Shea's to celebrate 100th anniversary with centennial gala, Megan Hilty

Event will feature Tony & Grammy awards-nominated actress & singer

Shea’s Performing Arts Center press release & photos

Shea’s Performing Arts Center will mark its 100-year anniversary with Shea’s centennial gala on Saturday, Oct. 3, an evening celebrating the theater’s rich history while raising funds for its future.

Tony Award nominee Megan Hilty will make a special appearance during the evening. Hilty is widely known for originating the role of Ivy Lynn in the NBC musical drama “Smash,” for playing Glinda in Broadway’s “Wicked,” and most recently for her Tony- and Grammy-nominated performances as Madeline Ashton in “Death Becomes Her.”

The event includes red carpet arrival, silent and live auctions, and a gourmet dinner on the Shea’s Buffalo Theatre stage. The evening will also honor Tony Conte, former president of Shea’s, with the Michael Shea Lifetime Legacy Award, recognizing his leadership and lasting influence on the organization and the community it serves.

A portion of the gala’s proceeds will benefit the Elevate Shea’s Buffalo expansion project, supporting accessibility, with the addition of three high-speed elevators, and the future of Shea’s as it looks to welcome the community in for the next 100 years. Construction is now underway on the project, with completion scheduled for November 2027.

Presenting sponsors include Rupp Pfalzgraf LLC, Carmina Wood Design, and Ticketmaster. Chairing this year’s gala are Shea’s Board of Trustees Chair Marco Cercone and his wife, Kari. Single tickets, tables and sponsorship opportunities are available. For more information, visit www.sheas.org/gala.

Hilty is a Tony and Grammy award-nominated actress and singer, most recognizable for her portrayal of triple-threat Ivy Lynn on “Smash.”

Immediately after graduating from the prestigious Carnegie Mellon University School of Drama, she went into the Broadway company of “Wicked” and spent four-plus years playing Glinda the Good. She originated the role of Doralee Rhodes in “9 to 5 The Musical” and went on to play Brooke Ashton in “Noises Off,” where she was honored with her first Tony Award nomination.

Other stage credits include Audrey in “Little Shop of Horrors” (Kennedy Center), Annie Oakley in “Annie Get Your Gun” (Encores/NY City Center), Lily St Regis in “Annie” (Hollywood Bowl) and Lorelei Lee in “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes” (Encores/NY City Center). Most recently, Hilty originated the role of Madeline Ashton in “Death Becomes Her, The Musical”, earning two Broadway.com audience choice awards, a Tony Award nomination and a Grammy nomination for her performance.

Her numerous television credits include “Sean Saves The World” with Sean Hayes; “Difficult People”; “Braindead”; “The Good Fight”; and playing the iconic Patsy Cline in “Patsy and Loretta,” which earned her a Critics Choice Nomination. She also had the great pleasure of playing Lily in NBC’s “Annie Live!” Hilty’s voiceover work spans from full-length audiobooks to kids animated favorites on Disney, Nickelodeon, Netflix, Hulu and Cartoon Network. She continues to tour her cabaret show with her band, led by Grammy-nominated Matt Cusson, which has been taped for “Live from Lincoln Center” on PBS, and regularly appears with world-renowned orchestras including the NY Pops, Boston Pops and the National Symphony Orchestra.