WICKED, THE OUTSIDERS and More Set for Shea's Performing Arts Center 2025-26 Season

Shea's Performing Arts Center has revealed 2025-26 Broadway Season at Shea's Buffalo Theatre, which includes: THE OUTSIDERS, WICKED, KIMBERLY AKIMBO, WATER FOR ELEPHANTS, and many more. 

Before their scheduled performances in Buffalo, THE OUTSIDERS will conduct technical rehearsals at Shea’s Buffalo Theatre. Arriving three to six weeks in advance, this extended stay provides a significant economic boost to the city, benefiting local hotels, restaurants, parking facilities, and businesses frequented by theatergoers and production staff. Shea’s Buffalo Theatre has hosted nine national Broadway tour launches since 2016, thanks to the 25% Empire State Music and Theatrical Production Tax Credit. This credit incentivizes qualified production companies to conduct technical rehearsals, pre-tour activities, and performances at qualified regional theaters across Upstate New York, enhancing the competitiveness of these venues in the Northeast.
 

THE OUTSIDERS

September 17-23, 2025

The winner of four 2024 Tony Awards, including Best Musical, is THE OUTSIDERS. This classic coming-of-age story takes you to Tulsa, Oklahoma in 1967, where Ponyboy Curtis, his Best Friend Johnny Cade, and their family of Greaser “outsiders” dream about who they want to become in a world that will never accept them. THE OUTSIDERS features Danya Taymor’s Tony Award-winning direction.

THE NOTEBOOK    

October 7-13, 2025

Based on the best-selling novel that inspired the iconic film, THE NOTEBOOK tells the story of Allie and Noah, both from different worlds, who share a lifetime of love despite the forces that threaten to pull them apart. THE NOTEBOOK is a deeply moving portrait of the enduring power of love, and features music by singer-songwriter Ingrid Michaelson and a book by TV’s Bekah Brunstetter (“This Is Us”).

WICKED    

November 12-30, 2025

Welcome to the wonderful Land of Oz…where there is a young woman, born with emerald-green skin—smart, fiery, misunderstood, and possessing an extraordinary talent. When she meets a bubbly blonde who is exceptionally popular, their initial rivalry turns into the unlikeliest of friendships…until the world decides to call one good and the other one wicked. WICKED features a thrilling score that includes the hits “Defying Gravity,” “Popular” and “For Good". 
 

‘TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE… BY Cirque du Soleil

Opening December 17, 2025

‘TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE… is Cirque du Soleil's first holiday show, based on the classic poem “A Visit from Saint Nicolas” by Clement Clarke Moore. Memorable lines from this cherished classic inspired Cirque’s story about a jaded young girl who rediscovers the magic of the holidays. A festive flurry of love and cheer created especially for families, ‘TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE … features thrilling acrobatics, lovable characters - and a soundtrack including holiday classics re-invented by Cirque du Soleil. The show was conceived and directed by Cirque du Soleil Senior Artistic Director James Hadley, a 25-year veteran of circus productions and live theatre.
 

KIMBERLY AKIMBO    

March 17-22, 2026

KIMBERLY AKIMBO is the winner of five 2023 Tony Awards including BEST MUSICAL! Kimberly is about to turn 16 and recently moved with her family to a new town in suburban New Jersey. Kim is forced to navigate family dysfunction, a rare genetic condition, her first crush … and possible felony charges. Ever the optimist, she is determined to find happiness against all odds and embark on a great adventure.
 

WATER FOR ELEPHANTS

April 14-19, 2026
The critically acclaimed bestselling novel comes to life in a unique, spectacle-filled new musical! After losing what matters most, a young man jumps a moving train unsure of where the road will take him, and finds a new home with the remarkable crew of a traveling circus, and a life—and love—beyond his wildest dreams. Seen through the eyes of his older self, his adventure becomes a poignant reminder that if you choose the ride, life can begin again at any age. Tony Award-nominated director Jessica Stone’s production (The New York Times) features a book by three-time Tony nominee Rick Elice adapted from Sara Gruen’s novel, and a soaring score by the acclaimed PigPen Theatre Co.   
 

SUFFS

June 2-7-2026
Direct from Broadway, comes the acclaimed Tony Award-winning musical SUFFS about the brilliant, passionate, and funny American women who fought tirelessly for the right to vote. Created by Shaina Taub, the first woman to ever independently win Tony Awards for Best Book and Best Score in the same season, this new musical boldly explores the triumphs and failures of a struggle for equality that’s far from over. Winner of the Outer Critics’ Circle Award for Best New Musical.
 

SPECIAL SUBSCRIBER ADD-ON, PART OF THE GALLAGHER ENCORE SPECIALS

(Broadway Season Subscribers will have the opportunity to purchase tickets before the public)
 

DISNEY’S BEAUTY AND THE BEAST        

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