You’d be surprised how many Broadway performers are actually from the midwest, west and south. Some of our greatest performers - and worst - have been from the Deep South. Right now my husband’s in a show with a nutty leftist. He’s from Alabama.
I had a business meeting in NYC recently and the several guys I was meeting with said they never went to Broadway for shows. One lawyer from NJ had never been. A senior bank VP had not been for 15 years and then only to take his relative from the midwest to see a show.
Hence, I am surprised that the audience reacted as they did, shamefully, since that is mostly a NY style.
Of course, the actors are morons.