What is the Toyota Oakdale Theatre?

It's a roughly 4,800-seat indoor concert hall in Wallingford, CT, one of the largest in the state. It opened in 1954 as the Oakdale Musical Theatre. It began as a tent with theatre-in-the-round seating, and now books major touring concerts and comedy.

How many seats does the Oakdale Theatre have?

About 4,800 today. It began with around 1,400 in 1954, grew to 3,200 when a dome was added in 1972, and reached its current size after a 1996 renovation that replaced the theatre-in-the-round with traditional staging.

Where is the Oakdale Theatre located?

In Wallingford, Connecticut, just off I-91 between New Haven and Hartford. That central spot makes it an easy drive from most of the state.

How do I find concerts at the Oakdale?

The free CT Concert Center app lists upcoming Oakdale shows alongside 40+ Connecticut venues, updated daily.

City guide

Wallingford Concert Venues: The Oakdale Theatre

Updated June 2026 · 5 min read

The short version

Wallingford is home to the Toyota Oakdale Theatre. It has about 4,800 seats. That's one of the largest indoor concert halls in CT. It started life in 1954, as a tent with theatre-in-the-round seating. It grew into a major touring stop. It sits central, off I-91 between New Haven and Hartford.

Some venues are famous for their history. The Oakdale is famous for its size and its story. Few rooms in CT can hold a crowd this big indoors. And fewer still started as a tent in a field.

The Toyota Oakdale Theatre (about 4,800)

The Toyota Oakdale Theatre opened in 1954. Back then it was the Oakdale Musical Theatre. Ben Segal founded it. It began as a large tent, with theatre-in-the-round seats. About 1,400 people fit inside. A wooden dome went up in 1972. That pushed capacity to 3,200. A major 1996 renovation dropped the in-the-round layout for traditional staging. It reopened that July with a Brooks & Dunn concert. Today the main hall seats roughly 4,800. That makes it one of the biggest indoor venues in the state. It's a regular stop for big touring artists. Comedians and family shows too.

Best for: big touring concerts and comedy, arena-size.

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The Dome at Oakdale

Next to the main hall sits The Dome at Oakdale. It's an adjacent space. It can hold up to about 1,800 standing. It gives the venue a smaller, general-admission room. That suits a club-style show. The complex can run two very different scales.

Best for: standing-room, club-style concerts.

Planning your visit

Getting there: Wallingford sits right on I-91. New Haven and Hartford sit on either side. Each is about 20 minutes away, central to the whole state.
Nearby scenes: It's a short hop to New Haven's venues and the Hartford scene.
See what's on now: Check what's on across Connecticut for upcoming shows here.

Oakdale Theatre FAQ

How big is it?

About 4,800 seats. One of the largest indoor halls in CT.

How old is it?

It opened in 1954, as a theatre-in-the-round tent. It was rebuilt in 1996.

What's the Dome?

An adjacent room. It holds up to about 1,800 standing, for club-style shows.

How do I find upcoming shows?

The free CT Concert Center app lists every show here in one feed.