Shea's Performing Arts Center started out in 1926 as a movie theater built by Michael Shea. Today, we are a campus comprised of three theaters here in the Buffalo Theatre District, intent on bringing the best of live performance through touring productions and local collaborations to Western New York.
Shea's Buffalo Theatre, the historic crown jewel of Shea's PAC, opened in 1926 under the moniker of "The Wonder Theatre". It is used today as a touring Broadway house, and is one of the top theaters nationwide. The former Studio Arena, now Shea's 710 Theatre is the latest space to be added our campus.
Shea's Buffalo Theatre, the historic crown jewel of Shea's PAC, opened in 1926 under the moniker of "The Wonder Theatre". It is used today as a touring Broadway house, and is one of the top theaters nationwide. The former Studio Arena, now Shea's 710 Theatre is the latest space to be added our campus.
Services
Enhance your theatre experience at Shea's with the ultimate welcome message on Shea's Main Street Marquee! You choose the performance and it will be on rotation starting 2 hours before and ending 1 hour after the show! A once-in-a-lifetime photo opportunity that you can share with family and friends, use on social media or turn into a holiday card!
Shea's Buffalo Theatre, the historic crown jewel of Shea's PAC, opened in 1926 under the moniker of "The Wonder Theatre" as the dream of Michael Shea. Originally serving as a movie house under Paramount Pictures with "an acre of seats, " it would later stage vaudeville shows and play host to the likes of the Marx Brothers, Frank Sinatra, and more.
Shea's Buffalo Theatre, the historic crown jewel of Shea's PAC, opened in 1926 under the moniker of "The Wonder Theatre, " and was the dream of Michael Shea. Originally serving as a movie house under Paramount Pictures with "an acre of seats, " it would later stage vaudeville shows and play host to the likes of the Marx Brothers, Frank Sinatra, George Burns, Bob Hope, and more in the 1930's.
Shea's 710 Theatre is the latest space to be added to the Shea's PAC campus. Formerly the acclaimed Studio Arena, we were thrilled to have acquired this legacy space in 2011. Following an up-to-date renovation of the entire theater (both inside and outside), Shea's 710 re-opened as a welcomed addition to the Buffalo Theatre District!
Make your visit an exceptional and unforgettable experience! Groups have more fun at Shea's Performing Arts Center's three unique venues with a variety of exclusive opportunities. Whether you are joined by friends, family, associates, or clients, it's never too soon to plan your next group event! Experience the best the Buffalo arts scene has to offer, plus exclusive benefits, when you bring a group of ten or more*.
Reviews (20)
Carol Kelly
Jan 10, 2022
Report
Mickey Spak
Jan 04, 2022
Report
Beautiful theater. They have really done a nice job with the up keep of this place. Yes currently you need to be vaccinated and wear a mask at all times. Meaning if you get something to drink lower the mask, drink then pull it back over your face. Don't blame them for government official rules as they have to force these rules to keep there doors open and provide nice and good shows.
Lucas Walker
Jan 01, 2022
Report
Absolutely Amazed at the Talent Presented at this Age Old Theater. The theater itself is nestled in eclectic down town Buffalo with free train access. The buildings restorative atmosphere and the Decor is reminiscent of the past-a real draw for avid theater seekers. The performances rival the lights of the marquee. A pleasure too be attended by me.
K. W.
Dec 23, 2021
Report
Dianne Britain
Dec 19, 2021
Report
Donna Rosinski
Oct 26, 2021
Report
Kathi Spilberg
Oct 04, 2021
Report
1st time visit at Shea for Frozen musical.
♿ accessible entrance on Maint St, (recommended by Shea's) but not really any (metered) available street parking due to railway tram track in the road.
Another ♿ accessible entrance using the Tralf entrance door on Pearl St. (Not always used, I'm told). Parked in that lot ($25!!) Lot attendant parked us right near the door!
ALL parking lots in the mostly foot traffic area, is $25 at EVERY lot!! Rediculous. **Mandatory masks, no food or drinks allowed & no concessions due to covid.**
Shea's is a magnificent, beautiful antique theater & PAC. The
♿ accessible entrance on Maint St, (recommended by Shea's) but not really any (metered) available street parking due to railway tram track in the road.
Another ♿ accessible entrance using the Tralf entrance door on Pearl St. (Not always used, I'm told). Parked in that lot ($25!!) Lot attendant parked us right near the door!
ALL parking lots in the mostly foot traffic area, is $25 at EVERY lot!! Rediculous. **Mandatory masks, no food or drinks allowed & no concessions due to covid.**
Shea's is a magnificent, beautiful antique theater & PAC. The
Peggy Fronckowiak
Sep 25, 2021
Report
Denise H.
Sep 13, 2021
Report
Best place to catch a performance , very intimate with seating in the round.There is a small bar to buy refreshments.You're so close you could reach out and touch the actors.You get a very up close experience with the actors and see a variety of great plays.Past performances I have enjoyed include Spring Awakening,Ring of Fire, Million Dollar Quartet and local favorite Over the Tavern, this theater never disappoints.
Joy S.
Nov 07, 2019
Report
Great space to see a show. Saw my first show there last weekend and we really enjoyed it. We didn't partake, but they have a very nice bar space, I would recommend getting there a bit early to enjoy a drink before the show. Otherwise they have popcorn, candy and bottled pop and water. $4 each for Skittles and a Pepsi is a bit pricey, but not any more so than any theatre.
