Historic Tours at Shea's

Shea’s Buffalo Theatre opened in 1926 as a movie house, offering “an acre of seats” inspired by the European opera houses of the 19th century, and complete with the Mighty Wurlitzer organ & made right here in Tonawanda, NY! “The Wonder Theatre” went on to host vaudeville and Hollywood stars throughout the earlier years, before falling into derelict and total abandonment by the 1970’s. It was only thanks to the Friends of the Buffalo Theatre that saved Shea’s from demolition by having the theatre listed on the National Register for Historic Places. Join one of our tours and see the splendor up close and personal! In the fifty years since, Shea’s Buffalo Theatre has undergone a complete volunteer-run restoration and expansion, now operating full-time as a presenting venue and Broadway touring house, shining as “the crown jewel” of the Buffalo Theatre District.