Assisted Listening Devices (both t-coil induction loops & headphones are offered) are available to our patrons at our Coat Check Station by the Main Street entrance at Shea’s Buffalo Theatre, free of charge (please note that availability may be limited).
ASL-interpreted performances are Sunday evening shows for the Five Star Bank Broadway Season. Please contact our Box Office at least one week in advance of the show date to arrange seating. Additional ASL-interpreted performances can also be arranged.
Booster Seats are available to our patrons at our Coat Check Station by the Main Street entrance at Shea’s Buffalo Theatre, free of charge (please note that availability may be limited).
The Shea’s Box Office is located at 650 Main Street, Buffalo NY 14202 (next door to the Shea’s Buffalo Theatre). Our Box Office serves as a main hub for all of Shea’s Performing Art Center’s venues, managing tickets to Shea’s Buffalo Theatre, Shea’s 710 Theatre, and Shea’s Smith Theatre.
We are open for walk-ups Monday – Friday, 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM, and on Saturdays from 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM. During the summer, we are closed on Saturdays and will close early on Fridays at 2:00 PM.
On show days, our Box Office will open two hours before the scheduled show-time and will remain open through intermission.
The Shea’s 710 Box Office is also at 710 Main Street, Buffalo NY 14202. This box office is only open for shows at Shea’s 710 Theatre, with doors open two hours before the scheduled show-time and remains open through intermission.
Coat Check is available at Shea’s Buffalo Theatre by the Main Street entrance for a $1.00 donation (please note that fur coats are not accepted).
Bars and Concessions are open one hour prior to curtain and during intermission. Pop, Water, Coffee/Tea are permitted in the theatre seating area at any time. Alcohol may be taken into the seating area in our souvenir cup. No outside food or beverage will be allowed in the theater. We appreciate your cooperation and understanding.
Please be advised that concessions may contain nuts.
Please turn off all electronic devices that may disrupt the performance.
Photography and video are not permitted during any performance.
Photography in the lobby areas is permitted.
The First Aid Room is located in the Petite Lobby near the Ladies Lounge at the Pearl Street Entrance. If you need medical assistance, there is an EMT on site for all performances. AED devices are located in the First Aid Room and Main Street Box Office.
Shea’s Performing Arts Center’s policies will continue to evolve as conditions change. Shea’s will follow recommendations from the CDC, New York State, and Erie County. We will continue to keep patrons informed of specific protocols for upcoming events. At this time, masking and proof of vaccination are not required for event attendees.
Patrons with questions or concerns about COVID related policies, can call us at (716) 768-8071 or by email at covid@sheas.org.
Shea’s uses MERV13a air filters in each of its HVAC units at Shea’s Buffalo Theatre, Shea’s Smith Theatre, and Shea’s 710 Theatre as well as in Shea’s Bistro and Shea’s Rehearsal Halls.
Productions at Shea’s Performing Arts Center are most enjoyed by young people ages 8+.
Children under age 5 are not permitted in the theatre, except for specifically designated family productions, and all children who have had their 1st birthday are required to have a ticket.
Here at Shea’s Performing Arts Center, we are proud to enhance your show-going experience at by using mobile ticketing, providing a contactless and eco-friendly way to enter the theater safely and efficiently, while also reducing risk of lost, stolen, or counterfeit tickets! And now we can offer audiences the My Shea’s App – a free app created by Shea’s and available for download in the Apple and Google Play Stores:
For more information about mobile ticketing, check out our helpful guides to using your My Shea’s App!
Street Parking is free in the city on weekends and after 5:00 PM on weekdays, but availability is limited. As a reminder, street parking is also free on New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day.
Paid Parking Lots are also available within a couple blocks of the theater. Please check Pay2Park’s website and download their app for more information.
Patrons are encouraged to leave non-essential items and large purses and bags at home or safely secured in a vehicle. Please ensure you lock your vehicle and keep valuables, bags, and purses out of view.
If you are taking the NFTA-Metro train downtown, the Fountain Plaza Station is located one block south of the Shea’s Performing Arts Center.
If you are using a Ride-Sharing app, please use 439 Pearl Street as the address for ride-sharing services pick-up and drop-off location point at Shea’s Buffalo Theatre.
In an effort to enhance the safety and security of our guests, the following procedures will be in place:
Patrons are encouraged to leave non-essential items and large purses and bags at home or safely secured in a vehicle. Please ensure you lock your vehicle and keep valuables, bags, and purses out of view.
The house opens up to patrons for seating at the discretion of the production, typically around 30 minutes before the posted start time of the performance but it can vary.
Seating Holds are when seating is not allowed during a performance at the request of the production. Patrons may be held either at the back of the house, in the tunnel entrances of the balcony or in the lobby based on the seating hold requested. These typically occur at the start of the show or immediately after intermission but can occur at any time during the performance.
Following the Wednesday evening performances of our Five Star Bank Broadway Season, make sure to stay after the show for a talkback with members from the cast and crew!
Please use either entrance on Main Street (under the marquee or through the Shea’s Box Office) to enter. For patrons parking on Pearl Street, come through Curtain Up Alley to reach Main Street. Please be mindful that Theatre Place at 622 Main Street (next door to Shea’s Buffalo and accessible from both Main and Pearl Street) is currently undergoing construction and may be closed to the public at any given time.
Shea’s Buffalo Theatre’s main level is wheelchair accessible. Please note that as a National Historic Site, Shea’s Buffalo Theatre does not have an elevator or accessible seating in the balcony. Please contact our Box Office for assistance to secure accessible seating for a performance.
What could be more fun than going to a show at Shea’s? Going to a show at Shea’s with all your friends and family!
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Download My Shea's App, available in both the Apple and Google Play Stores! We've made it easier than ever to manage your tickets.
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Enjoy a prix-fixe dinner and show-themed cocktail to make your evening complete. Reservations are strongly recommended.
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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. Later in the 1970’s, to save the theater from demolition, a group of concerned people formed The Friends of Buffalo Theatre. This not-for-profit organization worked to bring about a preliminary restoration and was responsible for getting Shea’s listed on the National Register for Historic Places. Over the past 20 years, there has been over $30 million in restoration completed, all by volunteers, at Shea’s which allows Buffalo to keep the only surviving Tiffany designed theater in magnificent condition for our patrons and the community.
Shea’s box seats are a unique VIP experience; perfect for entertaining clients, employees, family, and friends. Each box features eight comfortable Kittinger chairs and includes an arrangement of refreshments for patrons including wine, beer, and hors d’oeuvres.
Upcoming events, theatre history, restoration updates, and more! A monthly newsletter is sent out to all our friends but if you didn't read it in your inbox, you can catch up our archive collection.
When the theatre is not occupied by a show, Shea’s is often already in preparation for the next production! However, that doesn’t mean our doors are closed…the theatre is often available as a private event rental. Arrangements must be made in advance.
Located at the top of the Grand Staircase, our donors enjoy complimentary coat check, personalized beverage service, light refreshments, and seating with a view of the Grand Lobby.
Become a part of our Seat Plaque Campaign with a donation to Shea’s Performing Arts Center. Your name will be placed on a commemorative brass plate that will adhere to a seat’s arm for the life of the seat in our theatre.
We want our patrons to have the full Shea’s experience, from Main Street to your seat. Now, you can see Your Name in Lights! During shows, you can have your name featured on the Shea’s marquee as part of our welcome message.
