The Melody Top Theatre was a musical theatre located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and featured performances in the round. The theatre that was originally built as a circus-style tent is now defunct.

History

The Melody Top was built in 1962. It was only operational during the summers beginning in 1963.[1] The theatre was modeled after the identical Melody Top in Chicago.[2] The large venue lasted until 1986. The theatre was originally built in the form of a giant, circus-style tent. It was located on W Good Hope Road, just east of N 76th St in Milwaukee.[3] Later, the architecture of the venue comprised a wooden dome.[3] The Milwaukee Melody Top was affiliated with a second Melody Top located in Hillside, Illinois.[4]

The Melody Top hosted "...Broadway quality presentations of big scale musical hits..."[5] The theatre hosted celebrities such as Leonard Nimoy in Oliver!; Betty White in My Fair Lady; and Christopher Walken in West Side Story.[3]

Productions

1963

1964

1965

1966

1967

1968

1969

1970

1971

1972

1973

1974

1975

1976

1977

1978

1979

1980

1981

1982

1983

1984

1985

1986

References

  1. ↑ "Melody Top Theatre" (PDF). Milwaukee History. Milwaukee County Historical Society. Retrieved 16 July 2022.
  2. ↑ West, Jonathan (2009). Milwaukee's live theater. Charleston, SC: Arcadia Pub. pp. 50–56. ISBN 9780738560595. Retrieved 20 November 2022.
  3. 1 2 3 Foran, Chris (17 August 2015). "Website celebrates memories of Milwaukee's Melody Top theater". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved 16 July 2022.
  4. ↑ Kohlhoff, Ralph Edward (1968). The Dissemination of the Dramatic Arts in the Metropolitan area of Milwaukee. Madison Wisconsin: University of Wisconsin Madison. p. 266. Retrieved 16 July 2022.
  5. ↑ "Performance Venues". UWM. Encyclopedia of Milwaukee. Retrieved 16 July 2022.


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