Fox Theatre

Nevermind; the pictures I have are taken from the Library of Congress site link Ed provided a few posts back. The pictures can be seen there. The pictures of the interior are most certainly not recent. I visited that website several months ago.

good read :)

Todd,what pics do you have? could you post?

No there were lost when the mall built.

These are the best pictures of the stage and dressings rooms.

View link))

They are from a report done by the Historic American Buildings Survey.
BWChicago posted the link on August 16, 2006.

The inside of the theater has been remodeled several times.
The major renovations were done in 1920 and in 1929.
There is very little left of the original Opera House.

This is an article from the Stevens Point Journal.
October 19, 1920

New Majestic to Open Nov. 1

“All Abroad For Cuba” to be first performance in Stevens Point $60,000 playhouse.

Work Nearly Completed.

Installing light fixtures and seats and finishing dressing rooms.

The first performance to be given in the Majestic Theater, Stevens Point sixty thousand dollar playhouse with a seating capacity of 975 will be presented the evening of November 1. The opening show will be “All Aboard For Cuba” a musical comedy success. The ticket sale is in charge of the citizen’s committee of the Chamber of Commerce.
Work on the new Majestic Theater is rapidly nearing completion. The floor which required seven coats of material was finished today and workmen are now installing the seats. The decoration of the interior of the building is entirely completed with the exception of a few finishing touches and the installation of the lights. The projecting machines are in place and workmen who will place the scenery are expected to arrive in the city Thursday or Friday. Carpenters are finishing the work in the balcony and dressing rooms and painters are at work in the lobby. The canopy extending over the sidewalk is yet to be redecorated and the lights in the lobby to be installed.

Light Fixtures Cost $1,200
The auditorium is finished in decorative relief work with a color scheme of ivory, old rose and Persian blue. The light fixtures are finished in gold and the shades are of blue silk. Besides the lights on the walls, which will be in clusters of three, there will be two dome lights in the ceiling each are seven feet in diameter. The fourteen main lighting fixtures in the auditorium and lobby cost $1,200. The entire lighting system will be on the indirect and semi-direct plan.

Audience safe from fire
Four fire exits from the main floor of the auditorium in addition to the main entrance, will make the audience safe from any danger of fire. It is estimated that the building when filled to capacity can be emptied in less than three minutes. The two fire escapes from the balconies extend to the rear of the building where stairs lead to ground. This system prevents the blocking of the side exits from the first floor, by persons coming from the balconies. There are no steps to stumble over in order to get exits, as inclines in the floor lead to the exit. “Panic” locks which allow the door knob are fitted to every door in the theater.
The floor of the auditorium is made by a process only recently patented. It is mastic compassion which gives one the effect of walking on rubber soles, and is noiseless and fireproof.

The Stage Equipment
The stage opening is unusually large 27 feet wide by 22 feet high. The stage is large enough and thoroughly equipped for the presentation of any show on the road. A loft extending 30 feet above the top of the stage is adequate to hold several complete sets of scenery. The stage lights are wired in series of three and any series can be dimmed without altering the others. The scenery equipment will include six complete sets and five drops, including a 1,200 pound asbestos curtain and gold fiber movie screen.
There are 15 dressing rooms, each equipped with running water. A music room under the stage opens to into the orchestra pit.
The lobby like the auditorium is finished in relief decoration. The ceiling will be panted a cream buff color, the relief work French gray and the wall panels bluish green with a mottled effect. The woodwork will be finished in mahogany.

Ventilation and Heat
The ventilation and heating system is capable of changing the warm air in the auditorium every few minutes. The ventilation system consists of a six foot fan, driven by a 7 ½ horse power motor, which draws air though an air shaft leading to the outside of the building and blows it though the furnace, where it is warmed and sent into the auditorium. The warm air rises to the top of the building and escapes though an opening in the ceiling.

Sound-proof Operating Room
The operating room is fire-proof and sound-proof. The projection equipment consists of twin simplex machines of the latest design and a spot light projector.
An inter-phone system has been installed, with phones in the managers office, operating room, ticket office, janitors quarters and music room.

