MusicalFare Theatre Begins Construction on THE NEXT STAGE Expansion

On Thursday, July 18th, demolition and construction began for MusicalFare Theatre's THE NEXT STAGE million-dollar lounge/cabaret expansion. Crews began removing the concrete plaza in front of the building with excavation and construction beginning immediately, thereafter.

Due to be completed by February, 2014, this will be the largest expansion of an existing theater building in WNY since the Shea's Performing Arts Center Stage House Expansion in 1999. The architect for the project is Michael Terranova from the firm Lauer-Manguso & Associates Architects.

The Capital Campaign attached to the expansion is entitled THE NEXT STAGE and refers to both MusicalFare's growth and development and the literal addition of another stage in the new Lounge/Cabaret. The new performance stage will be called the "Premier Center Cabaret" and will feature everything from traditional cabaret performances to local musicians to staged readings of musicals and plays.

At this time, approximately $400,000 has been raised toward completion of the project with fundraising efforts continuing through the end of the year. Major funding has been received from the New York State Council on the Arts, the M&T Bank Charitable Foundation, the John R. Oishei Foundation, the Patricia and Robert Colby Foundation and Bank of America.

MusicalFare Theatre is a professional musical theatre company in residence at, but independently operated from, Daemen College. MusicalFare Theatre is located at 4380 Main Street in Amherst, NY (between Harlem and Getzville Roads). Parking is FREE, and the theatre is handicapped accessible, complete with a hearing-impaired system.