Melody Fair Photo Gallery by jacob kedzierski at pbase.com

Melody Fair

Melody Fair got its start in the 1950s, originally housed under a big-top tent next to the old Wurlitzer plant off Niagara Falls Boulevard in North Tonawanda. The tent was eventually replaced with a theater dome. For 25 years, Melody Fair was synonymous with producer, Lewis T. Fisher, and the sound of flaps blowing in the wind and a little pit orchestra striving to give a big-band sound to the overtures. The theater did well and offered some of the biggest names to ever light up marquees: Jerry Lewis, Danny Kaye, Liberace, Carol Channing, Tony Bennett, Pat Boone, Jack Benny, Perry Como and Louis “Satchmo” Armstrong.

Thank You Brian Kevin and Michael Kedzierski for helping with the shoot.

Meloday Fair Program 1	Melody Fair Program 2	Melody Fair Program 3	Melody Fair Program 4
Melody Fair Program 5	Melody Fair Program 6	Melody Fair Program 7	Melody Fair Program 8
Melody Fair Program 9	Melody Fair Program 10	Melody Fair Program 11	Melody Fair Program 12
Melody Fair Program 13	Melody Fair Program 14	Melody Fair Program 15	Melody Fair Program 16
Melody Fair 2008	20070007	20090009	20090017
Dad unlocking the door	cars that shift themselves	ext	getting the lights setup
grafitti	grafitti	really dark inside	the generator
stairs to level 2	two faced tree	random wheelbarrow	sound absorbers
pit was flooded	shadow man	IMG_1908	IMG_1927
crossing frame	nt boner gang were here	IMG_1947	IMG_1953
IMG_1966	IMG_1970	IMG_1971	IMG_1979
IMG_1980	IMG_1982	IMG_1993	dad
signs	IMG_2041	sound booth	sound booth int
electrical stuff	check out those passes	movie seats	deck of cards
brian grabbing a sound absorber	woo hoo	boner gang strikes	pile of chairs played
under area	dressing room	dressing room john	offices exposed
star mirror	20070020v	20070023v	DSC01040
DSC01041	DSC01043	DSC01047	DSC01051
DSC01056	DSC01061	DSC01127	DSC01131
DSC01153	DSC01161	DSC01166	DSC01167
DSC01171	DSC01175	DSC01183	DSC01207
DSC01216	DSC01218	melody pano	FOUND melody items
Melody Fair Theater 1960 program Redhead : Sent in by Jeanne Creel thanks!

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Lynda Roth Guenther		13-Nov-2018 07:52
In the early 60's as a young kid, my mom took me to see my first live performance of a Musical- Rumplestilskin. I still remember it vividly. Melody Fair was an awesome venue to see a show. I have surprisingly fond memories of it all. Long live Melody Fair Theater and dreams that are good and wholesome and wishing they will stay around forever! Missing those days. Brings back smiles. Would be great to have a list of all the shows done there!

Bruce		03-Aug-2018 20:14
Saw the bloody Who 50 years ago on August 4 - best concert I ever saw. Total mayhem at the conclusion with instruments and equipment destroyed. My ears rang for days. And 1 week later, Judy Collins mesmerized a small crowd with a wonderful set. A picture taken at that concert made its way to the inside cover of her "Who Knows Where the Time Goes" LP. Melody Fair was an inexpensive, yet impressive venue for dating in the '60s.

Liz Petersen		11-Nov-2017 19:41
I was one of the young children in the King and I at Melody Fair in 1959. My mother also was on stage as one of the king’s wives. It was a magical place seeing the theatre in the round.

Richard Casselman		08-Aug-2017 02:39
I'll never forget how as a 15 year boy I approached Lew Fisher and asked if I could borrow props from past Melody Fair productions for a summer production of South Pacific I was directing. I was so naive. Lew was so generous. This was the mid 60's and I returned each summer for 3 years seeking his support for my shows: Casselman Players. One summer he even gave me a walk on in Show Boat. I miss those summers.

Ralph Fava		03-Jan-2017 23:20
Hello Jack, my name is Ralph Fava a guitarist that played quite a few shows at Melody Fair. Our local newspaper would like to do an article on Debbie Reynolds whom I backed up twice. I have forgotten the dates and I'm trying to track down when Debbie played Melody Fair. Is this something you could help me with or know someone who can help?

