Toyota Oakdale Theatre Information
About Toyota Oakdale Theatre
The Toyota Oakdale Theatre is located at 95 South Turnpike Road, Wallingford, CT 06492. Though not associated with a theater company, it has been managed under the watchful eye of Michael Andrews since 2016.
Oakdale prioritizes the customer experience, offering VIP packages and fast-track tickets to help patrons get into the vast auditorium faster. Performances run all year, with productions for the whole family, from music to plays and movie soundtracks, live in concert.
Notable performances at the Toyota Oakdale Theatre include:
- Tank, R&B Money, and Keri Hilson
- Dizzyfish and Jeff Pitchell
- Brett Goldstein
- The Used
- Almost Queen
- French Montana
- Led Out
- Needtobreathe
- Maren Morris
- Justin Moore & Randy Houser
- Lorna Shore
- Bill Maher
- The Best of the Eagles
- Wheel of Fortune Live
- Avatar The Last Airbender Live in Concert
- Danny Ocean.
Each performance promises an immersive experience thanks to outstanding acoustics and a pit area close to the stage. The theater has undergone various renovations to bring it into the 21st century, offering comfort and ambiance to delight all the senses.
Theatre history
Ben Segal opened the Toyota Oakdale Theatre in 1954. Originally a small open-air theater set in a field, it had a capacity of just over 1,000. It was used for plays and small productions before gradually gaining popularity through the 1950s and 1960s.
In the early 1960s, the venue expanded and offered more facilities for guests. Several technology upgrades also allowed it to start hosting musical performances. It immediately saw star touring acts, including legendary performers such as The Who, Led Zeppelin, and The Doors.
A 1972 upgrade saw a wooden dome installed, increasing the capacity to over 3,000. Throughout the 1970s and 80s, the venue hosted many touring musicals and theatrical acts, before it was sold to Robert Errato in 1989. Initial plans to turn the land into retail and office space saw resistance from local government and private groups.
Finally, in 1994, the venue underwent a massive multi-million-dollar upgrade. This brought its facilities in line with leading venues, allowing the Toyota Oakdale Theatre to attract top-tier acts throughout recent decades. Since then, there have been many corporate sponsorships and further upgrades, including improved soundproofing and accessibility.
Renovations
Founded by Ben Segal in 1954, the theatre started out as a 1400-seat open-air theatre in the round. In its opening season, the theatre was used rarely, hosting plays such as Kiss Me, Kate, South Pacific and Oklahoma!. In 1962, Segal bought the nearby Oakdale Tavern for $600,000, and also modified and modernised the theatre. With the new updates, the venue started to host regular music acts too, with performers including the likes of Tom Jones, Paul Anka, Led Zeppelin, The Who and The Doors!
The venue continued to see renovations increasing its functionality as time went on, with the tent replaced by a wooden dome, doubling the capacity to 3,200. In the 1980s, the theatre fell into disrepair, and was sold to Robert Errato. Under pressure from the locals, who saw the theatre as an important landmark, Errato abandoned plans to turn the theatre into an office/retail space and instead renovated the venue at a cost of $21 million. The name was changed to the Toyota Oakdale Theatre in 2009.
For parking information please see the Toyota Oakdale Theatre parking page.
For ticket information and information on our recommended ticket provider please see the Toyota Oakdale Theatre tickets page.
To view the seating configuration and find out about accessible seating, please see the Toyota Oakdale Theatre seating chart.