Buffalo Theatre: Wimpy Kid, the Musical is a hilarious flashback to middle school survival for adults, a delightful addition to the series for young fans

By Nathan Andrew Miller

(Above: The cast of Diary of a Wimpy Kid, the Musical at TOY. All photos by Christy Francis)

Diary of a Wimpy Kid has been taking us back to middle school for over a decade now.

The franchise first burst onto the scene as online installments in 2004 and was finally printed in 2007. By April 2009, author Jeff Kinney was named on the Time 100, a list of the magazine’s perceived most influential people. Three live-action films and four animated films have been made, and in 2016 the story was turned into a musical, later restaged in 2022. The musical, now in performance at Theatre of Youth Company Inc., better known as TOY, brings that Wimpy Kid middle school energy to the stage.

TOY has, for years, been the “only game in town” when it comes to children’s theater in Buffalo. Now, under the guidance of Executive Director Tracy Snyder, they’ve begun to regain an audience post-COVID. Although school-time performances are their bread and butter, TOY also has public performances. I, along with my guest-reviewer/son Liam, attended such a performance on February 28.

Co-directors Arianna Lasting and Charles McGregor — with the help of set designer Jessica Speice — thrust us into the world of the beloved Kinney books with a delightful, versatile design. We’re introduced to main character Greg Heffley, played with youthful exuberance by Tiffany Nowak, who feels “stuck in the middle.” He’s starting middle school, which he views as a fresh start; but of course, as we all know, middle school brings bullies, social pressure, and a never-ending quest for popularity.

The ensemble cast is to be commended, as the comedy and larger-than-life characters all bring humanity, while making the most of the laughs. The musical’s strength lies in its songs, well rendered by the live band led by Stephen Schapero. I was particularly enamored with the pop number “Animal Heart,” sung by the character Joshie (Aaron Gabriel Saldana) and his backup singers/dancers. I’ve known Saldana for years, and had to double-check to make sure it was him! He must have been channeling his frontman energy. (Check out his Buffalo-based band, Tri State Area!)

And now, for the opinion that really matters, here are the thoughts of my guest reviewer:

Liam, age 7 and a huge fan of the series, was thrilled to come with me. He enjoyed the set model on the counter in the lobby and comparing it to the completed product onstage. He thought the scene design was “awesome” and loved how quickly and efficiently the set changes were executed. Rodrick was his favorite character, though this may have been influenced by his favorite book in the series. He agreed that the songs were good, and his favorite was the opening number, which introduces the characters and main conflict. His only complaint was that the tight 60-minute performance was “too short!”

Ultimately, this musical captures the energy of the series very well — the book is clever, and the music is fun and sticks in your head. I will say, to no fault of the production, that live bands in the cavernous Allendale Theatre sometimes cause the sound quality to become a little muddy when mixed with amplified performers. It’s unfortunate because it usually means trouble hearing dialogue over underscoring. More than a few times, I felt I had missed a line or two due to this problem.

That being said, the audience, my son, and I enjoyed ourselves greatly! Check out this show — and make sure to see if you can attend the understudy performance, too, to support the actors who have devoted their energy to learning this show.

“Theatre of Youth offers children something no screen or classroom can fully replicate: the magic of shared imagination unfolding in real time.  For children in the formative years, ages 4–8, attending performances such as those at Theatre of Youth expands both their minds and their hearts.  That’s a two-for-one deal you can’t pass up!  At this age, when play and pretend are central to learning, seeing actors transform ordinary spaces into extra-ordinary worlds is powerful validation… “
For full Review CLICK HERE

Theatre of Youth Company, Inc. (TOY) is pleased to announce new officers Paul Tyno, Stephanie Peete, Daria Shanchuk and Stacey Moar to the board.  

“We are excited to welcome these four dynamic members into their new roles on the executive committee. They each bring diverse expertise and insight to our work,” said Executive Director Tracy Snyder. “We have just celebrated our 50^th season. As we continue navigating through this pandemic, their leadership will enable TOY to enhance our programs and better serve our audiences in Buffalo and throughout Western New York”.

