Dinner Theater
Dinner Theater (sometimes called dinner and a show) is a form of entertainment that combines a restaurant meal with a staged play or musical. "Dinner and a show" can also refer to a restaurant meal in combination with live concert music, where patrons listen to a performance during a break in the meal. In the case of a theatrical performance, sometimes the play is incidental entertainment, secondary to the meal. In the style of a nightclub, the play may be the main feature of the evening, with dinner less important or optional. Dinner theater requires the management of three distinct entities: a live theater, a restaurant, and, usually, a bar.
History
The Madrigal dinners during the Renaissance were precursors to modern dinner theater. Some of the earlier dinner theaters, referred to as "theater restaurants," offered dinner in one room while staging the play in another.
Notable venues in the United States
Narroway Productions
Narroway Productions is a Christian dinner theater founded by Yvonne Clark and Rebecca Martin in September 1996, and it is located in Fort Mill, South Carolina. The theater initially operated in the "King's Arena" amphitheater. After eight years of performances at the King's Arena, their lease expired, forcing them to relocate. In 2005, an old gambling warehouse on Carowinds Blvd went up for sale. After some negotiation, the owner agreed to sell the property to Narroway Productions at a favorable price. Since then, they have written over three new shows, created four shops across the parking lot, and even hosted a golf tournament.
Barksdale Theatre
Barksdale Theatre, located in Richmond, Virginia, was founded in 1953 by David and Nancy Kilgore at the Hanover Tavern and is recognized as the first formal dinner theater in the United States. After its establishment, an adjoining room was modified to offer a buffet dinner for groups attending the performances, and eventually, this service became available to all patrons.
Drury Lane Theatres
Tony DeSantis opened the Martinique Restaurant in Evergreen Park, Illinois, and began producing plays in 1949 in a tent next to the restaurant to attract customers. The venture was successful, leading him to build his first theater, Drury Lane Evergreen Park, in 1958. It became the first of six dinner theaters he established and a local entertainment staple for 45 years before closing in 2003. Drury Lane North began operations in 1976 and was sold to the Marriott Lincolnshire Resort, becoming the Marriott Theatre. Drury Lane Oak Brook Terrace opened in 1984, showcasing local performers, with shows limited to musicals.
Meadowbrook Theatre Restaurant
Cedar Grove, New Jersey, was home to the Meadowbrook Theatre Restaurant, which opened in 1960 with over 700 seats for table service. It closed after 13 years, partly due to local competition from Broadway and the requirements of the Actors' Equity Association (Equity), which mandated that the facility adhere to the same rules as Broadway theatres, including pay scales and other restrictions.
Candlelight Theatre Restaurant
The first venue to combine dinner and a show in one room was the Candlelight Theatre Restaurant in Washington, D.C. Bill Pullinsi, a theater student in 1959, conceived and implemented this entertainment concept at the Presidential Arms Hotel during summer breaks. Although the venture was successful, it could not transition to a year-round operation due to the hotel's convention business. Pullinsi then returned to Chicago and opened the Candlelight Dinner Playhouse, initially in a building owned by his grandfather, and later in a new facility with seating for 550. The Candlelight introduced several innovations, including a hydraulic stage, lighting equipment positioned in the mezzanine, and stage wagons on wheels.
Barn Dinner Theatres
Howard Wolfe
Howard Douglass Wolfe, an entrepreneur from Roanoke, Virginia, created the Barn Dinner Theatre franchise and earned the title "Father of Dinner Theater". He launched the franchise in 1961 alongside Conley Jones. The chain expanded to include 27 theaters across New York, Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Louisiana, and Georgia. Each franchise showcased Wolfe's unique architectural barn designs, farm-themed decorations featuring a plow and various tools, along with a stage elevator that Wolfe named the "Magic Stage." At the conclusion of an act or scene, the stage would vanish into the ceiling, then reappear set for the next scene, all within a minute's time. During The Barn's franchise phase, all productions were initially staged in a studio in New York City before being dispatched to the individual theaters. Following the franchise's dissolution, the production facilities relocated to Nashville. In the early days, the performance cast also worked as waitstaff. Actors were selected and cast in New York, residing in living quarters above the theater during the productions. Mickey Rooney and many other renowned performers took on roles at The Barn.
