Chevrolet Theatre
Encyclopedia
Toyota Presents: The Oakdale Theatre, is a venue for music and other performances located in Wallingford, Connecticut
in the United States
.
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Over the years as the health of the theater's founder deteriorated, the venue was sold. It was renamed the CareerBuilder.com Oakdale Theater in the early 2000s and later, the Chevrolet Theatre in deference to corporate sponsors. However, despite such sponsorship, it remains known to patrons (and many Wallingford area locals) as simply, "The Oakdale."
Oakdale hosts major touring productions and Broadway
shows, in addition to contemporary pop, rock, R&B, country and comedy talent. The theater was also a brief topic on the Fox
animated comedy series, Family Guy
.
Wallingford, Connecticut
Wallingford is a town in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 43,026 at the 2000 census.- History :Wallingford was established on October 10, 1667, when the Connecticut General Assembly authorized the "making of a village on the east river" to 38 planters and freemen...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
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Founding/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.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 120000 square feet (11,148.4 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 5000 square feet (464.5 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 & DunnBrooks & Dunn
Brooks & Dunn was an American country music duo consisting of Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn, who were both vocalists and songwriters. They were paired by record producer Tim DuBois in 1990. Before the duo's foundation, both members of the duo were solo recording artists...
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Over the years as the health of the theater's founder deteriorated, the venue was sold. It was renamed the CareerBuilder.com Oakdale Theater in the early 2000s and later, the Chevrolet Theatre in deference to corporate sponsors. However, despite such sponsorship, it remains known to patrons (and many Wallingford area locals) as simply, "The Oakdale."
Oakdale hosts major touring productions and Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
shows, in addition to contemporary pop, rock, R&B, country and comedy talent. The theater was also a brief topic on the Fox
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
animated comedy series, Family Guy
Family Guy
Family Guy is an American animated television series created by Seth MacFarlane for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series centers on the Griffins, a dysfunctional family consisting of parents Peter and Lois; their children Meg, Chris, and Stewie; and their anthropomorphic pet dog Brian...
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