Memories Ballroom

What Memories Ballroom does

Memories Ballroom is a family-owned dinner theater and event venue operating from a historic 1930s log cabin building at 1077 Lake Drive in Port Washington, Wisconsin, approximately 40 minutes north of Milwaukee. The company runs a continuous live entertainment season featuring dinner theater productions (plays, musicals, comedies), interactive murder mysteries, a Chicken Comedy series, a Concert Series with tribute artists, New Year's Eve events, and Swingin Sounds live music programming. Meals are served in the same ballroom as the performance, with a 200-guest maximum capacity for dinner theater and up to 400 guests for wedding and large-event rentals. The venue's distinctive physical assets include the original 2,500 square foot solid maple dance floor, a tamarack log ceiling, and twin stone fireplaces that form the basis of its market positioning.

The business operates a multi-channel go-to-market combining direct-to-consumer online ticketing via the FareHarbor platform, phone-based box office sales (Monday-Friday 9am-3pm), in-person venue sales, and direct sales for group tours and weddings. Pricing is unit-based and stratified by show type and content (2026 plays at $45.50-$65.50; musicals at $51.50-$71.50; Chicken Comedy at $33-$53). Revenue streams include one-time ticket sales, season ticket packages offering 10-25% savings on multi-show bundles, hall rental and banquet packages for weddings and private events, celebration package add-ons, and group discounts for parties of 16 or more. The customer base spans individual theater-goers across the Milwaukee metro and broader Wisconsin region, group tour operators, and wedding and private event clients.

The company is privately held under sole ownership of Rolland Roebuck, who acquired the venue with partners in 2003 and became sole owner after 32 years of co-ownership. The building itself dates to 1934 (originally Weiler's Log Cabin Ballroom), was renamed Memories in 1995, and celebrated its 30th dinner theater season in 2020. Operations run lean at approximately 9 employees, with marketing conducted through the company website, email newsletter, digital season brochures, TripAdvisor, and chamber of commerce memberships. The business is a mature, single-venue, family-operated live entertainment company with no institutional investment, no disclosed financials, and no expansion beyond its Port Washington location.

Name

Memories Ballroom

Legal name

Memories Ballroom

Website

https://memoriesballroom.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Memories Ballroom is a family-owned dinner theater and event venue in Port Washington, Wisconsin, operating from a historic 1934 log cabin and serving individual theater-goers, group tours, and wedding clients across the Milwaukee region with live plays, musicals, comedy, and concerts.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Dinner Theater & Live Entertainment Venue

NAICS

Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (711110), Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities (71131)

SIC

Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Supper Clubs & Dinner-Theater Restaurants (THAFACAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Venue & Banquet Hall Catering (THAFAIAC), Concert Halls & Music Venue Operations (Symphony Halls, Recital Venues) (MPAGALAC)

Keywords

• Dinner theater shows
• Live entertainment venue
• Wedding reception hall
• Comedy show tickets
• Event banquet services

Headquarters

HQ city

Port Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Dinner Theater Ticket Sales: Revenue from dinner and show combination tickets as well as show-only tickets. Pricing varies by show type (plays vs musicals) and includes advance order discounts.
2. Wedding and Private Event Rentals: Hall rental revenue from weddings, receptions, private parties, reunions, and anniversaries. Includes banquet packages with signature buffet meals, beverage packages, DJ services, and ceremony packages.
3. Season Ticket Packages: Multi-show packages offering 8, 5, or 4 show combinations with 25%, 15%, or 10% savings respectively.
4. Celebration Package Add-ons: Premium celebration packages for birthdays, engagements, anniversaries, retirements including reserved parking, flower arrangements, champagne/wine, public announcements, and cupcakes.
5. Group Discounts: Discounted rates for groups of 16 or more guests, and Table of 8 special packages with complimentary drinks.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Memories Ballroom operates a historic dinner theater and event venue in Port Washington, Wisconsin, offering live entertainment productions including plays, musicals, comedy shows, murder mysteries, and tribute concerts combined with dinner service. The venue also rents its ballroom for weddings, receptions, private parties, and corporate events for up to 400 guests.

