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M ANY EXTRAORDINARY faCCtS Of
ai’chitectui'e, design, materials and furnishings were incoi'porated and interrelated in the $4,000,000 remodeling of the 33-year-old Fisher Theatre in Detroit, Mich., transforming the huge movie palace with elaborate gingerbread decorations in a Mayan theme to a contemporai-y theatre of rare beauty and exquisite taste.
Fisher Bros. Corp., owner, Nederlander Theatrical Corp., lessee, and Rapp and Rapp, architects, have, therefore, been the recipients of congratulations and high praise from theatre industry people, film critics, national consumer magazines and the general public all over the country.
One of the most interesting featui’es of the conversion of the old, eight-story-high, 3,000-seat theatre is the design of the seating arrangement to accommodate both stage and screen pi-esentations.
SEATS CLOSER TO SCREEN
“According to Mason G. Rapp, “Although somewhat hampered by certain existing structural conditions, we were able to develop an ingenious sight line section by designing a new, steep-pitch auditorium floor, together with a complete new horseshoe mezzanine circle. The existing balcony was changed to bring seats closer to the new stage (by simply eliminating the crossaisles and utilizing the space thus made available) . This placed all seats in the orchestra and mezzanine within 82 feet of the curtain line, and the last row of the front balcony within 92 feet of the curtain line when used for legitimate showings.
“The theatre has 1,222 seats on the orchestra and mezzanine levels, 384 seats on the lower balcony and, to accomplish additional seating for musical comedies an additional 475 seats can be added to the balcony when required for musical comedies. This phenomenon is accomplished through the use of a vertical-lift, completely motor-operated open-type grillage screen wall which disappears in the ceiling when larger capacity is requhed.”
The chairs used on all levels are Hey
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This unique precast and prepainted aluminum grillage cuts off the front of the Fisher auditorium from the rear balcony, but can be flown Into the ceiling to add 475 seats when musical comedies are played.
Distinctive features of the lower-level lounge are the carefully matched East Indian rosewood doors, crystal and brass chandeliers and colorful planters. All levels are accessible by automatic elevators.
The spacious lobby of the Fisher features hand-selected and matched East Indian rosewood which complements imported and domestic marble, all softly lighted by distinguished and especially designed crystal and brass chandeliers. Further ceiling lighting consists of an unusual luminous ceiling constructed of large-diameter anodized gold aluminum rings, intermixed with smaller-sized rings that blend and unify the overall lighting. Many other lighting effects are incorporated to further enhance the lobby, such as low lighting in planting areas at floor level that penetrate the extremely interesting foliage. Especially designed vinyl wall covering is used over the main entrance doors to the lobby from the arcade entrance which very ingeniously carries out the general characteristics of the crystal chandeliers in line and form and is a perfect blend for the adjoining walls. The bronze statue of a dancer was especially commissioned.
BOXOFFICE :: May 7. 1962
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