Shea's Performing Arts Center presents Cast Party

Shea's Performing Arts Center presents Cast Party

by Ken Liszewski, Julianna Tracey, Rita Sirianni

Performing Arts

Season 1

Behind the Curtain with Electric City's Chris Bratek

This week on Cast Party, the crew pops over to our next-door neighbors at Electric City Buffalo to pull back the curtain with Production Manager extraordinaire Chris Bratek! From tech and hospitality riders to building full-scale airplanes (yes, really), Chris shares all the backstage lore. Whether it's musicals, rock shows, or total production pivots, he’s seen it all—and lived to tell the tale. Tune in to hear what it takes to run the show when the spotlight's not on you—and why tech teams are some serious MVPs of live performance.

Behind the Curtain with Dreamgirls' Naila Ansari and Karen Saxon

This week on Cast Party, the crew pulls back the curtain on the dynamic duo behind Dreamgirls: The Musical at Shea’s 710 — Naila Ansari and Karen Saxon!They’re artists, creatives, educators, and co-founders of Ansari Saxon Productions, and we’re just scratching the surface. From their origin stories to all the tea on the powerhouse team of artists bringing Dreamgirls to life this fall, this episode has it all. Tune in, get inspired, and start dreaming about those seats for Shea’s 710 season opener!

Behind the Curtain with Shea's Mary Oshei

This week, the Cast Party crew rolls out the red carpet for a Shea’s legend—Group Sales Manager Mary Oshei! With 18 years of theatre stories under her belt at Shea's alone, Mary shares the highs, the laughs, and the lessons (like why you definitely shouldn’t dance in a box suite). From behind-the-scenes tales to her deep love for The Scarlet Pimpernel, it's a theatrical deep dive into the world of group sales and musical obsessions. Grab your sheabills and get your group together —Mary Oshei is a scene stealer!

If I Could Turn Back To The Future

Great Scott! This week on Cast Party, Ken, Julianna, and Rita relive all the glam from the Shea’s Gala and share their hot takes on the 2025 Tony Awards—performances, winners, surprises, and some Glee chatter included. Then, it’s game time as Rita challenges the crew to “Broadway, But Make It Time Travel,” where they re-imagine iconic musicals with a twist of timeline chaos. Who knew Les Mis needed a DeLorean? Let the Chaotic Creativity Commence!

SHOUT!

It’s a night out on the town! In this episode of Cast Party, Julianna, Ken, and Rita recap their evening on Main Street—from dinner and drinks to catching Ain’t Too Proud – The Life and Times of The Temptations at Shea’s. Plus, they share some exciting updates from across the Shea’s campus you won’t want to miss. And if that’s not enough, Rita puts the crew to the test in a round of “Motown HR.” Can they channel their inner Berry Gordy and keep their musical acts in line? Tune in and find out!

Behind the Curtain with Shea's Rachael Buchanan

The Cast Party crew is growing! For the first time ever, Ken, Julianna, and Rita welcome a guest to the party—Shea’s receptionist, local theatre artist, and photographer Rachael Buchanan. Together, they chat about audition stories, dream roles, and so much more. Plus, they spill the beans (literally) on Shea’s Centennial Coffee blend, created in collaboration with Tipico Coffee. It’s equal parts heart, hustle, and caffeine—just how we like it!

Think Of...The Tony

It’s Broadway’s biggest night (well, almost), and the Cast Party crew is ready to react! This week, Ken reads off the freshly announced 2025 Tony Award nominations while Julianna and Rita react and guess through some of the major categories. From surprise snubs to standing ovations, it’s a chaotic, laugh-filled rundown of the nominees you won’t want to miss. Who nails the prediction, who gets hilariously humbled and who’s already planning their watch party outfit?? Press play and find out!

The Cher-isode

We got you, babe! In this glitzy new episode of Cast Party, Julianna, Ken, and Rita kick things off by finally revealing their official job titles at Shea’s—with a little help from a hilarious ice breaker. Then, it’s time to turn back time in a game of “If I Could Cher Back Time,” where Rita challenges the crew to place iconic Cher moments into the correct era: Babe, Lady, or Star. It’s all leading up to The Cher Show, strutting onto the Shea’s Buffalo stage May 2–4, as a special engagement sponsored by Gallagher. So put on your best rhinestones and press play!

Harvard Slam

Omigod, you guys—it’s time to talk Legally Blonde! In this episode of Cast Party, Ken, Julianna, and Rita spill the tea on the exciting renovations happening at Shea’s 710 Theatre, taking you from dreamy renderings to real-life construction with some jokes in between. Then it’s game time as Rita quizzes the crew with “Bend and Snap or Cap,” putting their Legally Blonde: The Musical knowledge to the test with True (Bend & Snap) and Cap (False) statements about the show. With MusicalFare’s production hitting the 710 stage May 1–18, it’s the perfect pre-show party!

Be Our Guest

Be our guest, be our guest, put our podcast to the test! In the premiere episode of Shea’s Performing Arts Center presents Cast Party, hosts Julianna, Ken, and Rita share their chaotic origin story of how Cast Party was born— here’s a hint: it involves a printer, some sass, and a lot of theatre banter. The gang also dives into Shea’s newly announced Five Star Bank 2025-26 Broadway season, with Ken, resident theatre newbie, guessing show titles based on blurbs. From Wicked to The Outsiders, there’s something for everyone—plus laughs, fun facts, and our first ever theatre term of the week!

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