "Talkie" movies, and is the only known example of the material in existence.
Opening night, April 11, 1930, proved to be the biggest party the small community of Tucson had ever seen. With Congress Street closed and waxed for dancing, four live bands, a live radio broadcast and free trolley rides downtown, the party was one not to be missed. Those lucky enough to have bought tickets in advance—3,000 or so people—enjoyed the show inside as well as out. The film Chasing Rainbows, a Movietone short, and a Mickey Mouse cartoon were well received by both audiences that evening, and the Fox Theatre began its 40-year life as the center of Tucson's entertainment world.
Competition from other venues, drive-ins and television conspired to end the run of popularity the Fox had enjoyed. Partial remodels of the theater left it with most of its original details, but vanishing retail and housing downtown spelled the end in 1974. Various efforts to revive the theatre were unsuccessful, but the property was spared the wrecking ball.
Restoration
After sitting empty for 25 years, the theater, which had become home to over 40 homeless people, was nearly beyond restoration. Extensive water damage, vandalism, and neglect had conspired to keep the building dark. The owners, who had planned to demolish the Fox for a future office building, had decided to let the building slowly decay and had little interest in selling the property to anyone. Following a two-year negotiation with the property owner, the non-profit Fox Tucson Theatre Foundation was able to purchase the building in 1999 for $250,000. Stabilization and planning for the rehabilitation/restoration began at once with a new roof being installed to stop further damage from the elements. Small restoration projects such as the repair and relighting of the original chandeliers kept the community engaged—through bi-annual open houses and special event fund-raisers. Following a six-year, $13 million rehabilitation the theatre reopened on December 31, 2005.
Elements of the restoration/rehabilitation included: Decorative plaster and mural restoration throughout the building Repair to the unique original 'Acoustone' acoustic material Recreation of original seat fabric, carpet pattern and light fixtures from surviving examples and photographs New theatrical systems (light, sound, projection) to better serve the performing arts community both locally and for touring productions As the theater fills an important niche in the community due to its seating capacity, the local and national performing arts community were eager for its return. Programming at the theatre includes performances of Dance, Theater, Music and Film, children's activities and community events as well as private corporate rentals.