The renovation of the Fox Theatre got a huge boost last week when it was revealed that the California Cultural and Historical Endowment had awarded the Fox an additional grant in the amount of $300,000. Fullerton Historic Theatre Foundation board member Tom Dalton shared the good news.

“This grant is the result of an application we made 2 years ago” said Dalton, who worked alongside Sean Fitzgerald of Townsend Public Affairs to shepherd the grant through the long application process. The CCHE has provided substantial support for the renovation of the historic theatre already, but “this particular award requires that we use the money specifically to restore decorative plaster and artwork inside the Fox theatre,” said Dalton. “These funds will go a long way toward making the theatre the showplace that it once was.”

One of the areas which required attention was the patterned ceiling inside the theatre auditorium, which had suffered greatly in the

decades since the theatre closed its doors in the 1980’s. “One of the things we can use this grant money for is to recreate the floret pattern in the ceiling panels using lighter, more modern materials,” said Leland Wilson, President of the FHTF. “We’re making incredible progress in the Tea Room and the Firestone building (the two buildings adjoining the Fox Theatre), but it’s nice that we can use this money to start bringing the beauty back to the Fox.”

We’d like to ask our readers to participate in an exercise in imagination:

It’s a beautiful, warm summer evening in 2017, and it’s date night.  You and your beloved (wife, husband, girlfriend or boyfriend) are feeling good and headed out for the evening.   You’re dressed a little bit nicer than you might normally be for a Saturday evening, but that’s okay because it’s a special night.  There is a great concert happening at the Fox Theatre tonight.

You heard this girl’s song on the radio a few months back, and you were instantly captivated.  You shared that song with your beloved, and they were captivated too.  And when you learned that she was going to be appearing, one night only, solo acoustic, at the Fox Theatre right here in Fullerton, getting tickets was a no-brainer.  (Your honey was thrilled when you pulled those tickets out of your pocket the other night, by the way)

The Fox, open for several years now after having been completely renovated, has been busy, and surprising in the variety of concerts, theatre, performances and movies that have crossed its stage.  The buzz has grown, and now people know that when the Fox sign is lit, something special is happening in downtown Fullerton.  As you drive down Harbor Boulevard, you notice that the sidewalks are busy with people enjoying the evening.  There’s a few new shops that have opened up since the last time you were here, and their doors are open and inviting. You make a mental note to yourself to stop in and check them out the next time you get a chance.

But for tonight – this is what you were really looking forward to:  This concert, with this special person by your side, on an evening that holds a hint of magic to come.  You park your car, and you discover that your timing is perfect:  A little more than an hour to go before the concert starts, and you and yours are just starting to get hungry enough that you’re certain to empty a plate of whatever is set before you.

You open the door to the restaurant that has been in place on the corner of Chapman and Harbor since before the Fox opened.  As you step inside, you’re greeted warmly and shown to your table.

Here’s the question, and the point of this exercise in imagination:  What kind of restaurant is it?

The Fox Theatre is surrounded by several spaces which, as of now in the summer of 2011, are being prepared for new restaurant and retail tenants.  Leases have not yet been signed, but the Fullerton Historic Theatre Foundation is in negotiation with interested parties regarding the occupation of the spaces.  The FHTF wants to hear from the people of Fullerton, though – what restaurants and/or retail shops, nestled under the glow of the Fox Theatre sign, would make Date Night 2017 a perfect night for you?  We can’t make any promises that your favorite shop, restaurant or cuisine will ultimately wind up in one of the coveted spots, but we invite your comments and suggestions.  Please forward them to info@foxfullerton.org.  Thank you for playing.

Restoration plans for the Fox call for an historically accurate 2-dimensional marquee that more closely resembles the one that was in use at the theatre in the 1930’s.  However, the “Fox” lettering from the marquee will find a new, prominent place on the beloved theatre once the renovations are complete.

Although it may be a shock to see the Fox theatre without its marquee, Fullertonians may also be surprised to learn that the marquee was not an original part of the Fox’s architecture. The theatre’s original design featured an open courtyard entrance when it was built in the mid-1920’s with a flat marquee advertising the theatre’s offerings. The current marquee was added in the 1950’s to take advantage of the increasing automotive traffic on Harbor Boulevard (then known as Spadra Road). To generations of movie-goers thereafter, the eye-catching triangular sign was a familiar sight, advertising movies, work parties, and special events at the theatre even long after its doors were closed in 1987.

