The Klein Memorial Auditorium is a 1400-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 acts as Leonard Bernstein, Arthur Fiedler, Eleanor Roosevelt, Martin Luther King Jr.,

Paul Robeson Paul Leroy Robeson ( ; April 9, 1898 – January 23, 1976) was an American bass-baritone concert artist, stage and film actor, professional American football, football player, and activist who became famous both for his cultural accomplish ...

, Milton Berle, Victor Borge and Bill Cosby. More recently The Klein has hosted such diverse musical acts as Alice Cooper, B.B. King, Buddy Guy, Boz Scaggs, Herbie Hancock, Ziggy Marley, George Carlin, Peter Frampton, Boyz II Men, the B-52s, and the Parris Island Marine Band. In addition to its history as a concert venue, 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 60 years. Other companies currently in residence include the New England Ballet Company, Greater Bridgeport Youth Orchestras, ConnectUs, and the Fairfield County Children's Choir.

List of notable performers and speakers

Pat Benatar Patricia Mae Giraldo ('' née'' Andrzejewski, formerly Benatar; born January 10, 1953), known professionally as Pat Benatar, is an American rock singer and songwriter. In the United States, she has had two multi-platinum albums, five platinum al ...

* Leonard Bernstein *

George Carlin George Denis Patrick Carlin (May 12, 1937 – June 22, 2008) was an American comedian, actor, author, and social critic. Regarded as one of the most important and influential stand-up comedians of all time, he was dubbed "the dean of countercu ...

Bill Cosby William Henry Cosby Jr. ( ; born July 12, 1937) is an American stand-up comedian, actor, and media personality. He made significant contributions to American and African-American culture, and is well known in the United States for his eccentric ...

* Jimmy Hoffa *

BB King Riley B. King (September 16, 1925 – May 14, 2015), known professionally as B.B. King, was an American blues singer-songwriter, guitarist, and record producer. He introduced a sophisticated style of soloing based on fluid string bending, shim ...

Martin Luther King Jr. Martin Luther King Jr. (born Michael King Jr.; January 15, 1929 – April 4, 1968) was an American Baptist minister and activist, one of the most prominent leaders in the civil rights movement from 1955 until his assassination in 1968 ...

Bob Newhart George Robert Newhart (born September 5, 1929) is an American actor and comedian. He is known for his deadpan and slightly stammering delivery style. Newhart came to prominence in 1960 when his album of comedic monologues, ''The Button-Down Mi ...

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* Duke Ellington * Jose Iturbi * David Bar-Illan *

Wynton Marsalis Wynton Learson Marsalis (born October 18, 1961) is an American trumpeter, composer, teacher, and artistic director of Jazz at Lincoln Center. He has promoted classical and jazz music, often to young audiences. Marsalis has won nine Grammy Award ...

and

Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra is an American big band and jazz orchestra led by Wynton Marsalis. The Orchestra is part of Jazz at Lincoln Center, a performing arts organization in New York City. History In 1988 the Orchestra was formed a ...

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References

* https://web.archive.org/web/20111124142354/http://www.theklein.org/about/index.html * https://web.archive.org/web/20120425022149/http://www.hwhct.org/newsletters/HwH%20Newsletter%20Summer%202009.pdf * http://www.americantowns.com/ct/bridgeport/organization/the_klein_memorial_auditorium/articles * https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=_sZIAAAAIBAJ&sjid=hAENAAAAIBAJ&pg=987,1467115&dq=klein+auditorium+bridgeport&hl=en {{Coord, 41.1745, N, 73.2021, W, type:landmark_region:US-CT, display=title Buildings and structures in Bridgeport, Connecticut Music venues in Connecticut Theatres in Connecticut Tourist attractions in Bridgeport, Connecticut Theatres completed in 1940 1940 establishments in Connecticut