Major Management Changes Announced for Springfield’s Historic Fox Theatre

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — The Gillioz Center for Arts & Entertainment has entered into an agreement with The History Museum on the Square to manage the iconic Fox Theatre, effective immediately. The announcement was made in a press release on Sept. 19.

Geoff Steele, executive director of the Gillioz, confirmed the management transition via phone, stating, “We’ve entered into an agreement between the Gillioz and The History Museum on the Square — who owns Fox Theater — to assume a management role of the Fox.” He added, “So, we get to take the Gillioz culture over. I get to program. We’ll do all the programming, all the operations. And we’re starting literally today.”

The Fox Theatre, located at 157 Park Central Square, previously housed the Springfield Contemporary Theatre (SCT), which left in July. The venue had also been used by the History Museum during renovations of their current facilities at 154 Park Central Square, following which it was used for special events.

Sean FitzGibbons, executive director for the History Museum on the Square, noted that SCT’s departure presented an opportunity to enhance discussions with the Gillioz Center regarding the arts in downtown Springfield. “Gillioz management and I had preliminary discussions about the arts and establishing an entertainment corridor in downtown Springfield,” he said.

Steele stated that the Gillioz will only manage the first floor of the Fox Theatre while the balcony will be used by the museum. With over 600 seats available, Steele highlighted the ability to attract a broader range of artists to Springfield. “To have a 615-seat theatre in my portfolio is really good,” he explained.

The first production following this collaboration will be “Hairspray,” presented by Mosaic Arts Collective. This award-winning show is set to run from Oct. 10 to 26 and celebrates individuality through 1960s pop and soul music.

Mosaic Arts Collective, a nonprofit focused on arts education, has been eager to premiere this new era at the Fox Theatre. “We knew a central component of success in Fox Theatre programming was maintaining a regional representation that coincides with establishing the venue as a touring destination for national artists breaking into the Springfield market,” Steele said.

Performances will take place Fridays through Sundays starting Oct. 10. The Fox Theatre box office will open one hour before performances, and tickets can be purchased online or by calling (417) 863-9491.

The imminent changes will not only include new management but also upgrades to both the physical and digital presence of the Fox Theatre. Enhancements to the theatre’s website and renovations of the lobby and backstage areas are planned.

<p“The opportunity is perfect,” Steele mentioned while discussing the collaboration. “We both saw the potential having these properties collaborate would create for our community.” FitzGibbons echoed similar sentiments, expressing optimism about the partnership’s effect on enhancing the Downtown Springfield experience.

While the History Museum will still utilize the Fox Theatre for events, the new arrangement allows their staff to focus on delivering an improved museum experience. “We’re going to be able to make downtown Springfield significantly stronger as a result of this collaboration,” Steele added.