BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Shea's Performing Arts Center will remain closed through at least March 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In July, Shea's President Michael Murphy was hopeful the shows would go on again in December. But now it's clear that won't be the case.
"When the pandemic began, we thought it would certainly be over by now and that we'd be preparing to open the hit musical Tootsie, the second show in our season. Unfortunately, the impact on live performances has lasted much longer than anticipated and while it was our hope to be able to open our doors this December to resume the M&T Bank Broadway Series, we're compelled to make further changes to the series schedule," Murphy said to subscribers in a join statement from Shea's Broadway partner and producer Albert Nocciolino.
Last week, the Broadway League announced all Broadway theatres would be closed until at least June. The same day, Shea's announced it had laid offseven full-time employees.
Anyone with tickets to an upcoming show should hold on to them. Shea's will resume payment plans and seat relocations once new performance dates are in place, Murphy said.
Shea's has been closed since March, when Governor Andrew Cuomo ordered all theatres, restaurants and gyms to shut down. The 3,000-seat Shea's was two nights into a six-day run of 'Hello, Dolly!' when the curtain came down.
