Historic Aurora Fox theater is the heart of a growing Colorado arts community
The Aurora Fox Arts Center is getting ready to celebrate its 40th anniversary season. City of Aurora leaders will announce the season on Saturday (Sept. 7). Before the season starts in January, the historic theater is undergoing some renovations.
It started with the iconic neon sign which has been a beacon on East Colfax Avenue all the way back to 1946. The Fox opened as a movie theater to great fanfare.
"You're actually standing in a World War II Quonset hut," said Richard Cowden, Executive Producer & Artistic Director at the Aurora Fox Arts Center. "So when the Fox first opened in 1946, this actually sat nearly 600 people and had a full balcony."
It was a surplus Quonset hut bought from the U.S. military. Add the Art Moderne entrance and a 61-foot neon sign; and the Fox became a popular entertainment enclave for families throughout the 1950s and 1960s. In 1981, a fire destroyed most of the movie theater. A community campaign which included the City of Aurora came together to restore the building to a live theater venue. It's been the home of the Aurora Fox Theater Company ever since.
"Overall, the Fox will present five or six of our own shows that we will produce," Cowden explained.
The current space holds a 242-seat proscenium theater and a 72-seat corner thrust black box "studio" theater. The Aurora Fox Arts Center employs seven full-time staff members. In addition to the productions that the theater company puts up, the theater hosts touring performances and community organizations.
"I really believe that a theater should not just be a place you go and watch art; but it's a place where you engage with your community," Cowden added.
In addition to the renovation of the historic sign outside the building, crews are also laying new carpet, adding Americans with Disabilities Act accessibility, and updating the HVAC system. Next year, they'll replace the seats for a more comfortable experience. It's a new lease for a cultural institution that has served the people of Aurora for nearly 80 years, and is now taking on a new role.
"The Aurora Fox Theater really is the center of the arts district. It's the heart within the heart of the arts district," said Ginger White Brunetti, Director of Library and Cultural Services with the City of Aurora. "Knowing that we are an important part of the history of Aurora really makes this place special."
LINK: For Tickets to Aurora Fox Arts Center's 40th Anniversary Season Announcement Celebration
The City of Aurora will hold a 40th Anniversary Season Announcement Celebration on Saturday, September 7, 2024 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the theater. Tickets are $10.