The Grand Opening

Michael Shea loved strings and the Buffalo instrument contains seven ranks of them, quite a large number for an organ of this type. The pedal organ is one of the largest to be found anywhere with twelve ranks of its own. Among the exceptional ranks of pipes is a gorgeous-sounding sixteen foot tibia plena. The smallest pipe is no bigger than a pencil while the largest of the pedal pipes are thirty-two-feet long, huge enough for a good-sized man to sit in. Virtually every instrument is a symphony orchestra is represented in this organ and when full organ is played it sounds very much like a complete orchestra. The massive instrument is located in six large chambers ,three of each side of the theater. It contains a complete set of percussion stops, commonly known as the "toy counter". Included in this section is a large xylophone, marimba, harp, chimes, cymbal, kettle, snare and bass drums, orchestra bells plus the usual array of sounds that were initially used to accompany silent films - auto horn, boat whistle, Chinese gong, bird whistle, etc. Sitting in the lower box on the right hand side of the stage is a large grand piano which is played from the organ console.

The Daily Box Office Statement for opening day showed 10,332 paid admissions. All tickets that day were 65 cents. The day’s receipts totaled $6,715.80. Meanwhile, the theater’s payroll for the first week totaled $6,633.92. Some of the weekly salaries:

• Vincent McFaul, manager $150
• ushers (there were 37) $7.36 to $18.33
• Harry Wallace, orchestra conductor $150
• M. DelCastillo, organist $200. The payroll lists 47 orchestra members, including the conductor and organist.

Going to see a show at Shea's wasn't just a movie - although the latest film from Hollywood was a major attraction. It was like walking into a well-oiled machine on loop that repeats itself four times a day from 11:00 AM until the doors closed at 10:00 PM. Upon entering the Wonder Theater, audiences were greeted with music from the player piano in the lobby that plays itself (and is still playing in the Grand Lobby today!), from the musician's lounge above the Main Street doors, and from an orchestra of 45 musicians in the theater itself, accompanied by the Mighty Wurlitzer of course.

Up on the big screen, newsreels would play, and then the show would begin - the live show, that is: the stage of Shea's Buffalo has held it all, from the Marx Brothers to dance revues...Then the latest film from Paramount Pictures would be played - in the 1920's up until 1948, Shea's theaters were part of the block booking system and could only show movies produced by their studio.

Finally, the audience would leave, the musicians playing them out, as the ushers prepared for the next showing that was already about to begin.