Her Majesty, The Fox Theatre
The Fox Theatre, a national historic landmark, stands as a stirring and regal tribue to Atlanta's changing times.
Built in the 1920's, her original purpose was to be headquarters for the 5,000 member Shriners. When money to complete the project became an issue, the Shriners made a deal with movie mogul William Fox.
Adding his own modifications to include a movie theater, Fox assisted the Shriners with financial backing to complete the building.
Egyptian decor was the influence of the day and that influence is evident in every aspect of The Fox.
From the onion domes on top of the building to painted scarabs in the meeting rooms to the intricate detail of the grillwork (mainly to hide air conditioning and heating ducts), the Middle Eastern ambience transports a visitor to an Arabian bazaar.
A little ahead of her time, The Fox Theatre was one of the first buildings to include air conditioning, predating air conditioning even in The White House.
By the 1970's, The Fox was in disrepair and in peril of being replaced by a parking lot for Southern Bell. But Atlanta Landmark, Inc. spearheaded a "Save the Fox" campaign. Thus began a restoration campaign resulting in over $20 million worth of renovation.
Today, the Fox Theatre hosts everything from concerts to conventions to live theater, opera, and ballet.
Even an ice rink has been constructed onstage for ice skating productions.
The Atlanta Historical Society hosts tours of the Fox for donations. This tour takes the visitor to the upstairs meeting rooms where the Shriners originally held their meetings. These rooms are now available for rent to the general public.
But the true beauty of the Fox is in the theater itself. Capable of holding 4,678 people, patrons can watch the stage beneath a midnight blue sky filled with stars. The ceiling is painted ultramarine blue with lights to create stars. During the tour, you learn that The Fox also has "patterned" lights which project clouds and even snow across the ceiling. But using those patterns is a rairty.
During the Coca-Cola Summer Film Series, you may also get a chance to hear and see "Mighty Mo." The second largest theatre organ in the world, Mighty Mo was custom-made for The Fox Theatre by M. P. Möller of Hagerstown, Maryland. The organ was valued at $400,000 in 1974. Today, it is priceless.
In 1954, Mighty Mo stopped playing. It took Joe Patten, The Fox Theatre's retired technical director, nine months, hundreds of hours and 36,000 feet of new wire to rebuild the organ from the inside out. The music of Mighty Mo now accompanies many of the movies during the summer film series.
The Delta International Series brings theatrical productions from around the world to the Fox stage.
Hungarian dancers, an orchestra from Wales and Swan Lake by the Moscow Ballet offer a taste of classic performances with an international flavor.
The Fox Theatre is now one of the most visited locations in Atlanta. It is always worth a visit because, as they say, aesthetically and accoustically, there is not a bad seat in the house at The Fox Theatre.
The Fox Theatre
General Information
660 Peachtree Street NE
Atlanta, GA 30308
Phone: (404) 881-2100
Fax: (404) 872-2972
Email: information@foxtheatre.org
www.foxtheatre.org