The Barn in Greensboro, North Carolina, was established in 1964 and holds the distinction of being the oldest continuously operating dinner theater in America, as well as the last remaining of the original Barn Dinner Theatres.
Chaffin's Barn
Chaffin's Barn in Nashville, Tennessee, opened in 1967 as the city's first professional theater. Known as a venue where many actors secured their first paid professional gigs, The Barn was forced to close in October 2020 after 50 years in operation due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Alhambra Dinner Theatre
The Alhambra Dinner Theatre in Jacksonville, Florida, opened in 1967 by Leon Simon, was purchased in 1985 by Tod Booth, who had left Chicago's Drury Lane Theatres. The Alhambra is the oldest dinner theater still in operation. The facility features a thrust stage that provides all 400 seats with an unobstructed view.
Chanhassen Dinner Theatres
Chanhassen Dinner Theatres in the Minneapolis-Saint Paul area were established in 1968.
Chanhassen claims to be the largest professional dinner theater in the U.S. The Main Stage seats 577, while the Fireside Theatre accommodates 230 seats for non-dining patrons, and the Playhouse Theatre offers tables for 126. The Main Stage production cast consists of members of Actors Equity.
Herb Bloomberg, who designed and built the expanded Old Log Theatre near Lake Minnetonka, later constructed and operated the Chanhassen Dinner Theatres. The Old Log Theatre features an attached dining room. Revenue from food sales is essential for financial success, but it is not a dinner theater.
Carousel Dinner Theatre
The Carousel Dinner Theatre opened in 1973 and moved to Akron, Ohio in 1988 to what had been a Las Vegas-style nightclub. With 1200 seats, it was the largest dinner theater in the United States until it closed in 2009. Some believe the theater was a victim of the late 2000s US economic crisis,[25] however it was more likely the change in ownership and poor decisions on their part that triggered events leading to the theatre closing.
Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre
Beef the Boards Dinner Theatre in Indianapolis, Indiana, opened in 1973 and was part of a chain of dinner theatres established by J. Scott Talbott. It has a 450-seat capacity and showcases Broadway shows and concerts, which are preceded by a buffet dinner. It is a professional Equity theatre.
Circle Star Theatre
The Circle Star Theatre was a performing arts venue located in San Carlos, San Mateo County, California. Its address was 2 Circle Star Way, San Carlos, CA, 94070 (map). The theatre's name is derived from its design as a theater in the round, featuring a rotating circular stage, with all 3,743 seats positioned no more than 50 feet (15 m) from the stage. Unlike similar venues throughout the United States, the Circle Star Theatre's stage could rotate in either direction without restriction, thanks to a slip ring and brush system that facilitated electrical and audio connections to the stage.
When it opened in the early 1960s, its original concept was a dinner theater akin to the Hyatt House Theatre in nearby Burlingame. Lewis & Dare Productions hosted numerous Broadway touring shows, including The Odd Couple, featuring Ernest Borgnine and Don Rickles.
In 1971, Marquee Entertainment, led by Don Jo Medlevine of the famous Chicago nightclub Chez Paree, acquired the theatre. Marquee Entertainment brought in Las Vegas acts such as Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., Dean Martin, and Liberace, among many others. In the mid-1970s, the theatre remained financially viable by booking Motown acts to enhance its diversity.
Riddlesbrood Touring Theater
The Riddlesbrood Touring Theater Company presents dinner theater, murder mystery performances, and comedy shows. Located in Stratford, New Jersey, some of their productions have been performed entirely in invented languages and have integrated concepts from the New Thought movement.
Westchester Broadway Theatre
Westchester Broadway Theatre in Elmsford, NY, consistently showcases Broadway musical revivals along with a variety of special events and concerts, such as tribute bands, comedy shows, rock bands, dance performances, magic acts, and more. It holds the title of the longest-running year-round professional theatre in New York State. The theatre originally opened as An Evening Dinner Theatre on July 9, 1974. In 1991, it relocated to a larger venue equipped with state-of-the-art technology, hydraulic lifts, increased seating capacity, and numerous other enhancements. The venue was also renamed "Westchester Broadway Theatre."
The Derby Dinner Playhouse
The Derby Dinner Playhouse in Clarksville, Indiana, opened in 1974 and has operated continuously since then. They use a "magic stage" similar to those found at the Barn Dinner Theatre. If an orchestra is used, it plays in the "attic," out of sight.
See also [ Circle Star Theater ]
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