It's a much more intimate and modern setting than Shea's, it was a nice change. We bought third row seats as we were concerned front row might be too close, but it definitely would not be.
We saw a Starring Buffalo
It's a much more intimate and modern setting than Shea's, it was a nice change. We bought third row seats as we were concerned front row might be too close, but it definitely would not be.
We saw a Starring Buffalo
Frank M.
Sep 21, 2019
Report
Attended a show at Shea's 710 theater. Picking up tickets at Will Call and entering the main doors was fine. The problem was the bottleneck that we were stuck in for way too long, trying to enter the seating area from the lobby. The line would move a few people then come to a dead stop for, what seemed like an eternity, then it would move a little and stop. Once in, seating was comfortable and line of sight wasn't bad. Microphone sound control needs some work. We plan to attend another show there in the future to compare the crowd control. I guess it is possible that some of the issues
Nicole D.
Mar 05, 2019
Report
Such a great theatre in Buffalo - a must go for theatre junkies. The seating is very comfortable (much more so than actual Shea's down the street) and there is definitely not a bad seat in the house. The theatre is smaller but the sound and production of each show we have seen here has been amazing. Local theatre companies often put on productions here and it is always great to support local theatre. Most recently, we saw the play Almost, Maine here on Valentine's Day and it was really a great experience from beginning to end. The intimacy of the theatre makes you really feel welcome
Margery Z.
May 14, 2018
Report
It's still the most comfortable theater in Buffalo!
I was there for a performance of the very funny play, "Baskerville". It is based on the play "Hound of the Baskervilles".
"Baskerville" is very, very funny, even if you have a bit of trouble with some of the accents. There are 5 actors playing 40 parts. Quite a few costume changes, some even done on stage by simply taking off a hat, changing accents, and putting the hat back on.
It is a remarkable feat for the 3 actors who play so many parts. Holmes and Watson do not play other characters.
"Baskerville"
I was there for a performance of the very funny play, "Baskerville". It is based on the play "Hound of the Baskervilles".
"Baskerville" is very, very funny, even if you have a bit of trouble with some of the accents. There are 5 actors playing 40 parts. Quite a few costume changes, some even done on stage by simply taking off a hat, changing accents, and putting the hat back on.
It is a remarkable feat for the 3 actors who play so many parts. Holmes and Watson do not play other characters.
"Baskerville"
Hannah K.
Mar 20, 2018
Report
Definitely putting this theatre in my top favorites. I was very excited to check this place out after exploring the other theatres in the district during a Yelp event a few weeks ago; needless to say, I'm on a theatre kick right now.
This place is pretty awesome. It's got all the attraction the name "Shea's" brings with the name, but downsizes it enough to make for a pretty great theatre experience.
When you walk in, purses are checked and tickets are scanned - there's also coat check if you need it. In the main lobby there's a few tall tables and a bar, if
This place is pretty awesome. It's got all the attraction the name "Shea's" brings with the name, but downsizes it enough to make for a pretty great theatre experience.
When you walk in, purses are checked and tickets are scanned - there's also coat check if you need it. In the main lobby there's a few tall tables and a bar, if
Linda Klipfel
Jan 04, 2018
Report
Fox E.
Aug 02, 2017
Report
You should only come here at 10 minutes past 7 in the evening, apparently. But it's a great place to visit anytime.
This is an awesome colorful theater with an Eclectic calendar. I've only had the pleasure of being inside it a couple of times, but it's one of those little places that a lot of people don't know about - but everybody should.
This is an awesome colorful theater with an Eclectic calendar. I've only had the pleasure of being inside it a couple of times, but it's one of those little places that a lot of people don't know about - but everybody should.
Doreen Milligan Geary
May 08, 2017
Report
Rachel L.
Mar 10, 2017
Report
We went to the 710 Main Theater recently (for the second time). The first time was for Avenue Q last year; this time was for Ring of Fire.
It's a nice theater. Tickets are purchased based on a specific seat (at least for the show we saw) and it's small enough that it's easy to get in and out. The inside is basic - certainly not a grand theater like Shea's or an incredibly unique theater like Irish Classical. But it was comfortable. They had a coat check and a bar. The audio / acoustics were good. The seats had an unusually large amount of leg room, which I don't
It's a nice theater. Tickets are purchased based on a specific seat (at least for the show we saw) and it's small enough that it's easy to get in and out. The inside is basic - certainly not a grand theater like Shea's or an incredibly unique theater like Irish Classical. But it was comfortable. They had a coat check and a bar. The audio / acoustics were good. The seats had an unusually large amount of leg room, which I don't
Doug Y.
Mar 05, 2017
Report
Had a great experience and will definitely come back again. They have a full bar and plenty of room to spread out. Shea's is quite a bit more crowded. They have many tables in the bar area and you can orders ahead for drinks at intermission and they have a table with your drinks ready when you arrive. There was noticeable more room in the theater seats then you will find in Shea's which was built when people were smaller.
Cece Carson
Jun 07, 2016
Report
I have both hosted an event as well as personally booked the Smith Theater for our StreetPoetz event. Bobbi Scott was wonderful to work with and extremely accommodating! It was the perfect size for what we were trying to do and very reasonable! The theater adds a certain type of ambiance that you just don't get at the average location! We'll definitely be back!