TOY welcomes Paul Tyno as Board President. Tyno works in AVP Sustainability Technologies with NOCO Energy Corp. In his role with NOCO, Paul is responsible for developing an energy/sustainability services company that provides a platform for our customers to optimize energy based on reliability, cost and sustainability priorities while coordinating those activities to drive savings, revenue and reliability. He is also Program Director with Emerging Cleantech Opportunity (ECO) Incubator. Launch NY’s Emerging Cleantech Opportunity (ECO) Incubator is part of the six incubators administered by the New York State Energy Research & Development Authority (NYSERDA), for high-growth cleantech companies.

Stephanie Peete is stepping into the role of Vice President and also serves at the chairperson of the Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion committee. Peete is the Business Partnerships Manager with Say Yes Buffalo. Stephanie earned a Master’s in Public Administration from Hilbert College, and graduated from Canisius College with a dual Bachelor’s in Urban Studies and Sociology. She currently volunteers as a Say Yes Buffalo Mentor; is an Advisory Board Member of Women United through the United Way for Buffalo & Erie County; is a co-chair for the Women of Color Summit; is a 2021 recipient of the Bar Association of Erie County’s Liberty Bell Award; and a 2022 recipient of Buffalo Business First’s Inclusion Diversity Equity Awareness Award.

Daria Shanchuk joined the TOY board in January 2022 and is stepping into the role of board Treasurer. Shanchuk is an experienced finance executive and management professional. She is a certified public accountant (CPA) in the State of New York, graduated with an MBA in professional accounting from Canisius College, and is the Finance Director with Berenson Hardware. Founded in 1957, Berenson is a local company that provides customers with a wide selection of stylish decorative hardware.

Stacey L. Moar, Esq. was appointed Vice President of the Board of Directors in 2020 and is now serving as Secretary. A graduate of Canisius College and the George Washington University School of Law, she is a Senior Vice President, Associate General Counsel with M&T Bank. Stacey also serves as an adjunct professor in the Political Science department at Canisius College and is a member of the Board of Directors for the Canisius College Desmond Law Society. She also serves as the President of the Board of Directors for the Amherst Skating Club, Inc. Stacey has served on the TOY board since 2017.

TOY’s Board of Directors also includes the following members:
Abigail Flynn-Kozara, Esq., Delaware North
Annie Deck-Miller, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center
Cynthia Giganti-Ludwig, Esq., Hodgson Russ, LLP
Elizabeth McPartland, Child and Family Services
Jillian Cascarino, FARM
Kathryn Holmberg, Elmwood Franklin School
Mary Czopp, Child and Family Services
Melanie Goehle, Independent Health Foundation
Natalia Rice, Say Yes to Education, Buffalo
William J. Wells, CPA, Explore & More Children’s Museum

The Mission of TOY
Theatre of Youth Company, Inc. (TOY) stimulates the imagination, nurtures the creative spirit and enhances the education of young people by engaging them in relevant, child-centered and professionally-produced live theatre programs. TOY believes meaningful childhood experiences in the theatre develop confidence in creative thinking skills, cultivate empathy and establish a life-long connection to the theatre.

Cast member Daniel Torres (Prince Felix the Fierce) talks about his role in SGT’s collaboration with Theatre of Youth, the interactive digital musical, ONCE UPON A TIME! 

View Daniel’s whole interview with AM Buffalo host Melanie Camp HERE. ONCE UPON A TIME has been extended until February 28th and tickets are available for purchase Here.

For Immediate Release: March 18, 2020

Press Contact:  Tracy Snyder, managing director, 716-390-5874

Due to the rising community impact of the Coronavirus and the increased urgent mandates by the New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo and Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz, Theatre of Youth (TOY) has canceled all performances of its final production in the 2019-20 season: Go, Dog, Gog, from May 9 through June 6, 2020, in addition to the previously announced cancellation of performances of The Outsiders. Our administrative staff will be in contact with all ticket purchasers in June. As we navigate these difficult times, we thank all of our patrons, donors, volunteers, cast and staff for their support and understanding. Any and all further updates will be communicated via social media and on the homepage at our website www.theatreofyouth.org.