As part of its ongoing fundraising efforts on behalf of the theatre, the Fullerton Historic Theatre Foundation is offering naming rights to the new marquee. Interested donors can contact the Foundation at info@foxfullerton.org

Red Bank, New Jersey.  Rome, New York.  Keene, New Hampshire.  Newberry, South Carolina.  Fullerton, California.  What do all of these cities have in common? They all have historic theatres that have survived economic downturns or gone through periods of decay and neglect, but are now experiencing a renaissance thanks to the efforts of their community.   In towns across America, communities have seen fit to invest the time, money and energy to revitalize their historic theatres, many of which had become decrepit eyesores.  The result has been an economic boom that has produced jobs, new businesses, and a flood of revenue.  As the Fox Theatre renovation continues, it is helpful to look around to real-world examples of the enormous economic impact that a revitalized classic theatre can have on its surroundings.

The Count Basie Theatre in Red Bank, New Jersey, had been in operation since the 1920’s, and was the last survivor of a slew of hopeful movie theatres that had been built in that era.  By the 1970’s, though, even the Carlton Theatre (as it was then known) was considered “outdated,” and the possibility loomed that the theatre would be torn down.  In December of 1973 the Monmouth County Arts Council purchased the theatre with the help of a significant donation from an anonymous donor, and with fundraising events featuring homecoming heroes Bruce Springsteen and Count Basie himself, the theatre managed to survive.  Today, the Basie is a thriving, busy theatre with 200 performance nights per year, and the focal point of enormous economic activity.  This is an excerpt from the Count Basie Theatre’s 2010 Annual Report:

“In addition to bringing the arts into our community, this year the Theatre’s activity had an $11.7 million economic impact, supporting the full-time equivalent of over 300 jobs. The Basie is an economic engine. The buzz is palpable when our stage is lit, and that buzz supports a wide array of businesses”

Art and Kylie Pierce are the operators of the Capitol Theatre in Rome, New York. The theatre was built in 1928, but was almost shut down completely between 1974 and 1989.  “We got really busy about 7 or 8 years ago,” said Art Pierce.   “In 2002, we did a total of about 24 performances.  Now we do about 120 performances in a year.  In 2002 there were only 3 businesses on the block, and now there’s 10.  Every one of them stepped up their business because the Capiol theatre was doing more shows.”

“There’s a real ripple effect in the community,” says Kylie Pierce.  “The theatergoing public spends approximately $750,000 a year in the surrounding area. And a lot of those people aren’t even from our community, they’re coming in from elsewhere and bringing their money.”

Of course, not every old theatre gets rescued.  In cities across the country, once-grand and revered theatres stand as reminders of a bygone era.  They echo with ghosts, rotting on the inside and out, covered in graffiti, their interiors in tatters.  Their names, “The Dream,” “The Gem,” or “The Grand,” are ironic reminders of their cruel fates.  http://www.buzzfeed.com/mjs538/75-abandoned-theaters-from-around-the-usa

Thanks to the efforts of the Fullerton community, the Fox Theatre in downtown Fullerton is the process of being reborn.  While construction is underway, plans are being made to rebuild the Fox into a major entertainment venue that will host over 200 performances per year.  When that happens, the lights emanating from the Fox are sure to cast a glow all over downtown Fullerton.

http://www.buzzfeed.com/mjs538/75-abandoned-theaters-from-around-the-usa

http://www.ocweekly.com/microsites/pub-crawl-entertainment/

Keep your eyes to the sky!   Sometime within the next few weeks, the historic Fox Theatre sign, which has proudly overlooked downtown Fullerton for the better part of a century, will be taken down by crane so that it can be refurbished as part of the Fox’s renovation. Crane service will be donated by Mr. Crane (www.mrcrane.com).

The sign’s letters are approximately 4 feet high and are arranged on a sturdy scaffolding that has survived countless seasons of sun, rain, wind and cold.  As part of the renovation, the sign will be taken apart, the letters will be cleaned, repainted and have their lighting rewired, and the supporting structures will be re-engineered to provide additional stability.

Photo by Christopher Smith

The removal of the sign is sure to be a visually dramatic event. Keep checking in here on the Fox website for exact dates and times.

The Producers Todd Huffman and Don Hoffman thought it would be great to interview some of Fullerton’s own “Rosies”. Directed by Todd Huffman, Shot by Don Hoffman, Edited by Dave Arnold and music by Chris Brady. Special thanks to Kathie Henry.

December 13, 2010:

We are proud to announce we have finally begun Phase 1 of the Fox Renovation and Reconstruction! Last Tuesday, we held our wall-breaking event to celebrate the start of this new and exciting part of the Fox story. Local community supporters, business leaders and city officials joined together to show their support for the Fox and share in this exciting time.

We appreciate everyone who participated in the event, and most importantly, all of you who have contributed your time, money and efforts to help ensure the Fox redevelopment could move forward. It is thanks to the hard work and dedication of community members like yourself that we have been so successful in getting started on fixing up the Fox for all to enjoy. For more information about the project, you can check the Construction Updates section of our website, which we will be updating soon with information about what each Phase entails.

Thanks again for all of your support!