Residents and visitors alike know of Shea's Performing Arts Center as a destination for productions; however, it's not only those putting on the productions who work to make the theatre-going experience memorable.
Shea's restoration is funded through private donations, Shea's fundraising events, and public grants to bring the theatre back to the way it was when it first opened in 1926, as an elaborate movie house, under the direction of Michael Shea.
"We started out with the grand lobby chandeliers, that was one of our main projects. So we did the lobby in here first, so that the people walking in from Main Street get to see the splendor of the entrance...And then gradually year by year, we added on more and more," said Doris Collins, Shea's Performing Arts Center restoration consultant.
Whereas the renovation is focused more on structural repairs and rebuilding the stage house, which opened in 1999.
"It increased the capacity of the stage, allowed us to bring in the bigger Broadway shows such as Phantom of the Opera, Cats, Starlet Express. All sorts of shows that have been able to come in because of that," explained Michael G. Murphy, Shea's Performing Arts Center president.
Prior to the expanded stage house, the Broadway shows were smaller.
"It was very tight. Things were backed up to the walls, stage right, stage left, upstage, and things were parked out behind the theatre off the loading dock," said Murphy.
Though the expanded stage house opened back in 1999, the impact continues to be seen. According to Murphy, stage hands and wardrobe crew in Buffalo benefit from employment and it helps with cultural tourism.
"Today, we're able to provide all sorts of entertainment to people from all over Western New York, Southern Ontario, and other folks who come in from around the country to see shows here. It's pretty exciting and we're very grateful for what people did," said Murphy.
Now Shea's operates as a full service performing arts center, with more than 250,000 yearly patrons.
2019-12-21 21:49:54Z
https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nys/buffalo/news/2019/12/21/how-shea-s-performing-arts-center-renovations-have-enhanced-productions-
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