Jack		06-Nov-2016 03:45
We're from Bradford, Pa and we're still always talking about Melody Fair. What a super venue that was! All that parking, all those doors going in, and not a bad seat in the house. We had 4 season tickets for 2 or 3 yrs. in the mid eighties and some weeks we were up there 2 nights a week on workdays! Saw all the country stars from George Strait, Reba, and Jerry Lee Lewis. Also new stars as Kool & The Gang, Miami Sound Machine, Judds, and etc. Such a shame it wasn't infinite.

Sue Shaner Riorden		27-Jan-2015 17:52
A "who do you remember seeing at Melody Fair?" on facebook got me started. I have been writing down names for almost a week now. I had no idea how many wonderful entertainers I'd seen - it's blowing my mind!!! Not saying I hold the record, but pretty darned close. If the tickets were as expensive as they are now, I never would have gotten to see all of them. We were so very privileged to live so close to such a fantastic and magical place! MISS IT TERRIBLY!

Kathleen		10-Jan-2015 03:39
My mother took me there one year to see Martha Rae, don't even have a clue how old I was... Then, years later, my fiancee (who became my husband) and I had the thrill of having front row seats to see Roy Clark!!! What a talent he had!!!!

George Needham		05-Dec-2014 18:55
I saw Darren McGavin in "The Music Man" at Melody Fair, in 1963 I think. My parents got tickets for me for my July birthday and I did not know what to expect, never having been to live theater before. The acting and singing entranced me, the lights and the costumes were magical, but when the marching band came down the aisle right next to me for the finale, I nearly plotzed. I have been in love with theater, and especially musicals, ever since. I even met my wife at an audition.

Jean		22-Dec-2013 04:22
I remember going to Melody Fair in the late 1970's to see Liberace with my 3& 5 year old daughters. I wonder if anyone else was there & remembers. Wish I'd taken my camera. I remember all his beautiful piano playing & the cool costumes. Great memories.

Glenn Hazelet		17-Aug-2013 23:04
Was there almost everyday for it's construction during the summer of 1956. Applied for a job as a stage hand but was a few weeks short of my 16th birthday. Watched "Plain and Fancy" from the stage entrance on opening night. Will always remember the actors entering the "Theater in the Round"

Mary Smith		20-May-2013 14:36
I remember going to Melody fair years ago. It was a unique Western New York landmark and I loved the outdoor patio during intermission. I saw The Captain and Tenille when I was 7 or 8 months pregnant with my first child. Tom Jones put on a super show, does anyone remember what year that was? I do remember the women in the audience throwing their panties up on the stage. Walmart instead of Melody Fair. How sad is that.

John Ring		16-May-2013 19:44
In the first part of 1955, having been part of the building of and original season of a new summer musical theater in Massachusetts, I was hire by Lew Fisher to function as a consultant during the construction of Melody Fair. During the summer I was also resident director and performed a number of small roles as well. Have fond memories of that time. I still have a lot of pictures of the theater and that first season performances. Also, my first daughter was born in Buffalo that spring. Sorry to hear about its demise.

Guest		14-May-2013 21:51
I was. Bartender here for many many years began with the tent and then the dome...I moved to LA and stay with people I met with the fore seasons .....

Mike		06-Mar-2013 15:50
I saw The Who and the Lovin Spoonful there in the late 60's- under the tent. All Things Must Pass.

Tom Losito		08-Dec-2012 22:47
I grew up a mile away on Ohio St. and renember sitting on the grass outside Melody Fair and listening to B.B.King and many others. It was still a tent and the sound was great. Saw The Byrds under the tent too. In the springtime, we used to go over and help put the tent up. (Lots of help was needed, even from us kids) My mom has a Tonawanda News picture of us helping !! I remember listening to The Who from my bedroom window in 1967, I was too young to go , Sure wish I had some pictures from that show !

jeanne vogel creel		15-Oct-2012 14:28
I performed here as an extra 1960 In the play Redhead. i was fron Stella Appekbaums Dance Arts School in Amherst ny. thanks for sharing these wondergul pictures. i still have my program.

Jo Anne Brown		01-Aug-2012 18:35
WOW. I remember the tent. Yes, That dates me, but I met Ginger Rogers there when I was 5. My grandfather, Crawford Anderson, was an baritone/bass voiced actor for many productions and I went many times as a child. Thanks for the memories.

Gary Samulski		25-Jul-2011 12:20
Thank you for sharing these images of the former Melody Fair. The summer of 1969 gave me my first opportunity to professionally play at the "tent". My first show was for then female impersonator/vocalist Jim Bailey. Rehearsal in the afternoon.....evening show. During the evening show a major rainstorm occurred.....water dripped on my music (which was written in flair pen)...and the music started to run together = welcome to professional theater. Went on to play many more shows in the early 1970's as well as being appointed technical director and being in charge of the children's shows. Some incredible memories of a great time! Lew Fisher was the master......he made it happen! A great run.......lots of incredible performers. Melody Fair will never be forgotten.....times have just changed!!

