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National honor comes as Shea’s Celebrates its 100th anniversary
Shea’s Performing Arts Center press release & photo
Shea’s Buffalo Theatre has been recognized as a Distinguished Theatre by the Theatre Historical Society of America (THS), a national nonprofit dedicated to preserving America’s great movie palaces and historic theatres. The recognition was made June 25, as Shea’s Buffalo welcomed THS members and theater historians from across the country as a featured stop on the Wester New York Conclave Theatre Tour, a four-day conference spotlighting the region’s grandest historic venues, from Utica to Buffalo.
The visit and recognition come during a milestone year for Shea’s Buffalo, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2026. Designed by renowned theater architects Rapp and Rapp and opened in 1926 by Michael Shea, Shea’s Buffalo is a 3,019-seat National Historic Landmark widely regarded as one of the finest surviving movie palaces in the country.
The Theatre Historical Society of America’s conclave tours bring preservationists, architects and enthusiasts to historic venues throughout the country each year to celebrate the architectural and cultural legacy of America’s theaters. This year’s conclave was based in Rochester, with stops spanning Western and Central New York.
The recognition also comes as Shea’s continues work on the “Elevate Shea’s” Buffalo expansion project, an initiative improving accessibility and preparing the historic theater to meet the needs of the next century of theatregoers. For more information on this project, upcoming performances, and Shea’s history, visit www.sheas.org.
1859 Whitehaven Road, Grand Island, NY 14072
Phone: 716-773-7676
Fax: 716-773-7190
