Fox Playhouse

110 S. Main Street,
Nevada, MO 64772

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SethG
SethG on May 31, 2025 at 2:23 pm

The garage did have an auto sales office and a plumber either side of the entrance on the 1914 map, so he might have been in one of those. It was definitely built after 1906, but you’re right, it would have become a theater in 10 years at the latest.

50sSNIPES
50sSNIPES on May 31, 2025 at 12:51 pm

Anytime! Also, there was a 1909 article that says that it used to be a pawn shop at the exact address owned by auctioneer Col. W.A. Mason. Meaning that the garage might be short-lived.

SethG
SethG on May 31, 2025 at 12:42 pm

Thanks, this is so confusing starting with a very poor listing. So 50s is definitely correct that the Star was renamed in late 1955, which explains why the theater is called the Star in the listings, and the Fox in the circuit listings for 1956. Somebody must have goofed. This theater was listed around 720 seats in the ‘50s. It was definitely owned by Fox by 1951, I didn’t check further back. The current 250 seat capacity seems ridiculously low for such a large building. I bet the 1917 theater was a remodel of the garage.

50sSNIPES
50sSNIPES on May 31, 2025 at 12:39 pm

Yes you’re right. This started life as the Star Theatre, which launched on September 6, 1917. The Star Theatre was renamed the Fox Theatre following remodeling during the second week of August 1955.

I just saw mid-1955 advertisements for the then-upcoming Fox that had the words “Formerly the Star” inside the letter O.

SethG
SethG on May 31, 2025 at 12:17 pm

This was not built in 1910. There was a large garage here on the 1914 map. It’s possible THAT was built in 1910, and may have been remodeled into the theater. It’s hard to tell under all the ugly siding covering the building. If it was open by 1926, it was likely the Star, with 800 seats. The website is either dead or has a certificate error, but https://www.foxplayhouse.org/ works.

Community Council on the Performing Arts
Community Council on the Performing Arts on January 30, 2018 at 9:19 am

This theater has been converted to a community theater and renamed the Fox Playhouse. It is owned, since 2003, by the Community Council on the Performing Arts, Inc. www.nevadamoccpa.org

imaxman
imaxman on November 20, 2011 at 11:43 pm

I went to this theater as a teen, later I worked there for a short time in 1968. Several years ater it was twinned with the balcony being one theater and the lower section being another, The seating was elevated continuous from front to back without the usual floating balcony. Only a separating walkway where patrons entered the auditorium. Some years later it was Multiplexed again into three cinemas by splitting the lower section. resulting in three very short throw, very wide theaters, not your typical long narrow shoe boxes. At last it was stripped out and restored as a stage playhouse type theater. This is the theater where I first stepped into the booth at age 14 and began my career as a film projectionist. ending with 30 years with IMAX, with about 47 years total.

THX11384EB
THX11384EB on November 8, 2010 at 5:34 pm

I saw a movie, which I can no longer remember the name, here in the nineties. In the lobby there were many old photos of the theater when it was reopened in the 50’s after the remodel. If I remember correctly, I was there on a Saturday night and it was dead.

kencmcintyre
kencmcintyre on September 5, 2008 at 8:10 pm

If you click on “download the large size”, you get a smaller picture.