Originally opened in 1931, the Fox Theater was built during the transition between vaudeville and silent movies and the "talkies." Slated for demolition in 2000, the theater was saved by a community campaign led by the Spokane Symphony. Miss Myrtle Woldson, daughter of Spokane businessman Martin Woldson, provided a leadership gift to help rescue and restore the theater. With leadership-level suppo
rt from the State of Washington as well as other important contributions from foundations, corporations, private donors, the federal and local goverments, along with the innovative use of Historic and New Markets tax credits, a $31 million restoration was undertaken. Outstanding acoustics were achieved and a world-class performance space was created for the Spokane Symphony and other performing arts organizations, including Spokane String Quartet, Gonzaga University, Spokane Youth Symphony and others. The renovation received a 2010 Honor Award from the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The building is on the National Register of Historic Places as well as the Washington Heritage Register and the Spokane Register. Marvel at the exuberant and modernistic Art Deco style created by architect Robert Reamer, famous for his design of Yellowstone National Park's Old Faithful Inn. Inside, artist Anthony Heinsbergen created murals that evolve from underwater floral patterns at the lobby level to landscapes of castles, rivers, and clouds on the mezzanine, culminating with a magnificent 60-foot wide sunburst that dominates the auditorium. Sunlight radiates across the ceiling and falls on a canopy of foliage representative of a forest under a starlit sky. For information about performances, please visit www.martinwoldsontheater.com. In addition to the stated hours, the Box Office is also open at least two hours before the start of a performance. For weekend performances of the Spokane Symphony, the Box Office opens on Saturdays at 2 p.m. and Sundays at noon. The theater is available for rental for weddings, business meetings, receptions and other events. For further information, please visit the website and review the information on the "Facility" pull-down menu. Martin Woldson Theater at The Fox® is a trademark of the Spokane Symphony Society.
