Restaurants starved for theatergoers, theaters did not open when WNY entered Phase 4

Theaters are still waiting for the state's green light, many downtown restaurant owners are also looking forward to the day the curtain rises again.

MUSEUMS.THEATERS ARE STILLWAITING FOR THESTATE'S GREEN LIGHT.YESTERDAY THEBROADWAY LEAGUEANNOUNCED ALLBROADWAY SHOWSWILL REMAIN SHUTDOWN UNTIL AT LEASTJANUARY.BUT FOR SHEA'S HEREIN BUFFALO...PRODUCERS ARESTILL HOLDING OUTHOPE THAT THECURTAIN WILL SOONRISE AGAIN...ESPECIALLY WITH ABLOCKBUSTER LIKEHAMILTON SET TORETURN THISNOVEMBER.AS 7 EYEWITNESSNEWS REPORTERGILAT MELAMEDSHOWS US -- MANYDOWNTOWNRESTAURANTOWNERS ARE ALSOEAGER TO GO ONWITH THE SHOW.THE "INTERMISSION"FOR THEATERSCONTINUES IN PHASEFOUR.WITH AN ECONOMICIMPACT FELT BEYONDTHE BOX OFFICE."WHEN WE DO ABROADWAY SHOWEVERY WEEK THERE'SOVER 20,000 PEOPLETHAT COME TODOWNTOWN BUFFALOAND THEY GO OUT,THEY GO TO THERESTAURANTS THEYPARK IN THE GARAGESTHEY STAY IN HOTELS,IT'S AN ENORMOUSECONOMIC IMPACT ONTHE COMMUNITY THATOF COURSE IS ABSENTRIGHT NOW."ALBERT NOCCIOLINOESTIMATES THAT EACHFULL WEEK OF SHOWSAT SHEA'SPERFORMING ARTSCENTER HAS A TWOAND A HALF TO 3 AND AHALF MILLION DOLLARIMPACT ON THE AREA.THEATER SEASON ANDDINING SEASON AREONE IN THE SAME FORBIJOU GRILLE RIGHTACROSS THESTREET.."MOST OF OUR PROFITCOMES FROM THATPERIOD OF TIME."THE RESTAURANT ISSTEPS AWAY FROMTHE THEATER.AND SAYS IT WILL TAKESHEA'S OPENING INTOACCOUNT TODETERMINE ITS OWNREOPENING."THINGS LIKEHAMILTON YOUCOULDN'T GET A SEATIN THE RESTAURANTFOR TWO WEEKS,TWO AND A HALFWEEKS IT WASCOMPLETELY FULL."IT'S NOT JUSTTHEATERGOERS THATPACK THESURROUNDINGRESTAURANTS, BUTALSO THE CAST ANDCREW."SOMETIMES ONSUNDAY NIGHT, ON ACLOSING SUNDAYNIGHT WE'LL HAVE THEENTIRE BAR PACKEDWITH ALL THEACTORS.

JUSTSINGING..LAUGHING.

IT'SINCREDIBLE."A FEW BLOCKS AWAYTAPPO SAYS IT'S SEENA RECENT SURGE INBUSINESS.

WITHOUTDOOR DINING.PART OWNER PHILIPLIMINA SAYS THERESTAURANT WILLRELY ON A SHEA'SSURGE ONCE THEWEATHER GETSCOLDER."IN WINTER THEYALWAYS GOT USTHROUGH A FEWHEAVY HITTING WEEKSFROM THE THEATERCROWD."NOCCIOLINO SAYSSHEA'S CAN ONLYFUNCTION WITH THEABILITY TO BE AT FULLCAPACITY.THE THEATER ISWAITING ONGUIDANCE FROM THESTATE BEFORE THECURTAIN RISESAGAIN."WHEN WE DO COMEBACK, WE WILL COMEBACK THINK IN A WAYTHAT WILL RESEMBLEAND LOOK LIKE WEHAVE IN THE PAST.":06"SHEA'S WILL BEMAKING ANANNOUNCEMENTABOUT IT'S 2020-2021SHOW SCHEDULENEXT WEEK.

INBUFFALO, GILATMELAMED, 7EYEWITNESS NEWS."