Beef and Boards Dinner Theatre
Indianapolis, Indiana
First-, second- and third-generation customers have returned to Beef and Boards Dinner Theatre each year since it opened in 1973. The dinner theater entertains more than 155,000 patrons annually. Its name originated from the popular hand-carved roast beef served before the performances, and “boards” refers to the stage of a theater.
The family-owned establishment attracts return business from all types of groups with its selection of eight yearly shows that range from straight comedies to family-style musicals and targeted faith-based productions.
“We’ve established a rhythm of a faith-based comedy in the summer,” said spokesperson Patricia Rettig. “We’ve done ‘Smoke on the Mountain,’ ‘Church Basement Ladies’ and ‘Nunsense.’ We’ve established those faith-based shows, so church groups expect that from us.”
Beef and Boards starts every year with a comedy and wraps up yearly with its original “Beef and Boards Christmas.” All their musical productions feature a live orchestra, which adds to the production quality of the Actors’ Equity Association member.
The dinner theater features a buffet that changes with every show but includes staples such as chicken, fish, potatoes, pasta, vegetables and its signature roast beef carved at the end of the buffet station. Audience members can also savor the entertainment venue’s gourmet desserts.
“Typically, we have a cheesecake, sugar-free options, a variety of cakes and ice cream cake that is quite indulgent and very good,” said Rettig. “Most wait until intermission so they have more room to enjoy dessert with coffee. It’s a nice way to set yourself up for the second act and finish up the evening.”
Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre
Lancaster, Pennsylvania
On a night 30 years ago in a Denny’s restaurant, Tom and Debbie Prather used a paper napkin to map out their vision for opening their own dinner theater. That napkin plan became a reality soon after when they opened the Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre in 1987.
“They took out a loan for the dinner theater they planned to pay back in two or three years,” said Denise Trupe, general manager and national marketing director for the Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre. “They paid it off in six months. So it was very successful from the beginning.”
This January, the family-owned dinner theater underwent an extensive renovation that updated the decor of the lobby, the lighting fixtures and the theater wall coverings and expanded the space between tables. The Prather family also announced menu changes, such as carved entrees for matinee performances, Sunday brunch items and a Thursday a la carte menu for those who prefer a restaurant experience to a buffet.
The 370-seat theater hosts classic musicals and contemporary hits with a live orchestra and a cast and crew selected from major cities such as New York and Chicago. The site’s staff works with church group leaders who frequently tour the Lancaster area to ensure that they choose the perfect show for their faith-based group.
“We have recently put ratings on our shows,” said Trupe. “We don’t want a group to come and not have a positive experience because they are not comfortable. We want to give them as much information as we can prior to booking.”
Groups can add the Broadway Bound workshop program for a little more interactive fun before dinner. The dinner theater offers a variety of topics for the instructional experience, such as Theatre Idol, Improv Olympics and Musical Theatre 101.
Toby’s Dinner Theatre
Columbia, Maryland
If the actor playing Tevye looks suspiciously familiar in a performance of “Fiddler on the Roof” at Toby’s Dinner Theatre, that is not your imagination. Servers for the dinner theater double as actors for an immersive evening of dinner and a show.
“We are one of the few theaters where the actors are also your servers,” said Cheryl Clemens-Everidge, director of group sales for Toby’s Dinner Theater. “It’s a very personable experience. It’s great to be so close and actually be able to interact with the people involved in the musical.”
Groups will see all the actors fairly close no matter who serves them, as the 300-seat venue places guests no more than 30 feet from the stage in a theater-in-the-round configuration.
Now in its 37th season, Toby’s Dinner Theatre features five or six Broadway musicals with a live orchestra each year. The spring and summer shows tend to focus on more family-oriented plays, such as “Peter Pan.” Occasionally, the site also chooses a religious-themed production, such as “Sister Act.”
Patrons feast on a seven-entree buffet, a salad bar and a make-your-own-sundae bar.
Many church groups incorporate Toby’s Dinner Theatre into their tours surrounding the Washington, D.C., region.
“Maryland has a very religious history,” said Clemens-Everidge. “Christian tours do a lot of business in the D.C. area. If the group is going to Gettysburg or up through Philly, then we are in a nice central spot for them. A lot of tours stop here.”
www.tobysdinnertheatre.com
