LAKEWOOD THEATER

Lakewood Theater is a 623-seat performance venue located on the shores of Lake Wesserunsett in Madison. The auditorium provides seating for 337 in the orchestra and 286 in the balcony. It was designated the State Theater of Maine by the Maine Legislature in 1967.

Lakewood presents a summer season of plays and musicals, continuing a tradition that has run nearly every summer since 1901. The theater complex includes the Lakewood Inn Restaurant, making it a dinner-and-show destination. Productions range from classic American plays to musicals.

Starting as an amusement park in 1895-96, the theater began presenting legitimate stage plays in 1901 under manager Herbert L. Swett, making it one of the oldest summer theaters in the United States. Between 1925 and 1941, Lakewood was the country's most important summer theater and a major Broadway tryout venue — "Life with Father" premiered at Lakewood in 1939 before running for 3,224 performances on Broadway. The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places (added 1975).