Buffalo Takes Center Stage
The diversity and abundance of performances, put on by nearly 25 professional theaters, makes it easy to find something to see in and around Buffalo. The MusicalFare Theatre stages new and classic musicals. Torn Space Theatre breaks ground with the avant-garde. At the Alleyway Theatre the work of up-and-coming playwrights are on the marquee.
Shows & Musicals for Every Season
The Theatre of Youth’s plays for young people unfold at a restored movie house in the historic Allentown neighborhood. See productions rooted in African American traditions at the Ujima Theatre Company. In the summertime, join the crowd bringing picnics to sit on the lawn and take in the Bard’s comedies and tragedies at a Shakespeare in Delaware Park performance.
From Contemporary to the Classics
West of the city, the Lancaster Opera House continues a tradition of live entertainment that began in 1897. The Kavinoky Theatre’s restored 1903-recital hall on the D’Youville University campus is an elegant, vintage setting. Baroque grandeur suits the Broadway shows at Shea’s Performing Arts Center, a gilded former movie palace on Main Street. For a more intimate production, consider its neighbor on the block, the Irish Classical Theatre Company. Performances suit any proclivity – from murder mystery comedy to a Stephen King movie-turned-play, a Jane Austen interpretation, golden-era shows like Guys and Dolls and the cutting edge. Let us entertain you.
Buffalo: It’s Showtime!
A glimpse into our vibrant theater scene
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Perfectly Tuned: Kleinhans Music Hall
You have to experience this amazing concert hall!
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Buffalo’s Theater Menu
A critic talks about Buffalo’s vibrant theater scene
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Harold Arlen
Buffalo’s Great American Songwriter
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Excellent Pairings for Dinner @ A Show
An evening of delicious food and entertainment
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Architectural Spotlight: Shea’s Performing Arts Center
A touchstone for downtown’s exciting revitalization
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Erie County Theater Companies
With 22 professional theater companies in the Buffalo area, there’s no shortage of show-stopping performances to enjoy. View some of our favorites below!
Buffalo: It’s Showtime!
Alleyway Theatre
American Repertory Theatre of Western New York
Brazen-Faced Varlots
Buffalo United Artists
Desiderio’s Dinner Theatre
D’Youville Kavinoky Theatre
First Look Buffalo Theatre Company
Irish Classical Theatre Company
Jewish Repertory Theatre
Lancaster Opera House
MusicalFare Theatre
O’Connell & Company
Paul Robeson Theatre
Raices Theatre Company
Road Less Traveled Productions
Second Generation Theatre
Shakespeare in Delaware Park
Shea’s 710 Theatre
Shea’s Buffalo Theatre
Theatre of Youth
Torn Space Theater
Ujima Theatre Company
Upcoming Shows & Musicals
Death at the Silos: An Electrifying Murder Mystery Dinner
05/22
Buffalo RiverWorks
Step back into 1896 where innovation is booming, tensions are rising, and one shocking murder changes everything. After selling out…
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E.T. THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL – 4K Restoration
05/23
North Park Theatre
This weekend, we are excited to bring you the ORIGINAL CUT of Steven Spielberg’s 1982 sci-fi masterpiece, and the urtext…
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The Legend of Georgia McBride
05/29
Torn Space Theater
“Stitch-in-your-side funny full of sass and good spirits.” & The New York Times He’s young, he’s broke, his landlord’s knocking…
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His Girl Watson: A Sherlock Noir
06/05
Alleyway Theatre
Mazumdar Award Winning Mystery The game has changed. Alleyway introduces a thrilling new chapter in the legend of Sherlock Holmes,…
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A Few Good Men
06/11
Shea’s 710 Theatre
Produced by Road Less Traveled Productions and Shea’s Performing Arts Center By Aaron Sorkin In the summer of 1986,…
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Footloose: The Musical
06/12
Lancaster Opera House
When Ren and his mother move from Chicago to a small farming town, he is prepared for the inevitable adjustment…
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Girl On An Altar
06/12
Irish Classical Theatre Company
Visionary Irish playwright Marina Carr’s Girl on an Altar is a powerful reimagining of the ancient myth of Clytemnestra and Agamemnon, told…
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Girl on an Altar
06/12
Irish Classical Theatre Company
A searingly fresh adaptation of the ancient Greek myths about family, war, and forgiving the unforgivable. Visionary Irish playwright…
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Tiny father: A Free Reading
06/15
Shea’s Smith Theatre
When a “friends with benefits” relationship unexpectedly results in the early arrival of a baby girl, Daniel must choose between…
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Patrick Gallo – How To Be An Artist
06/19
The Caz
ACTOR PATRICK GALLO AND JAZZ PIANIST GEORGE CALDWELL ANNOUNCE AN ENGAGING DIY GUIDE TO HOW TO BE AN ARTIST! Together, the creative duo,…
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The Book of Mormon
06/19
Shea’s Buffalo
THE BOOK OF MORMON, the nine-time Tony Award®&winning Best Musical, arrives as one of the most celebrated shows of this…
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The Taming of the Shrew
07/23
Shakespeare in Delaware Park
The Taming of The Shrew Directed by Brendan Didio All performances are FREE, non-ticketed and open to the public, with…
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Original Immersive Experience
08/14
Torn Space Theater
Torn Space returns for its annual original site-specific installation transforming its newly-renovated home space into an immersive performance experience. | Site-Specific Experience
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The Golden Girls: The Lost Episodes VIII
08/14
Shea’s Smith Theatre
The Golden Girls: The Lost Episodes by David Cerda Buffalo’s favorite girls are back! The Golden Girls: The Lost Episodes returns for its 8th…
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Janis Joplin
09/11
Kavinoky Theatre
An electrifying concert experience celebrating Janis Joplin and the powerhouse women who inspired her unmistakable voice, including Nina Simone, Aretha…
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Sweeney Todd
10/22
Shea’s 710 Theatre
Attend Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler’s dark, witty, and Tony Award-winning tale of love, murder, and revenge, featuring everyone’s favorite…
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The Super Pickle: A Hilarious Musical Parody
10/24
Shea’s Smith Theatre
Get ready to serve up the laughs with a wildly entertaining new comedy that dives paddle-first into the pickleball craze…
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Alicia Keys’ Hell’s Kitchen
10/27
Shea’s Buffalo
Welcome to HELL’S KITCHEN, the hit musical from 17-time Grammy Award winning Alicia Keys inspired by her life, her music, and…
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Julius Caesar
10/30
Kavinoky Theatre
A bold reimagining of Shakespeare’s iconic political thriller, set in the charged atmosphere of 1960s. The fall of Julius Caesar…
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The Great Gatsby
11/10
Shea’s Buffalo
THE PARTY’S ROARING IN BUFFALO! THE GREAT GATSBY is a “Broadway extravaganza that explodes with life and energy” (Entertainment Weekly).…
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The Sound of Music
12/08
Shea’s Buffalo
For 65 years, THE SOUND OF MUSIC has been one of our “favorite things.” With its timeless story and irresistibly charming score,…
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