Anaheim Dinner Theater Makes a Grand Departure

The final curtain fell Sunday on the Grand Dinner Theatre, marking the end of an entertainment era.

A sold-out crowd turned out for a teary farewell at the final matinee performance of “Camelot” at the 425-seat theater. The theater had been a fixture at the Grand Hotel in Anaheim since its 1977 debut.

“It was very sad,” said Matt Engels, assistant general manager at the hotel. “Producer William Lockwood gave a teary farewell speech before the start of the show, with a tribute to his longtime partner, the late Frank Wyka.”

In its heyday, the hotel once drew Hollywood celebrities such as Mickey Rooney and Cesar Romero, among others.

But in recent years, business had fallen off dramatically, eventually leading to the closing of the dinner theater, hotel officials said.

“Even though this particular show was successful, the economics of running Broadway-style musicals is very expensive,” Engels said. “With rights fees and professional actors, the cost has gotten increasingly high.”

Furthermore, Engels said, the shortage of suitable Broadway offerings has also contributed to the decline of dinner theater.

“There’s not a lot of new shows that can be produced in the dinner theater. How many times does the public want to see ‘Oklahoma!’?” Engels said. “You’ve got such large productions like (‘Les Miserables’) that are not feasible for us to do on a smaller stage.”

Despite the closing of the dinner theater, the full-service hotel will remain in business with a new attraction.

Theater officials have announced plans to play host to big band dances every Friday and Saturday.