Standing Ovation?

Who Is Buffalo Musical Theatre For?

After seeing three recent productions--
A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder at MusicalFare, Islander at Irish Classical Theatre, and The Ghost Brothers of Darkland County at Road Less Traveled Productions--

I’ve been sitting with a question that feels bigger than any one show.
Not whether the work is good.
Not whether it’s entertaining.

But who it’s actually for.

Each of these productions offered something distinct.

A Gentleman’s Guide was polished, funny, and technically sharp—Buffalo doing what it does well.

Islander was something rarer: inventive, intimate, and rooted in imagination, asking the audience to lean in rather than sit back.

And Ghost Brothers, written by Stephen King with music by John Mellencamp, arrived with name recognition and strong production elements, but left me wrestling with the text in ways I’m still unpacking.

What struck me across all three wasn’t just their differences—it was the feeling that they were speaking to very different audiences, whether intentionally or not.

And that raised a larger question for me:How often are we thinking about audience as more than just attendance?

Buffalo theater is full of talent.
That’s not the issue.

But there’s a difference between filling seats and engaging a community—and I’m not always convinced those two things are aligned.
There’s also something happening in the room itself.

Audiences here are generous—sometimes overwhelmingly so.
Standing ovations come quickly, almost reflexively.
And while that generosity is part of what makes this theater community feel supportive, it also raises another question:

What does it mean to respond honestly to what we’re seeing?
Not every show has to be for everyone.

It shouldn’t be.

But when programming choices, audience habits, and artistic risk don’t quite line up, it’s worth paying attention.

I’ve been thinking about this more deeply—about these shows, these audiences, and what we might be asking of each other--
and I’ll be unpacking it further in my upcoming podcast, Standing Ovation?

Because the question isn’t just what we’re watching.
It’s who we believe belongs in the room.

annette daniels-Taylor

Playwright, actor, director, and educator reflecting on theater, performance, criticism, and the emotional exchange between artists and audiences.

Who Is Buffalo Musical Theatre For?

annette daniels-Taylor

Archives

Categories