Shea’s Buffalo Theatre announces the shows for its 2025-26 season

By: Kaitlyn Belile 

Shea’s Buffalo Theatre just announced their lineup for the 2025-26 Broadway season. Starting off strong with “The Outsiders” followed by “The Notebook,” “Wicked,” “‘Twas the Night Before…” by Cirque Du Soleil, “Kimberly Akimbo,” “Water for Elephants” and ending with “Suffs.”

“The Outsiders,” is a 2023 musical following the story of the 1967 novel by S.E. Hinton. The novel is about two rival gangs that are separated by their social structure. The “greasers” are known as the blue-collar group and the “socs” are the upper-class population. Ponyboy Curtis, a greaser, begins the show writing in a notebook about his life in Tulsa, OK. His story is heavily impacted by the loss of his parents which causes his two brothers, Darrel and Sodapop, to take custody of him. Ponyboy’s best friend, Johnny Cade, spends most of his time at the Curtis house due to the mistreatment from his parents. The story is about the rallying of friends and family during some of the hardest times in their lives. 

“The Notebook” is a show inspired by the novel of the same name that follows the story of two lovers, Allie and Noah, that live through the struggles of being in different social classes. Allie came from a wealthy family from the city whereas Noah is a poor boy from the countryside. The two of them share a summer of love, but Allie’s family does not approve of Noah so they go their separate ways. Allie finds a man, Lon Hammond Jr., who her parents approve of and they get engaged, only to separate when he finds out she is still in love with Noah. The true love story is shown when Noah supports Allie through her Alzheimer’s diagnosis. 

“Wicked” is a groundbreaking musical that represents the timeline before ‘The Wizard of Oz’, it has the basic stereotype of the good witch, Glinda, and the bad witch, Elphaba. Elphaba, born a bright green color, is an outcast who goes to the university Shiz to watch over her sister, Nessarose, who is paraplegic. Elphaba is assigned to room with Glinda, who was not expecting a roommate. The two unexpectedly become friends until they are officially labeled as good and wicked. 

“‘Twas the Night Before…” by Cirque Du Soleil is about a girl, Isabella, and her father, who loved the poem “A Visit from Saint Nicholas” and used to read the story around the holidays, until this year when they had lost the Christmas spirit. Isabella and her father were thrown into the story when the poem came to life and the two of them were split up and had to find their way back, and along the way they found their holiday spirit. 

“Kimberly Akimbo” is a newer musical about a girl, Kimberly, who was about to turn 16 and had to navigate moving to a new town. As most people know, being 16 can be rough, so this show is about all of the obstacles of being in a brand new town, learning all new things and people. 

“Water for Elephants” is also a new musical that follows a young man who leaves home after facing a tragedy. He finds a new home within a traveling circus. 

“Suffs” is all about an American woman who fought determinedly for the right to vote. The show follows the suffrage movement all the way to the 19th amendment finally being added to the Constitution.