Although the downtown theatre hasn’t hosted a live performance in months, the Fox Board of Directors has officially decided to suspend programming through December 2020 due to the continued impacts of COVID-19. As of now, scheduled events in 2021 are expected to go forward.

According to a release from the Fox, their Paycheck Protection Program funds are now exhausted, and the theatre is further reducing staff to only four full-time employees – down roughly 40 before the pandemic.

"Such deep staffing reductions are particularly hard because it is people that make the place," said Fox Theatre executive director Bonnie Schock. "The people of Tucson chose to rebuild The Fox 20 years ago. Our dedicated Board, enthusiastic patrons, generous volunteers and tenacious staff have carried that mantle forward. Honestly, it is devastating to see our team disperse. These talented individuals are to be recognized and thanked for all they have done to make The Fox what it is and to advance what it can and will be.”

The Board of Directors also issued the following message: With theatres are closing forever across the nation, employing these strategies now are imperative in ensuring that The Fox has the best possible chance of a strong reopening in the future. The experience of gathering together is central to live performance and the road to recovery for performing arts venues is not a simple V shape. The physical distancing strategies key to fighting the spread of COVID-19 make presenting events at The Fox financially unviable in the coming months.

If you'd like to still support the Fox Theatre, they are hosting two fundraising opportunities on their website:

The Fox Forward: Look to the Future Relief Campaign

Or, apply for a Fox Theatre Membership.