Fox Theatre Atlanta - A Palace on Peachtree

[shivtim]

I recently had a chance to go on a tour of Midtown Atlanta's Fox Theatre as part of the Atlanta Preservation Center's "Phoenix Flies" event.

The Fox opened in the late 1920s as the "Yaarab Temple Shrine Mosque," which was the headquarters for the Shriners organization. The 4,678 seat auditorium was developed as a Fox movie theatre, and opened in 1929 just in time for the great depression. Only three Fox theatres still survive - in Atlanta, Detroit, and St.Louis. The Theatre has barely escaped the wrecking ball many times. It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1976 and has generated an operating surplus every year since. Around 750,000 people visit each year, and more than 300 performances are held, including musicals, movies, and concerts.

Hope you enjoy the pics - the lighting was dim and no flash photography is allowed, but hopefully these pictures captures some of the amazing qualities of the theatre.

[tdawg]

The Fox is amazing. A very good friend of mine who is in the national tour of War Horse told me that the Fox was the most beautiful theatre he'd ever been in, until he got to St Louis. Apparently the Fox there is even more spectacular? Still, a gorgeous landmark.

[NYbyWAYofGA]

SExXxquisite!

[photoLith]

I was just in there a month ago, it's truly an amazing freaking theatre.

[plinko]

I've been lucky enough to see the one in Detroit. Now I really want to see this one (I've only driven past). Maybe I'll have to hit it up this fall when I'm in town.

[novaCJ]

Very beautiful. I once had a teacher who worked there as an usher while a student at Georgia Tech.

[texcolo]

I like threads about one building, and this building is definitely worthy of it's own thread.

[RudyJK]

I have some great memories of the Fox:

• When I was a senior in high school, 1980, we took senior superlative photos at the Fox. They gave us the run of the place but insisted we not go backstage. I think we took 'Wittiest' photos in the ladies room!
• In the mid-80's, I went to a party on the roof of the Ponce Apartments across the street in one of the aediculae. People coming out of the Fox from an event saw me and my then-boyfriend making out and cat-called us.
• In the early 90's, I was living just down the street and watched as a fire raged in the attic. I cried a lot that night.
• I've been to countless events at the Fox and am in awe each time I go there. It is a very special place.

Thanks for posting these great photos.

[L41A]

I love the Fox Theatre. It's one of my favorite places in Atlanta to see a show.

[NYbyWAYofGA]

Originally Posted by L41A

I love the Fox Theatre. It's one of my favorite places in Atlanta to see a show.

Me too! Back when I went to Tech, I used to love going to shows at Fox. Such an amazing venue. Out of the Broadway Theatres that I've been to here in New York, Fox still stands out as exceptional to me and is one of my favorites.

[L41A]

Originally Posted by NYbyWAYofGA

Me too! Back when I went to Tech, I used to love going to shows at Fox. Such an amazing venue. Out of the Broadway Theatres that I've been to here in New York, Fox still stands out as exceptional to me and is one of my favorites.

What years were you at Tech? I went to Tech too. Do you remember the Columbia Theatre - across and just down the street from the Fox? The Columbia was a great place to see a movie. I had my best movie going experience there. It advertised itself as having the world's largest movie screen.

But yes, the Fabulous Fox Theatre is fabulous.

[MayDay]

Love the Egyptian Revival details - thanks for posting!

[seaskyfan]

Fantastic building. Thanks for the tour and especially for all the close ups of the details.

[bobdreamz]

Looks to be laike a very beautiful building and I can't believe there are people who want to demolish it! Anyways I'm confused by some of the pictures, is the entire theatre covered? From the blue at the top it looks like it's a open sky?

[atlantaguy]

Originally Posted by bobdreamz

Looks to be laike a very beautiful building and I can't believe there are people who want to demolish it! Anyways I'm confused by some of the pictures, is the entire theatre covered? From the blue at the top it looks like it's a open sky?

Bob, BellSouth tried to demolish it back in the early 80's, and it basically started the huge preservation movement here. The tall white office tower you see in the background in a couple of pics was intended to be built on the site of the theatre.

Those are interior shots you refer to that look like the sky. It's incredibly beautiful, with the feeling of being outside in a Moroccan courtyard complete with twinkling stars in the ceiling before shows.

[mahanakorn]

Thanx for the outstanding pix. Haven't been in the Fox since I was a wee nipper, and very happy to see it still astounds. Good on the preservationists! Many of the surface parking lots downtown once held nice 10-20 story builldings.

[rbpaul]

Originally Posted by bobdreamz

Looks to be laike a very beautiful building and I can't believe there are people who want to demolish it! Anyways I'm confused by some of the pictures, is the entire theatre covered? From the blue at the top it looks like it's a open sky?

Each summer, Coca-Cola sponsors movies at the Fox. Each one starts with an old fashioned Sing-a-Long on the Mighty Mo, the huge theatre organ there. It ends with Sunrise, Sunset where lighting effects change the "sky" above the audience from midday with clouds moving across the ceiling to dusk to sundown to a night sky of twinkling stars.

[(four 0 four)]

Great tour...it really is a fantastic place and you captured its mystique very well!
I used to be a tour guide there and thoroughly enjoyed every visit. I loved watching the faces of older people as they reminisced about dancing in the Egyptian Ballroom during the big band era. Kids seemed to like sitting in the replicas of King Tut's throne chairs. Everyone marveled at the sky with its moving clouds and trinkling stars. The building is so beautiful and has such a wonderful history with so many intriguing stories it still baffles me to think how close it came to being razed.

[LSyd]

atlanta is all sprawl with no urban character or charm

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[mrnyc]

dat music history!