Badger Theatre

326 E. Main Street,
Reedsburg, WI 53959

No one has favorited this theater yet

The Majestic Theatre opened in 1915. It was purchased in 1921 by Oscar Kelly. Three years later, Kelly had a new theater constructed on Main Street, which he renamed the Badger. This 500-seat theater had a pipe organ, a 16 by 23 foot stage, and in addition to silent films, the Badger hosted plays and concerts. A small fire in 1927 at the theater caused little damage due to the Badger’s fire-proof construction, which Kelly pointed out in the local paper after the fire.

During Oscar Kelly’s ownership, the Badger gained a lighted marquee, air-conditioning and was the first theater in town to show sound films. After Kelly’s death in 1942, his wife and son took over the operation of the theater. In 1948, new projection equipment was installed and the interior remodeled. During his election campaign in 1960, John F. Kennedy made a speech from the Badger’s stage.

In 1962, the Krueger family purchased the theater, and seating was reduced to 400, and a new screen and curtain were installed. A decade later, the auditorium was completely remodeled. In 1994, a Dolby sound system was added.

The Badger today no longer operates as a movie house, but is still open as the RAZ Gallery of Fine Art, where art from area artisans is displayed and sold. Furthermore, the Badger still hosts ocassional live theatrical productions and concerts.

Contributed by Bryan