Fox Theatre (Atlanta)

The Fabulous Fox Theatre in Atlanta, Georgia is one of the grand movie palaces built in the United States in the 1920s. The theatre's unique origin and Moorish design sets it apart from others of the era. Originally intended as the Yaarab Temple Shrine Mosque, a headquarters for the Shriners, the $2.75 million project was completed only with funding and a twenty-one year lease by movie mogul William Fox, who was building theatres around the country at the time. The 4678-seat theatre, which replicates an Arabian courtyard (complete with a sky of flickering stars and drifting clouds) opened on December 25, 1929, just two months after the stock market crash.

Related Topics:
Atlanta, Georgia - Movie palace - United States - 1920s - Shriners - William Fox - December 25 - 1929 - Stock market crash

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In 1974, Southern Bell, the regional arm of AT&T, approached the owners of the theatre with an offer to buy and with the intent of tearing it down and building a new headquarters on the site. A group was formed to save the theatre and it was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in May 1974. The ensuing public outcry and massive campaign resulted in the city refusing to issue a demolition permit and ultimately, a complicated deal that prevented the Fox's demolition and the building of the Southern Bell headquarters on land adjacent to the theatre. The United States Department of the Interior subsequently named the Fox a National Historic Landmark on May 26, 1976.

Related Topics:
1974 - Southern Bell - AT&T - National Register of Historic Places - May - United States Department of the Interior - National Historic Landmark - May 26 - 1976

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The theatre currently hosts a multitude of cultural and artistic events including the Atlanta Ballet, a summer film series, and performances for various national touring companies of Broadway shows. Because of its origins as a movie house, the Fox has a relatively shallow stage by theatrical standards and is unable to accommodate some of the set pieces required by modern large scale shows such as The Lion King and Miss Saigon.

Related Topics:
Broadway - The Lion King - Miss Saigon

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