Movies are popular destinations in the summer. Sometimes, however, film fans want more than the typical experience.
As part of the “Movies at the Fox” series, guests can watch films on a big screen at the Fox Tucson Theatre, a vaudeville/movie house constructed in 1930. The series will run from Saturday, June 29, to Saturday, Sept. 14.
Associate Director of Programming Beau Bisson said the film series lets guests watch films in the theater just as guests did in the past.
“It’s more of an experience. It’s a 360-degree thing,” Bisson said.
“It’s not just showing up, getting popcorn and seeing a film. It’s what this place was initially built for… Nowadays, you can go to a place, sit in a recliner and have a full meal served to you, which is fine. But sometimes you just want to go back to the basics.”
Before each film plays, guests can listen to the theater’s Mighty Wurlitzer organ.
“Every time we have a film presentation, as the audience is coming in and finding their seats, the Wurlitzer is onstage playing classic organ music. People can see that in action and hear it. That’s an asset that we have that we like to showcase, that we are very proud of,” Bisson said.
The film series will include one sing-along each month, classic films for adults on Saturday evenings and family films during the Sunday matinees.
“If you’ve never been here, it’s a great opportunity to see what it’s all about. We try to pick movies across the whole lineup. Hopefully, something might appeal to you. It’s an affordable way to come check out the theater,” Bisson said.
During the sing-alongs, the lyrics appear on screens during songs, and audience members are invited to sing aloud along with the characters onscreen.
“The sing-alongs are a way to interact with the films in a different way. People tend to have fun with those,” Bisson said.
The series will culminate on Saturday, Sept. 14, with a “Music and Movies” feature with a screening of the film “Selena” and a performance from Las Azaleas, an all-female group that highlights Latina artists. They will sing some of Selena’s greatest hits.
Ticket prices for the film series range from $8 to $15.
Schedule of films:
• June 29: “Grease” Sing-along
• July 7: “The Wizard of Oz”
• July 13: “This Is Spinal Tap”
• July 14: “Who Framed Roger Rabbit”
• July 21: “Frozen” Sing-along
• July 27: “Sunset Boulevard”
• July 28: “Muppets Take Manhattan”
• Aug. 3: “Death Becomes Her”
• Aug. 24: “Bohemian Rhapsody” Sing-along
• Sept. 24: Las Azaleas Presents Como la Flor-Celebrating “Selena”
Comedy shows, tribute acts and concerts are also scheduled for the summer.
Bisson said that at the theater, they try to offer entertainment that appeals to a range of audiences.
“We take a more curatorial approach to programming as much as possible… We try to diversify, and as much as we possible, we try to keep a good balance,” Bisson said.
Schedule of music & comedy shows:
• June 2: Wanda Sykes
• June 12: Old Crow Medicine Show
• June 21: Warrant
• July 23: Ziggy Marley
• Aug. 2: Hotel California: A Salute to the Eagles
• Aug. 20: The Australian Pink Floyd Show
• Aug. 30: Montgomery Gentry ft. Eddie Montgomery
• Sept. 1: Tab Benoit and Anders Osborne
• Sept. 17: Ben Folds: Paper Airplane Request Tour
• Sept. 20: Indigo Girls
• Sept. 24: An Evening with Lila Downs
• Sept. 26: Journey USA: The Hits of Journey
• Sept. 29: Experience Hendrix featuring Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Zakk Wylde and Eric Johnson
Fox Tucson Theatre
17 W. Congress Street, Tucson
520-547-3040
https://foxtucson.com
