The Fabulous Fox, as it's known to Atlantans. is a former cinema palace turned performing arts centre with an awe-inspiring blend of different architectural styles that has dominated its street corner since 1929. Its Arabesque façades, prayer tower, copper dome and extravagant cream and nude colours, all combine to make this place somewhere to escape to, which is fitting for a building given over to the arts.
It was built in 1929 by the Shriners organisation, an offshoot of the Freemasons, but it quickly became apparent that they could not afford it and so a deal was struck with the movie magnate William Fox, who leased the auditorium as a cinema. Built at a cost of over $2 million, the theatre opened on Christmas Day 1929, just two months after the New York Stock Exchange crashed.
Inside, the 6039-square-metre auditorium is just as ornate. The auditorium resembles the courtyard of a palace and a false sky replicates the night sky in the desert with tiny stars and clouds projected onto the ceiling. Look out for the original 3,622-pipe theatrical organ.
The Fox remained a cinema until the 1970s where it became a performing arts centre. Today, the 4,600-seat venue hosts around 300 performances a year, from big-name Broadway shows to movies and stand-up comedy. Even if you don't see a performance, you can tour the venue during the day on Monday, Thursday and Saturday. Tickets are available in the Fox's foyer.
To find out what's on, check the Fox Theatre's website for performance times and details. Depending on your luck, you may catch a band, a jazz quartet or a film festival screening during your visit. The ticket office is open Monday to Saturday, and doors open two hours before a show.
There are paid car parks nearby, but public transport is the easiest option: North Avenue Station is 2 blocks east of the theatre.
