Way Off Broadway Dinner Theatre facts for kids
| Address | 5 Willowdale Drive Frederick, Maryland 21702 United States |
|---|---|
| Owner | Laura J. Martin Shawn R. Martin |
| Type | Dinner theater |
| Opened | 1990 |
| Website | |
| http://www.wayoffbroadway.com/ | |
The Way Off Broadway Dinner Theatre is a special place in Frederick, Maryland, USA. It is also known as Way Off Broadway or WOB. This theater offers both dinner shows and plays for children. It's a fun spot where you can enjoy a meal and watch a live performance.
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History of Way Off Broadway
The theater first opened in 1990. It was called the Keynote Dinner Theatre back then. Don Wiswell directed its first show, the musical Grease.
In 1995, Pete Peterson, Terrance Warfield, and Jim Watkins bought the theater. They changed its name to Way Off Broadway. The next year, in 1996, the Way Off Broadway Children's Theatre began. Its first show was an original play called Sleeping Beauty. Later in 1996, Susan Thornton, who created the Children's Theatre, bought WOB from Peterson, Warfield, and Watkins.
The Kiska family took over the theater in 2002. Their first production was A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. In August 2025, the Kiska Family sold Way Off Broadway. The new owners are Shawn and Laura Martin. They also own the Washington County Playhouse.
Exciting Productions at WOB
Way Off Broadway puts on many different kinds of shows. They have mainstage plays and special shows for kids.
Mainstage Shows for Everyone
Each year, Way Off Broadway presents five big shows. These are like the plays you would see on Broadway. They include classic musicals by famous writers like Rodgers and Hammerstein. They also feature newer shows by people like Andrew Lloyd Webber.
Way Off Broadway has been the first theater in its area to show many plays. For example, in 2009, it was one of the first theaters to perform The Wedding Singer. Other popular shows that first came to western Maryland at WOB include The Goodbye Girl - The Musical and La Cage aux Folles. They also showed Thoroughly Modern Millie and The Producers.
Fun Children's Theatre Shows
From 1996 to 2017, Way Off Broadway had a full season of children's plays. These shows were made for young audiences and their families. Many were musical versions of fairy tales.
A special show was the 2005 world premiere of Mr. Willowby's Christmas Tree. This play was based on a children's book from 1963. Before this, only Jim Henson’s Muppets had adapted the story for TV. The book's author, Robert Barry, even said he liked Way Off Broadway's play better than the Muppets' version.
Around 2011, the Children’s Theatre started performing plays based on popular kids' books and movies. Many of these came from Disney. Some of these big shows included Disney’s 101 Dalmatians and Cinderella. They also performed Aladdin, Peter Pan, and Alice in Wonderland. Other popular shows were Pinkalicious – The Musical and Dora the Explorer Live! Dora’s Pirate Adventure.
Since 2018, the theater offers children's shows as special events. These happen at different times throughout the year.
Other Fun Events and Activities
Besides the main shows, Way Off Broadway also has interactive murder mysteries. These are plays where the audience helps solve a mystery. The Children’s Theatre also hosts special breakfasts. These include an annual Princess Breakfast and Breakfast with Santa.
In 2019, Way Off Broadway helped produce a new musical comedy. It was called The Book of Merman. This show had first been performed in New York City.
The Theater Building
The Way Off Broadway theater is in Frederick, Maryland. This city is west of Baltimore and north of Washington, D.C.. The theater has been in the same spot since it opened. It is located in the Willowtree Plaza, on Route 40.
The theater has a traditional stage setup. Audiences enjoy a buffet meal while watching the show from their tables. The people who serve the food are often actors or crew members from the plays.
See also
