The Klein

The Klein

MISSION

To enrich, educate and entertain through arts and ideas.

HISTORY

The Klein Memorial Auditorium is a 1447-seat proscenium theater located at 910 Fairfield Avenue in Bridgeport, CT.  The venue was built with funds willed to the city by Bridgeport native Jacob Klein (1862-1932), a lawyer and active supporter of Bridgeport community organizations.  The auditorium, designed by local architect Leonard Asheim, was built in the Art Deco style and features bronze doors, a marble lobby, inlaid wood and geometric motifs.

After opening its doors in 1940, the Klein hosted such luminaries as Leonard Bernstein, Arthur Fiedler, Eleanor Roosevelt, Martin Luther King Jr., Paul Robeson, Milton Berle, Victor Borge and Duke Ellington.  More recently The Klein has hosted such diverse talents as Vienna Boys Choir, Loretta Swit, Elizardi Castro, Alice Cooper, B.B. King, Buddy Guy, Boz Scaggs, Herbie Hancock, Ziggy Marley, George Carlin, Peter Frampton, Boyz II Men, the B-52s, Paul Shaffer, and the Quantico Marine Band.

In addition to its history as a first-rate concert venue, The Klein is proud to support and host local arts and community organizations.  Local dance recitals, graduations, and union meetings occur regularly at the Klein, and the theater has been the home of the Greater Bridgeport Symphony Orchestra for the past 80 years.  Other companies currently in residence include the New England Ballet Company, Fairfield County Children’s Choir, Greater Connecticut Youth Symphony, and ConnectUS.

Klein Theatre Arts (KTA)

Klein Theatre Arts is the cornerstone of the Klein’s education and outreach efforts.  Its mission is to provide tuition-free instruction in music, dance, drama and technical production to Bridgeport students in grades 6 through 12. A top-notch staff comprised of Broadway, television and film performing artists as well as experienced union stagehands and local arts educators provide their expertise.  Over 150 students attend classes four days each week throughout the school year and during a summer session.  KTA fosters a vibrant, supportive creative environment through daily positive interaction between talented students and caring adults.

KTA is funded through other grant sources, such as the Connecticut Office of the Arts and Fairfield County Community Foundation, as well as through contributions from individuals and corporations.  In addition to staging two semester ending concerts each year, the Klein seeks opportunities for students to perform at community events.  The Klein Dance Company has given 50 public performances since its formation in 2016.  They and other KTA students perform annually in Bridgeport’s parades and festivals, as well as at Port 5 Naval Club. The technical production course also offers paid internships where students work alongside IATSE stagehands at Klein events.