Please consider reading and signing this petition to stop the removal of the L. Howard Fox theater from Montclair State University's Department of Theatre and Dance! Also follow our instagram @save_fox_msu for updates, and DM us your favorite Fox memories!!

The L. Howard Fox theater is,  and has historically been,  an integral part of the Theatre & Dance community at Montclair State University. It has been home to over 25 student-led productions in the last 10 years alone and has shaped the way all of the Theatre & Dance department operates on a day-to-day basis. The Fox theater is the most versatile and accessible performance space we have, and beyond that has become an unparalleled asset to all of the programs within The Department of Theatre and Dance.

The scene shop has been using the Fox as a paint and build space since its construction in 1969, allowing our university’s Design, Technology, and Management program to foster incredible professional and undergraduate work. By creating a more professional environment and production style, all of Montclair’s undergraduate theatre students have been privy to an educational experience comparable to what most students are only exposed to pursuing their MFAs. This style of training allows not only designers and technicians an avenue to grow, but performers as well.  If Theatre & Dance loses the Fox, we lose all hope of continuing to foster productions to the degree that we are now known for . Additionally, all of the department's momentum in building up its reputation, as one of the top theatre programs in the state of New Jersey, will be halted. Many prospective Theatre & Dance students attend our department productions to determine if Montclair is a place where they see themselves furthering their education. Without the draw of getting to work on productions held to our current standards, the majority of prospective students will be deterred from applying to Montclair State.  Losing the Fox as a multi-purpose production and performance space would be detrimental to the current and future students of this institution. It is in the university’s best interest to continue supporting and cultivating Theatre & Dance as a department, rather than reducing the resources it depends on.

 The black box theater is the most consequential to undergraduate students because it is the only way for them to experience the types of productions that they will be aiming to work on upon graduating. The main draw of having the Fox as a performance space is the proximity to the audience and the versatility of the stage itself. The stage-floor being removable makes it incredibly diverse in terms of what can be created and installed, and lends itself to very unique and captivating art. It is far and away the best space we have available for the studio style shows which make up half of our yearly productions. The department has also been feeling the pressures of not having enough rehearsal space to nurture students in their individual projects. The lack of space and influx of students has led to people being forced to work on top of each other in hallways and fight over what little room is available. As important as it is to have the Fox to nurture performers, it is also crucial to designers for advancing their educations. This space is meant for designers and technicians to be introduced to the world of designing on a  manageable scale, it makes the transition to designing a mainstage show much more practical. It gives students the opportunity to experience what it takes to put a production on, so they are far better prepared for when they design for stages like Kasser and Memorial Auditorium. From student technical directors and student-run projects to professional and faculty-run productions, the Fox is a principal space for education and artistry and has been for the last 55 years.

While we appreciate the innovation and the desire to improve this campus we all call home, we feel as a student body that the removal of the Fox theater as a space for Theatre & Dance would be counterproductive to so much of what we have been working toward for many years.

Thank you for your time, please spread the word and help us save the Fox theater!