Fox Theatre (Detroit)

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Fox Theatre (2211 Woodward Ave. Detroit, MI 48201-3467) near Grand Circus Park in downtown Detroit, Michigan is a National Historic Landmark from the Roaring Twenties located within the Detroit Theatre District. With 5045 seats, it is the second largest theater in the country after the Radio City Music Hall in New York City.

Contents 1 History 2 Productions 3 Photo gallery 4 References 5 External links

[edit] History

The Detroit Fox is the first and the largest of the Fox Theaters. Built in 1928 for William Fox, founder of 20th Century Fox, it was the first movie palace to have live sound. The architect, C. Howard Crane, designed a lavish interior blend of Burmese, Chinese, Indian and Persian motifs. There are three levels of seating, the Main Floor above the orchestra pit, the Mezzanine, and the Gallery (balcony). The exterior of the 10-story building features an Art Deco facade, which at night is illuminated and can be seen for several blocks.

In 1988 the theater was cleaned and fully restored by its owners Mike and Marian Ilitch. The area of downtown Detroit which encompasses Fox Theatre is named Foxtown after the theater, and is bounded by Greektown to the east and Campus Martius to the south. In 2000 Comerica Park opened and helped to revitalize the area along with Ford Field in 2002. The Fox is Detroit’s top venue for Broadway shows.

[edit] Productions

The Radio City Christmas Spectacular was an annual favorite from 1997 through 2005. The theatre was host to the WWE Hall of Fame ceremony on March 31, 2007, the night before WrestleMania 23, being held at nearby Ford Field. Other live productions have included Sesame Street Live: Let's Be Friends, David Copperfield, Blue's Clues' Live! as well as show tours, such as Donny Osmond, Irving Berlin's White Christmas, Dora The Explorer! Live, and in April of 2007, Go! Diego! Live! with Liz Coscia, after Sesame Street Live productions, in 1998-2008.

[edit] Photo gallery

Fox Theatre building includes Little Caesars head office and test kitchens.

Fox Theatre marquee

Pedestrian view of Fox Theatre marquee

[edit] References

• Hauser, Michael and Marianne Weldon (2006). Downtown Detroit's Movie Palaces (Images of America). Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 0-7385-4102-8. 
• Hill, Eric J. and John Gallagher (2002). AIA Detroit: The American Institute of Architects Guide to Detroit Architecture. Wayne State University Press. ISBN 0-8143-3120-3. 
• Meyer, Katherine Mattingly and Martin C.P. McElroy with Introduction by W. Hawkins Ferry, Hon A.I.A. (1980). Detroit Architecture A.I.A. Guide Revised Edition. Wayne State University Press. ISBN 0-8143-1651-4. 
• Sharoff, Robert (2005). American City: Detroit Architecture. Wayne State University Press. ISBN 0-8143-3270-6. 

[edit] External links

• http://www.olympiaentertainment.com/venues/foxtheatre.jsp - official site
• http://www.buildingphotos.com/venues/fox.shtml

Coordinates: 42°20′18.96″N, 83°3′8.05″W