Opened in 1929, the Fox Theatre has been called The Fabulous Fox ever since, a nickname entirely deserved. The Fox is a movie palace in the fullest sense of the term: an architectural fantasy designed to transport audiences out of their ordinary lives and into something grander. The interior holds 4,500 seats under a ceiling that soars 100 feet overhead, decorated in a style the architects called 'Siamese Byzantine' — a riot of gilded columns, jeweled chandeliers, carved plasterwork, and deep red velvet.
The Fox opened during the golden age of movie palaces, when going to the movies was an event, not merely an activity. By the 1970s, the building had been shuttered and faced demolition — the fate of so many of its sister theaters across American cities. A preservation campaign saved it.
Restored and reopened in 1982, the Fox today is one of the busiest touring Broadway houses in the country. National touring productions of major musicals frequently land here for weeks-long runs. Standing outside, you'll see the iconic marquee with its vertical 'FOX' sign in lights, exactly as it looked when it opened.
Go inside if you can. The lobby alone is worth the price of admission.