On Thursday, Feb. 15, Montclair State University theatre studies students and lovers gathered on the Amphitheater steps to rally to save the L. Howard Fox Theatre. This event was the result of weeks of online discussion and an on-campus movement to keep the theatre as is.
Andrew Mees, Montclair State’s media relations director, explained that while no plans have been confirmed for Fox Theatre, there is a possibility of changing that space into a Virtual Reality Classroom and Development Lab that would be accessible to all students.
Students rallying for Fox Theatre. Photo Courtesy of Natalia Severino
“No final decisions have been made regarding the future direction of the Fox Theater,” Mees said. “There is the potential for the space to be repurposed to house a Virtual Reality Classroom and Development Lab, but again, no final decisions have been made.”
Mees noted that if this plan were to happen, the theatre and dance department’s activities would be moved to another location. However, this news worried many students in the department.
On Jan. 24, Valentina Cannao, a junior theatre design technology and management major, started a petition titled “Save the Fox Theater!” As of Feb. 16, the petition had 3,886 signatures.
Lily Weigand, a freshman design technology management major, has already had experience working in the Fox Theatre. Weigand emphasized that people from all over the country come to Montclair State for the design technology management program and that the Fox Theatre is crucial to the integrity of the program.
Lily Weigand, a freshman design technology management major. Allen Macaraeg | The Montclarion
“We come out here looking for this great program that we have here,” Weigand said. “[Montclair State would] be hurting a lot of kids’ educations here. I don’t know if people are going to want to stay if we lose Fox [Theatre] because [Alexander] Kasser [Theater] shows won’t be able to happen, [Memorial Auditorium] shows yeah might be able to happen but they definitely won’t be as to scale as they have been in the past.”
The Fox Theatre has not been used for performances since the COVID-19 pandemic began, but there had been plans in place to begin utilizing the space for live theatre again this year. It has been utilized for the productions of many recent shows including “Spring Awakening,” “Black Snow” and the upcoming “Marie Antoinette.”
Adrian Colón-Burgos, a sophomore musical theatre major from Puerto Rico, was inspired to attend Montclair because of the theatre program.
Adrian Colón-Burgos, a sophomore musical theatre major. Photo Courtesy of Natalia Severino
“I moved here all the way from Puerto Rico because one of my teachers back home came to see one of the shows,” Colón-Burgos said. “The quality of the show, due to the resources that Fox [Theatre] brings to the program, made such an impression on them that they recommended the program to me.”
Laura Jean McHale is a junior acting major and serves as a class representative of those hoping to save the theatre. McHale is concerned that losing the Fox Theatre will cause a detrimental impact on the theatre program.
Laura Jean McHale, junior BFA acting major. Allen Macaraeg | The Montclarion
“All of our performances will be basically cut production-wise, more than half,” McHale said. “It’ll [go] from the amazing sets that we have now with huge scaffolding and all these things, and will go down to [just having] props. All of the set design majors will basically have nothing to do here, which is why there is such a dire need for us to do what we need to do.”
The Fox Theatre has been used by set design majors as well. Many sets and floors are designed in the location and then transported to other stages.
McHale emphasized that students are open to hearing other perspectives on the issue.
“We would absolutely love and hope to be able to have one on one real conversations with the people that are heading this project,” McHale said.
While many theatre students are advocating for the Fox Theatre to be saved, McHale said the objective is not to oppose the addition of the virtual reality classroom to Montclair State’s campus.
Save the Fox sign. Photo Courtesy of Natalia Severino
“We don’t want President Koppell, or the board of trustees, or anybody that’s a part of this VR program and the students he’s building it for, to think that we’re their enemies,” McHale said. “We don’t want them to think that we just want our space because it’s our space. We really want to emphasize that we really respect what they’re doing for this university, we just can’t have it here [at the Fox Theatre]. Anywhere else but here.”