Scott Sarullo		14-Aug-2010 03:29
So sad to see this place gone. I went to my 1st concert here when I was 13, Charlie Daniels & Aaron Tippin. Also have seen Billy Ray Cyrus, Wynonna, The Oak Ridge Boys, Steppenwolf, & Gallagher here, & a couple others. I stopped by 1 day to check the place out 1 last time before it got torn down, but I was too late! I was surprised to c it gone already.

Keith Hall		06-Aug-2010 01:54
As I looked at the pictures I saw part of my childhood fade away. Lew Fischer and Melody Fair was a huge draw for NT. I think the demolishing of Melody Fair is what NT is about, destroying what little pride that the city has. I stay up to date on what happens there and it disgusts me to see the city and Western NY become the laughing stock of the state. Thanks to everyone who entertained us and who put on all those wonderful shows. Thank you!

Sandie Maurer		21-Jul-2010 05:57
I went to see the remainder of Melody Fair today. I have not wanted to see, but I am glad I did. I saw Ike and Tina , Sonny and Cher, The Temptations, Peter, Paul and Mary, The Turtles, The Byrds, Rightous Brothers (twice), Lorrie Morgan ( three times), The Judds, and others there. It was so much a part of my life. This should not have been torn down. I felt it shoud have bee packed up and sent to Branson. There are so few Theatres in the round.

Kathy Green		04-Jun-2010 03:38
I grew up around the corner from Melody Fair. I lived there for 15 years until we had to move to KY. I could not believe that it has been torn down. The pictures made me cry and brought me back to a life I had 28 years ago. I went to see only one concert there. I don't even remember who they all were. It was a group of "unknowns". I was supposed to see Elvis, but he died just days before. I miss everything about NT and would love to go back. Thank you for the photos and the memories. I did not know a Walmart was going there. That sucks!

Fuck Wallmart		20-May-2010 02:38
I will never shop at this wallmart for what they have dune to this amazing and wonderful place.

Marianne		05-May-2010 03:58
May 4, 2010 Watching the news on Ch 4 tonight, they showed the start of demolition of Melody Fair for a WALMART! I realized I never even took a photo of the place! So googled "Melody Fair" and here I am viewing the photos...so nice to see it, tho it looked far better the last time I attended a concert there. I remember as a child once seeing a Musical under the TENT, and then attended many concerts in the round with my family and friends, it was MAGICAL! In the end, when John Bunch reopened it, we also came to several concerts and enjoyed them all! I am so sorry that we are loosing this unique venue in Western New York, we were so fortunate to enjoy it for so many years. Now it will become a memory, just like Crystal Beach. How Sad! For a WALMART....that makes it seem even worse! We loose something so unique for something as common as a Wal Mart! To Jacob, Brian & Michael, thank you for the photographs! They brought back many happy memories for me...and one very special memory of someone I met from my past, after one of the Gordon Lightfoot Concerts one Summer Night. Melody Fair was indeed a MAGICAL PLACE.

Joe Kontrabecki		17-Mar-2010 20:55
Can any of you fine nostalgia buffs out there provide me with a decent, scanned copy of the Melody Fair logo? (The one from the 70s/80s with the dome over the top of it?) I'm a lifelong resident of WNY and saw many shows there growing up (Bob & Susan from "Sesame Street" was my first, Hall & Oates was my last. . .) Please email me at wehrlejbk3@yahoo.com

Jack Lis		18-Feb-2010 18:59
Jack Lis- I was the Music Contractor for Lew Fisher in the 70's. Those yrs were the best yrs of my music career. Backing up all those stars was such great fun for many of us. To this day i remember the phone call from Lew Fisher telling me were closing the doors. It was never the same after he gave it up. Jack & Kathy Lis--Chautauqua Lake, NY

Guest		09-Feb-2010 23:46
I performed in two shows under the tent; King and I (I believe in 1959) and South Pacific (I believe 1960). Great memories. Thanks for the pics.

Jim Missall		31-Jan-2010 17:10
Hello, I have tried to save Melody Fair...there still is a slim chance. I NEED a newspaper article stating that MELODY FAIR WAS BUILT FOR THE 100th ANIVERSARY OF THE WURLITZER PLANT. IF I can get that, GIBSON GUITAR HAS shown an interest in renovation! If you can help email: jmissall@roadrunner.com I am STILL CRUSADING TO SAVE THIS WONDERFUL place and have been in contact with the FISHER FAMILY (also Lew).