Drums Added to Orchestra
A drummer and xylophone player, Richard Stroll, formerly of Minneapolis has been added to the orchestra, making a total of five pieces. A few more musicians may be added to the orchestra within the next few weeks.
Twenty employees will be required for the operation of the new theater. Which is controlled by the Majestic Theater Company, in which M. F. Bruce and Russell Gregory are the principal stockholders.

These are articles from the Stevens Point Journal.

September 28, 1985

Rogers theaters sold to Essaness

Two Stevens Point movie theaters have been purchased by Essaness Theaters of Chicago.
Rogers Cinema and Fox Theater were part of a seven-theater package sold by Rogers Cinema Inc., owned by Paul J. Rogers and John V. Koran. Rogers Cinema is based in Marshfield.
Essaness will assume control of the theater operations Oct. 4. Rogers, a member of the National Association of Theater Owners, will join Essaness in an executive and consulting position.
Essaness will have the second largest theater chain in Wisconsin with the addition of Rogers Theaters’ 15 screens. Essaness has the second largest theater group in the Chicago area, with operations dating back to 1929.
The expansion program will continue through next year as Essaness plans to operate more than 100 theater screens in Illinois, Wisconsin, and Minnesota. “We plan to dramatically accelerate our expansion program during the next year to 18 months,” said Robert Persa, chief financial officer.
“While we’re a very entrepreneurial company, our goals in the theater business are unchanged,” said Larry D. Hanson, Essaness vice president. “We will continue to book diversity of quality movies, screen them with the most technologically advanced equipment, fill our concessions with the best products, keep our theaters clean and comfortable, and treat our customers with courtesy. We will keep challenging our employees with career opportunities so their personal growth and our corporate growth coincides.”
Besides the two Stevens Point theaters, the acquisition included the Rogers Cinema and Cinema Park Theater, in Marshfield, the Rogers Cinema in Wisconsin Rapids, the Rogers Cinema in Wausau, and The Chief Theaters, in Red Wing, Minn.

October 21, 1985

Big chill at the Fox

You almost have to eat popcorn with your gloves on at the Fox Theater theses days.
No, theaters management hasn’t forgotten to switch off the air conditioning and turn on the heat. But the heat comes from temporary wall units that apparently are not enough to adequately warm the place.
“It’s not our fault,” said manager Mike Sowinski. “There’s nothing I can physically do to get more heat in the building.”
Movie-goers are being asked to bear with it. The problem is with the city, they are told.
“Everybody’s got to blame somebody,” is the response from Jon Van Alstine, city public works director.
The problem resulted when the city removed the rear 40 feet of the theater last spring, a move required because the south wall of CenterPoint Mall was to located there.
The theater lost about 25 seats when its screen was moved forward 10 feet. That portion of the theater also is where the furnace and other electrical work were located.
The city had designed an aboveground furnace system, and an architect for the theater designed a basement system, Van Alstine said. The city said if the theater did not like its design, the city would pay $5,000 more than its estimate for a system. The price difference is somewhere between $10,000 and $40,000, he said.
That was last spring, and the issue has not been resolved yet. It was not a pressing matter during the summer, Van Alstine said, but city officials and the theater owner have been in contact during the past few weeks.
Van Alstine said he has no idea how long it will take before the two parties settle the matter. Construction of the furnace will take about a month, he said.
Sowinski said he has had a few complaints from patrons. Informing them of the problem before the movie starts has helped, he said, adding he has not noticed that lack of heat is hurting business.

Like I said, the ownership may have by now passed out of her hands – who knows?

I read that too. I just thought maybe they would have gotten over it I guess the theater just really interests me I would try talking to her but I have nothing to go on.

who exactly owns it and how aged are they? you mention a little old lady I take it you must have met her. I know they are angry about the mall being built but are they really that bitter?

I was just thinking if someone has the owner’s information someone should contact her and tell her about our site and if she would let us inside to look around then we could take pictures (if allowed) and then if we are given a specific time and date we could all meet each other at the theater if we are allowed the tour…Just a thought

wow thanks for the trouble any other movies that played or anything ele is alaways a pleasure. did you ever see a movie at the fox? if you have when and what did you see?

That’s really cool. How did you find this out? if you can find out more feel free to post away! so “off beat” was the last movie?