Commissioned by MTC and now making its Broadway debut in a limited engagement at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre, The Balusters, written by Pulitzer Prize- and Tony-winning playwright David Lindsay-Abaire and directed by Tony winner Kenny Leon, offers a sharp-witted look at an impassioned small community that does battle when Kyra, a new Board member of the Vernon Point Neighborhood Association, proposes installing a stop sign at the corner of the most beautiful block in their historic district. Under Leon’s engaging blend of comical and insightful direction, an across-the-board stellar cast of ten delivers the increasingly fast-paced, irreverent, and explosive look at what begins as a difference of opinion among neighbors devoted to serving the best interests of their wealthy enclave and soon launches into an all-out melee among the diverse group of different ages, races, ethnicities, and sexual orientations – young, old, Black, white, Asian, Latino, straight, LGBTQIA+ – each with their own distinctive personality, perspective, background, and experiences that don’t always align with those of the others.
Through a series of meetings hosted by Kyra, the Board addresses everything from one homeowner’s new porch balusters that are not authentic in style to the area’s 1905 Victorian architecture, an unidentified neighbor who doesn’t follow proper waste disposal protocol after walking the dog, and a string of burglaries by unknown porch pirates and backyard bandits, to the divisive proposal for a stop sign on the high-traffic street, which raises concerns of safety versus historic preservation and puts Kyra in direct conflict with the Board’s long-time President Elliot, who is determined to maintain an unobstructed view of their esplanade of stately homes and trees.
As the discussions progress – or, more accurately, regress – tempers flare, insults fly, and it becomes evident that what is said in the meeting doesn’t always stay in the meeting, when damaging gossip, personal secrets, special interests, and violations of the code of ethics are exposed, and the sample baluster, brought to the meeting for everyone to see, is put to new use, in this spot-on perceptive and hilarious critique of assumed political correctness that’s hypocritical to the point of absurdity and people being “woke” – or at least thinking they are – to the point of exhaustion.
The cast embraces the over-the-top sardonic humor with characterizations that are at once uproarious and all-too recognizably human. Anika Noni Rose as the strong and opinionated Kyra extols her happiness at being there, along with her steadfast determination to get approval for the potentially lifesaving stop sign (going so far as to accuse the aesthetically conscious Elliot of thinking “a stop sign is uglier than a dead child”). Richard Thomas as Elliott captures his dedication to preserving the history he loves, the power he holds, and the allies he’s made on the Board, remaining amiable until he doesn’t, challenged by Jeena Yi as Melissa Han, a smart no-nonsense lawyer whose sights are set on replacing him as President.
From the moment she enters the room, Margaret Colin, as the outspoken Ruth, incessantly hurls snarky comments at her colleagues and gets some of the biggest laughs from the audience, going so far as to taunt the privileged, super-liberal, animal-loving, vegetarian PETA worker Willow, played by Kayli Carter, to pet her rabbit-fur jacket. Carl Clemons-Hopkins as Brooks isn’t as much of a talker as the others, but when he does speak, it’s pointed, and when he’s told why his husband doesn’t lock the gate to their property, it’s eye-opening. Ricardo Chavira as Isaac is earthier than the rest of the Board, a conservative self-made man who doesn’t come from money and doesn’t appreciate all the BS he hears from them, while Michael Esper as Alan is a genuinely nice guy, who erupts when his words are construed as offensive though his life proves otherwise. And Marylouise Burke turns in a supremely entertaining performance as the seemingly forgetful and confused Penny, who is far more observant than the others might think. Rounding out the terrific company is Maria-Christina Oliveras as Kyra’s housekeeper Luz (formerly employed by Elliot), who lives outside the neighborhood but provides savvy observations and zingers that ultimately bring everything and everyone crashing down.
The meetings take place in the tastefully appointed interior of Kyra’s well-preserved upper-class Victorian home (set by Derek McLane), with art and furnishings of our current era, that suggest both her appreciation of historic beauty and recognition that things change and she’s not living in the past. Costumes (by Emilio Sosa), with hair, wigs, and make-up (by J. Jared Janas), suit the individual personalities, their status, and occupations (well, except for Luz, since Kyra insists her household help not wear a uniform!), and the dramatic shifts in lighting (by Allen Lee Hughes) and sound (by Dan Moses Schreier), including startling claps of thunder as the inappropriate behavior of each figure is revealed, contribute to the raucous tone (as does the fight direction by Thomas Schall and vocal coaching by Deborah Hecht).
The Balusters is a razor-sharp show loaded with non-stop laugh-out-loud one-liners, politically incorrect accusations and affronts, and sidesplitting sight gags (the group preposterously toasting a former Board member’s sobriety with wine and the “WGT” bet on Willow are two of the best), while addressing important social issues and delivering the message loud (sometimes extremely so) and clear, by being riotously satirical, not preachy. It will keep you laughing and leave you thinking about what it truly means to be a good, albeit imperfect, person.
Running Time: Approximately one hour and 50 minutes, without intermission.
The Balusters plays through Sunday, May 24, 2026, at MTC, performing at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre, 261 West 47th Street, NYC. For tickets (priced at $58-347, including fees), go online, call (212) 239-6200, or find discount tickets at TodayTix.
