Theater in Detroit

Learn More About Detroit Theater

It’s a great time for theater in Detroit: many of its historic theaters have been renovated for modern use, and performing arts venues are spread out from Woodward Avenue to Midtown to New Center. The District Detroit, a 50 block district that hopes to use the best of Detroit’s sports and arts scenes to revitalize the city, officially opened in 2017 with the grand opening of the Little Caesars Arena. Detroit’s performing arts scene will be an important part of the district and will help to link together and create a walking route between Downtown and Midtown.

Detroit’s Fox Theatre—once part of the famous chain of Fox movie palaces—is one of the venues that anchors the new District Detroit. The building opened in 1928 and was Detroit’s flagship movie theater for decades after. Hollywood stars like Shirley Temple visited the theater for showings of her films, and legendary figures like Elvis Presley performed there. Parts of the theater closed in the 1970s, and new owners restored the venue during the 1980s. The theater reopened in 1988 and has been a landmark for live entertainment in the city ever since. The Fox is located on Woodward Avenue, under a mile from Detroit’s major pro sports stadiums. The theater hosts shows like Thugs and the Women Who Love ‘Em, Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical, The Wizard of Oz, Elf: The Musical, The Sound of Music, and STOMP; it also holds appearances by comedians like Jerry Seinfeld and Brian Regan.

Located in the New Center area of the city, the Fisher Theatre is another of Detroit’s historic venues. The theater is part of the Fisher Building, which is one of Detroit’s oldest and most famous skyscrapers. The theater has seating for just over 2000 people and frequently hosts touring Broadway productions.

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