Oakdale Theatre

Toyota Oakdale Theatre is a venue for music and other performances located in Wallingford, Connecticut in the United States.

Founding and early years

The 1,200-seat Oakdale Theatre opened in 1957, under a tent in the middle of an alfalfa field. Starting as a summer stock theater, the facility has grown over the years. In 1972, the tent was replaced with a wooden dome that accommodated 3,000 seats. A rotating stage was located in the center, creating a theater in the round.

In the 1960s, besides "summer stock" / musicals, Oakdale was the site for many rock concerts including shows by Led Zeppelin, Chicago, and Cream.

Expansion

In the mid-1990s, the Oakdale was transformed again to become a year-round 5,000-seat performing arts center. The project changed the facility from a theater-in-the-round to an end-stage, amphitheater arrangement. Ground-breaking took place in late 1995 and the new 120,000-square-foot (11,000 m²) theater was completed in mid-summer 1996. The $20 million project included the design of a new theater, with the old "dome" becoming its lobby, a 5,000-square-foot (460 m²) stage house with orchestra pit and trap room, backstage support including performers and crew accommodations, a loading dock and scenery-handling area, public spaces, restrooms, and extensive indoor and outdoor concessions. It is now the largest theater in the state of Connecticut. The new theater was officially opened by country superstars Brooks & Dunn.