Product overview

Memories Ballroom is a dinner theater and event venue offering multiple entertainment products: Dinner Theater (plays, comedies, musicals), Chicken Comedy (comedy shows with chicken dinner), Murder Mystery (interactive audience-participation shows), Concert Series (tribute artist concerts), New Year's Eve events, and Swingin Sounds. The venue also hosts events through Weddings & Large Events and Small Events & Parties packages. Additional offerings include Group Bookings with discounts, Celebration Packages for special occasions, Season Tickets for flexible multi-show packages, and Gift Certificates. The venue operates from a historic 1930s tamarack log building with a 2,500 square foot maple dance floor.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Dinner Theater Live entertainment dinner theater featuring plays, comedies, dramas, and musicals with full dinner and show packages served in the main ballroom, where guests dine at the same table as the performance.
• Chicken Comedy
• Murder Mystery Interactive audience-participation dinner theater experience where guests work with performers to solve fictional murder scenes.
• Concert Series Live music concert series featuring tribute artists and tribute bands performing classic hits from artists like Garth Brooks, Elvis Presley, Bee Gees, and ABBA.
• New Year's Eve Celebration Special New Year's Eve celebration featuring comedy show, all-you-can-eat dinner, dancing with DJ, champagne toast at midnight, and photo booth.
• Swingin' Sounds Live music and dancing experience featuring swing and classic dance music performances.
• Weddings & Large Events Wedding reception and large event venue rental with banquet packages including hall rental, signature buffet meals, DJ services, bartenders, and full event coordination for up to 400 guests.
• Small Events & Parties Event hosting for smaller gatherings including showers, meetings, birthdays, and parties with space for up to 50 people in the front hall.

Quantifiable outcome

• One of the most affordable dinner theater experiences in Wisconsin

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Port Washington Holiday Inn Express (IHG)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership with Port Washington Holiday Inn Express (IHG) provides special hotel room rates for Memories guests traveling from afar. Standard rooms at $99/night and king/queen suites at $129/night, particularly relevant for New Year's Eve and other evening events where guests may not want to drive home late.
• Ozaukee County Tourism CouncilminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMembership in Ozaukee County Tourism Council provides promotional visibility and regional tourism connections, positioning Memories as a destination attraction within the county's tourism ecosystem.
• Belgium Chamber of CommerceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerChamber membership provides business networking and promotional opportunities within the Belgium area community, supporting regional tourism and visitor referrals.
• Port Washington Chamber of CommerceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerChamber membership supports local business community connections and provides visibility within Port Washington's tourism and visitor promotion initiatives.
• FareHarborcoreTechnology or IntegrationThird-party ticketing platform used for online ticket sales across all entertainment events. Provides embedded booking functionality on the Memories website for dinner theater, comedy, concerts, murder mysteries, and gift certificates.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• The Fireside Theatre: Fort Atkinson, WI dinner theater offering Broadway-style musicals paired with full dinner service. Directly comparable as a Wisconsin-based family-style dinner theater competing for the same regional audience as Memories Ballroom.
• Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre: Indianapolis, IN dinner theater offering Broadway-style musicals paired with prime rib buffet. Comparable Midwest dinner theater with similar show-plus-meal pricing structure and family-owned operating model.
• Chanhassen Dinner Theatres: Long-running Minnesota dinner theater producing plays, musicals, and concert series with full dining service. Closely comparable in product format, family-owned history, and Upper Midwest regional positioning to Memories Ballroom.
• Drury Lane Theatre: Oak Brook, IL dinner theater offering Broadway musicals and special events paired with on-site dining. Comparable Chicago-area dinner theater within Memories' regional draw radius, competing for similar group and corporate event business.
• Marriott Theatre: Lincolnshire, IL theater-in-the-round presenting Broadway musicals with pre-show dining. Comparable as a family-style dinner theater venue within driving distance of Memories' Chicago-area catchment.
• Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre: Lancaster, PA dinner theater producing musicals and concerts with full dining service. Comparable as a long-running, family-operated dinner theater venue with rotating show formats similar to Memories.
• Circa '21 Dinner Playhouse: Rock Island, IL dinner theater producing Broadway musicals with buffet dinner service. Closely comparable in format (dinner plus musical theater), family-owned character, and Midwest regional positioning.

Others

• Wharfinger Brewing Company / Local WI Event Venue: Other Wisconsin banquet halls and wedding venues (e.g., The Osthoff Resort, Milwaukee County venues) serve the same wedding and private-event market that Memories competes in for its non-theater bookings.

Regional players

• The Palace Theatre: Wisconsin Dells, WI performance venue hosting tribute concerts, Broadway-style shows, and family entertainment. Comparable Wisconsin venue targeting similar tourist and group audiences, though it does not bundle dinner service.

Emerging players

• Timber Lake Playhouse: Mt. Carroll, IL summer stock theater producing musicals and plays. Partial overlap as a regional Midwest theater competing for similar audiences, though it operates on a seasonal summer schedule rather than year-round dinner theater format.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/memories-ballroom

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Memories Ballroom