KLEIN MEMORIAL AUDITORIUM

The Klein Memorial Auditorium is a 1,400-seat proscenium theater located at 910 Fairfield Avenue in Bridgeport, Connecticut. The Art Deco auditorium features bronze doors, a marble lobby, inlaid wood, and geometric motifs characteristic of the period. The Klein hosts over a dozen dance companies each year along with concerts, theater, comedy, and community events.

The Klein presents a diverse season of performing arts including ballet, orchestra performances, comedy tours, musicals, and family programming. The venue hosts the Greater Connecticut Youth Orchestras and serves as a community gathering space for lectures and civic events. Recent programming includes the U.S. Navy Band Sea Chanters, Ballet of Lights productions, and touring Broadway shows. The venue also hosts wine tasting events and community festivals.

The Klein was built with funds willed to the city by Bridgeport native Jacob Klein (1862-1932), a lawyer and active supporter of community organizations. Designed by local architect Leonard Asheim, the auditorium opened in 1940. Early performers included Leonard Bernstein, Arthur Fiedler, Eleanor Roosevelt, Martin Luther King Jr., Paul Robeson, Milton Berle, Victor Borge, and Bill Cosby. The venue continues to operate as a nonprofit cultural institution.