Shea's 2019 Black Tie Gala To Feature Broadway's Laura Benanti

Shea's Performing Arts Center is proud to announce that Tony Award-Winning actress Laura Benanti will perform at Shea's Black-Tie Gala on Saturday, April 27, 2019.

Tony Award-winner and five-time Tony Award nominee Laura Benanti is a highly celebrated stage and screen actress, currently starring on Broadway as Eliza Doolittle in Lincoln Center's revival of My Fair Lady. Before that, Benanti was most recently seen onstage in Steve Martin's hit Broadway play, Meteor Shower.

"Laura Benanti is a dynamic and impressive performer who continues to charm Broadway audiences," said Michael G. Murphy, President of Shea's. "We are thrilled to have someone of her exceptional talent perform at Shea's Gala - this will be an evening Buffalo won't want to miss."

Other Broadway roles include Amalia Balash in She Loves Me (Tony and Drama Desk Award nominee), Gypsy Rose Lee in Gypsy opposite Patti LuPone (Tony, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards), Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (Tony nomination, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards winner), Into the Woods (Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle nominations), In the Next Room or The Vibrator Play, The Wedding Singer, and Nine (starring Antonio Banderas). Other distinguished theater performances include Perdita in The Winter's Tale at the Williamstown Theatre Festival, Anne in A Little Night Music at the L.A. Opera, Eileen in Wonderful Town, and Rosabella in The Most Happy Fella, both for City Center Encores!

Her television credits include recurring and guest appearances in Younger, The Detour, Supergirl, Law & Order: SVU, Nashville, The Good Wife, Elementary, Nurse Jackie, The Big C, NBC's The Sound of Music Live and as First Lady Melania Trump on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.

Shea's is also proud to announce that Jon Dandes will join us for a second year as Gala Chair along with Dr. Raul and Toni Vazquez as co-chairs for the Shea's 2019 Gala.

Jon Dandes is the President of the Buffalo Bisons and President of the Canalside Management Group. Jon is a long time and enthusiastic supporter of the WNY theatre community and has previously served as Chair of Shea's Gala and Curtain Up!

Dr. Raul & Toni Vazquez own and operate G-Health Enterprises, which consists of GBUAHN, GBUIPA, and GBUACO (the Greater Buffalo United Accountable Care Organization). G-Health Enterprises has over 450 participating providers and serves more than 7,600 members in the Western New York area. Toni Vazquez also serves on the Board of Trustees of Shea's Performing Arts Center.

"I couldn't be more thrilled to be collaborating again with Shea's for another exceptional Gala," Dandes said. "Shea's is an integral part of Buffalo's cultural resurgence and continues to offer high-caliber performances that bring Broadway star power to Buffalo - and Laura Benanti will be no exception."

The annual Black-Tie Gala, sponsored in part by Ticketmaster, is the single most important fundraising event for Shea's Performing Arts Center. For more information on attending, or to become an Honorary Sponsor, call 716-829-1170. And you can follow the excitement leading up the event and the evening-of April 27, 2019, by using #SheasGala2019 on social media.

Photo Credit: Walter McBride / WM Photos

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