This normally works but there are situations where it might not. We need more information

https://makemusic.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/community/posts/215729367-General-Discussion-House-Rules

Finale 27.3   Mac Mini M1   Ventura 13.1   Apple Magic Keyboard 1   or OMOTON bluetooth keyboard.    

Startup finale.  Create new document - Default Document.  Take all defaults Key of C 4/4   32m.   type in 4 measures.  Spacebar click  just selects measure.   

then last night tried Control Spacebar click and I was able to start playback from anywhere.

This morning tried Spacebar click and the problem has resolved itself.  Don't know what happenned.  Problem solved.

Mike Halloran - nice I don't know what you did.  I guess careful methodical scientific problem solving helped me to resolve this issue.  I am a tenor, and a jazz vocalist as well as classical.  Taught music in inner city Cleveland for 20 years.   20 years as a computer program.  Problem solving on mac 17 years

Wait wait wait, after I wrote the last post it stopped working.  It started working when I had Finale in Simple Entry and I held down the spacebar and clicked above the staff.  Started playback from the beginning.  Then I held down spacebar and clicked half way in and it started.   But now, Spacebar audio starting does not work again

TBH I only rarely start playback that way. What happens when you do as I do: open Playback Controls and hit Play? 

looks like it fixed itself.  may have been a keyboard problem.  Thank you David Toub and Mike Halloran.   David, opening playback control and pressing play works fine.  But if I want to hear something at letter E measure 98 it takes a long time to get there.  Spacebar Click is really wonderful for going right to measure 98  thanks guys!11