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1976 - 1986

1976 - 1986

"A Rolls Royce automobile is parked in front of the glittering Shea's Buffalo Theater in downtown Buffalo Friday night as patrons arrive for a performance of Puccini's opera 'Tosca.' The magnificent theater was reopened Friday night after being closed for renovation to its Old World splendor."

Photo Credit: Photo originally published in the Buffalo Courier-Express Newspaper. Credit to Buffalo State Digital Commons. September 30, 1978

"A Rolls Royce automobile is parked in front of the glittering Shea's Buffalo Theater in downtown Buffalo Friday night as patrons arrive for a performance of Puccini's opera 'Tosca.' The magnificent theater was reopened Friday night after being closed for renovation to its Old World splendor."

56 years after Ginger Rogers first danced across the Shea's Buffalo stage - not yet a Hollywood star, but as a young vaudeville unknown, Ginger returned to serve as our spokesperson for the 1984-1985 season.

Photo Credit: The Buffalo News - September 7, 1984

56 years after Ginger Rogers first danced across the Shea's Buffalo stage - not yet a Hollywood star, but as a young vaudeville unknown, Ginger returned to serve as our spokesperson for the 1984-1985 season.

Joel Grey

November 25, 1983

Yul Brynner in The King & I

May 13, 1981
February 17, 1978

February 17, 1978

Bruce Springsteen - May 23, 1978 / November 12, 1996. <br><br> "Damn it's cold in Buffalo, I'm freezing my butt off," he joked.

Photo Credit: Eric Jensen

Bruce Springsteen - May 23, 1978 / November 12, 1996.

"Damn it's cold in Buffalo, I'm freezing my butt off," he joked.

Hall and Oates

December 3, 1978
April 20, 1979

April 20, 1979

Photo Credit: The Buffalo News - April 1, 1980

U2

May 16, 1983

Photo Credit: The Buffalo News - June 17, 1983

While U2 put on a great show in 1983, they didn't bring down the house - the balcony of Shea's Buffalo Theatre was built to allow "flex" to safely bounce up and down in place.

Photo Credit: May 22, 1983

While U2 put on a great show in 1983, they didn't bring down the house - the balcony of Shea's Buffalo Theatre was built to allow "flex" to safely bounce up and down in place.

January 20, 1979 / May 25, 1983

January 20, 1979 / May 25, 1983

Dionne Warwick

March 19, 1985

The Temptations and The Four Tops

April 6, 1986
"A New Deal for Christmas" - thanks Jack! It is thanks to many donations like this that Shea's Buffalo Theatre was able to be restored.

Photo Credit: The Buffalo News - July 8, 1980

"A New Deal for Christmas" - thanks Jack! It is thanks to many donations like this that Shea's Buffalo Theatre was able to be restored.

Local children auditioning for parts in the musical "The King and I."

Photo Credit: May 8, 1981. Photo originally published in the Buffalo Courier-Express Newspaper. Credit to Buffalo State Digital Commons.

Local children auditioning for parts in the musical "The King and I."

Tom Roffino in the "living room" of the Yul Brenner dressing room at Shea's Theatre Buffalo. Actor Yul Bryner performed at Shea's Buffalo in <i>The King and I</i> and as part of his contract, had the star dressing room done all in shades of brown. The dressing room was later re-decorated to remove the brown - reportedly, Liza Minnelli hated Yul's color palette. President Patrick Fagan announced "We got as much of the brown out as we could without making major repairs."

Photo Credit: March 11, 1982. Photo originally published in the Buffalo Courier-Express Newspaper. Credit to Buffalo State Digital Commons.

Tom Roffino in the "living room" of the Yul Brenner dressing room at Shea's Theatre Buffalo. Actor Yul Bryner performed at Shea's Buffalo in The King and I and as part of his contract, had the star dressing room done all in shades of brown. The dressing room was later re-decorated to remove the brown - reportedly, Liza Minnelli hated Yul's color palette. President Patrick Fagan announced "We got as much of the brown out as we could without making major repairs."

Photo Credit: Buffalo City Archives, edited by Mika Puma

439 Pearl Street circa 1970's: the back of Shea's Buffalo Theatre once had a bowling alley for a neighbor.

Photo Credit: Buffalo City Archives, edited by Mika Puma

439 Pearl Street circa 1970's: the back of Shea's Buffalo Theatre once had a bowling alley for a neighbor.

439 Pearl Street circa later 1970's or early 1980's: the bowling alley was demolished and this parking structure was put in place until 2016, when it was removed to make way for the future Shea's expansion.

Photo Credit: Buffalo City Archives, edited by Mika Puma

439 Pearl Street circa later 1970's or early 1980's: the bowling alley was demolished and this parking structure was put in place until 2016, when it was removed to make way for the future Shea's expansion.

Down the street at 710 Main Street, our new neighbors Studio Arena had just moved into the old Palace Burlesque theater. Note the two painters working on the Entertainment mural - it's still there today!

Photo Credit: Buffalo City Archives, edited by Mika Puma

Down the street at 710 Main Street, our new neighbors Studio Arena had just moved into the old Palace Burlesque theater. Note the two painters working on the Entertainment mural - it's still there today!