Keith Hall		27-Jan-2010 18:23
I lived on Kingston Ave. in the 60's so I heard and saw everything. Pete Hohl and I would sneak in all the time. Lew Fischer was a great guy too and it is to bad that the place looks as bad as it does. Saw Hetzers European Circus, Wayne Newton, John Davidson (we played softball with him), America, Little River Band, Chicago, Hall and Oates, ELO Part II, Seals and Croft, Kansas, Tower of Power, George Benson and Manhattan Transfer, fred Travalena, etc Great times!

Linda Sharon		25-Jul-2009 02:06
I worked there from 1966 to 1973 ... breaks my heart to see what's happen to Lew Fisher's gift to Buffalo. He was a wonderful man to work for. Wish someone would pick up the pieces and bring back te 'good times' ... thanks for the walk dow memory lane.

Bill		02-Mar-2009 02:00
Jacob, Great job once again. Keep up the good work and bringing us back the many great things about NT!

Mike Bullen		26-Sep-2008 15:53
I worked security there for a while. I got to meet Ringo Starr & his all Starr band...Huey Lewis is the nicest guy you'd want to meet, not "rock starish" at all...the .38 Special guys liked to DRINK...

Becky Stewart Onze		18-Sep-2008 17:06
When I was a kid, Melody Fair was just about the only place you could see a "real" celebrity. I saw an odd assortment of shows... Paul Anka to the Rock Opera Tommy with Ted Neely as Tommy. I saw Don McLean ( of American Pie fame) , and took my mother-in-law to see Tom Jones and Englebert Humperdink . We had our high school graduation there in 1973. It' sad to see in it in such disrepair, but thank you Jake, for giving us all a chance to walk down memory lane ! Keep up the great work.

Michael Gaeth		18-Sep-2008 12:22
I went to see Chuck Mangione at The Fair in the 70's. I also worked at Santora's Italian Restaurant for a few years and all the stars would come there after the shows. I met alot of stars there. Thank you so much for the memories. Even after all these years and living in San Diego, I feel like I'm 18 all over again.

Donna Lyon		18-Sep-2008 05:00
Hi, I remember Melody Fair. I don't remember going to too many shows there, but I graduated there with the North Tonawanda High School Class of 1973. It rained cats and dogs that day, and we were under that tent wondering if it was going to collapse. I definitely know that I saw the rock opera Tommy with Ted Neely (he usually was on stage in Jesus Christ Superstar) and also saw a concert with Steve Forbert and Clarence Clemmons (Bruce Springstein's saxaphone player). Both were great concerts, and I was always impressed that our little city would get such great performers, and that Melody Fair was frequently mentioned on TV when different performers would say where there were going to be. I wish it was still operating. What a nice place! Donna Hemmerling Lyon

LORA		18-Sep-2008 03:59
Jake, my older sister went to see Bobby Sherman under the "Tent" back in the late 60's. I do remember going to see David Brenner there in the 80's. I also saw Paul Anka, The Oak Ridge Boys 2 or 3 times. (I actually saw them 11 times in 9 years, had a major crush on Richard Sterban who had sung back-up for ELVIS in the 70's) Lorrie Morgan, and Howie Mandell were some of the others I saw too. Ron and I bought our house in '92. It is on the corner of Linden and Erie Ave, pretty much right across the street from Melody Fair. We could hear the music from our yard. I'll never forget how I heard the emcee introduce George Strait one evening while I was upstairs in my house! If there was NO traffic on Erie, you could hear everything. Ron was a NT Police Officer at the time, he knew all the security there. So we used to go over and catch the headliner after the opening act was over. We would only stay for a few songs and then walk back home. After Ron retired he would occaisionally work security there until it closed. It is SO sad to see this piece of history just sit there empty. It is horrible to see the damage that has been done to it. .

Mary (Cris Lyons) Drolet		18-Sep-2008 02:36
Thanks for the pictures and the memories of Melody Fair. I worked there the summer of 1965. I played a Nun in Showboat with Katherine Greyson, then I was part of the stage crew for Porgy and Bess with Cab Calloway and This Was Burlesque. I met alot of great people that summer.

DAD		17-Sep-2008 13:54
The pics turned out great, especially considering the awful lighting conditions. That was a tiring shoot for me but I'm glad I was finally able to "play" Melody Fair!!!! Larrie London played on that stage, the best drummer of our time!!

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