Fox Tucson Theatre, Tucson's historic movie palace, recently reopened in partnership with UApresents after shutting its doors in 1974. During its heyday, between 1920 and 1945, the theater was famous for showcasing film and live entertainment.
The new partnership makes it possible for UApresents to showcase some of its smaller shows in the Fox Theatre while still keeping the majority of its shows on campus at Centennial Hall, 1020 E. University Blvd. The newfound partnership will help to usher in a new generation of spectators to the historic downtown theatre in hopes of gaining a more city-wide audience, said Herb Stratford, executive director of the Fox Theatre Foundation.
Stratford said talks with UApresents started a relationship four years in the making, which helped the Fox, 17 W. Congress St., be able to reopen its doors. Its current design resembles the historic, downtown-Tucson hot spot that was open for more than 44 years.
After four years of construction with a budget of more than $13 million, both sides feel as though a great opportunity and partnership is in the works.
"[UApresents] felt that we would gain a friend in the business with this relationship," said Will Seberger, public relations manager for UApresents. "We want to book shows at the Fox, as well as share in some box office responsibilities: a box office cooperative, so to speak."
The Fox Theatre is listed as a nationally significant building on the National Register of Historic Places.
Tentative shows include plays, concerts, comedians and musicals that can comfortably seat 1,700 people during live performances and 1,200 during films, Stratford said.
"Offering part of our season downtown will, if anything, help us to reach a much larger audience," Seberger said. "I think our patrons will be thrilled to be part of history-in-the-making as the doors at the Fox open once again."
Taking into account UApresents' financial situation, a deficit reported at $470,000, Seberger said they wouldn't be looking to the Fox if they didn't think it would be profitable. He said with fewer seats, gross potentials are lower, but UApresents isn't going to book shows there that they can't make profitable with fewer seats.
Stratford said the UApresents partnership will only increase the Fox's draw and that city officials already estimate that during the theater's first year it will bring more than 70,000 visitors to the downtown area. He said the task of revitalizing downtown is both an overwhelming and rewarding task to undertake.
"This cooperative effort will only serve to add more culture and exciting happenings to the downtown area," Stratford said. "We've managed to take an important building and restore it to the way it looked originally, and that sure is something else."