'The Balusters' Broadway review — welcome to a friendly neighborhood thunderdome
Read our review of The Balusters on Broadway, a world-premiere comedy by Pulitzer Prize winner David Lindsay-Abaire at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre.
Summary
- The Balusters is a comedy about the tensions between members of a homeowners association board
- David Lindsay-Abaire's clever script and the all-star cast make for a top-flight comic production
- The show is recommended for fans of Lindsay-Abaire's previous work and anyone who's sat on a board of any kind and may find the minor and major debates relatable
What do you call a gathering of like-minded, well-meaning but annoying, virtue-signaling liberals? A community association board meeting, of course. David Lindsay-Abaire’s new play for Manhattan Theatre Club, The Balusters, takes up this decidedly of-the-moment subject, finding depths of comedy and critique within what is becoming well-trodden territory. After Tracy Letts’s The Minutes and Jonathan Spector’s Eureka Day, it might have appeared this emerging genre was already played out, but The Balusters reaches new heights. Lindsay-Abaire’s searing wit makes an almost anthropological study of liberal hypocrisy, offering an effective and highly entertaining callout.
After Kyra (Anika Noni Rose) and her family move into a stately Victorian home in the historic landmarked Vernon Point neighborhood, she quickly joins the community board, a motley nine-person crew, hand-selected to showcase the area's supposed diversity in terms of age, race, gender, sexuality, and religion. Wielding a gavel, and taking it all a bit too seriously, is the president, Elliot (Richard Thomas), who grew up in the area and is devoted to maintaining the historical nature of the neighborhood, down to minute architectural details like balusters (the small beams that support a railing).
While there is much comedy to be mined out of these suburban squabbles, the play, directed by Kenny Leon, goes much deeper as the problems the board discusses get increasingly intense. Kyra suggests they petition the town to put in a new stop sign, a seemingly benign request that leads the board into chaos, petty disputes, backstabbing, bribery, blackmail, and a brawl.
Through it all, the board members are all extremely forthcoming with their opinions, however offensive, outdated, performative, or oversensitive they may be. Microagressions and impatient corrections volley back and forth like shuttlecocks. Ruth (Margaret Colin), an older Jewish woman, and Isaac (Ricardo Chavira) a Latino (not Latinx) man, delight in being contrary, boldly voicing their politically incorrect takes, and social justice warrior Willow (Kayli Carter) — who secretly has a trust fund — is always ready to correct them. Alan (Michael Esper) rants about how hard it is to get sympathy as a white man. When packages get stolen, several members racially profile teens from nearby projects, which upsets the board's two Black members, Kyra and Brooks (Carl Clemons-Hopkins), though Brooks, who is gay, assumes a local Muslim man is homophobic. Always a bit confused is the lovable, elderly Penny (Marylouise Burke), who repeatedly mistakes Melissa (Jeena Yi), a Korean American lesbian, for a Pakistani straight woman also named Melissa.
The Balusters is an ensemble piece, and across the board the cast is superb. The actors work together symbiotically, forming a spectacular, unstoppable unit of privilege and prejudice. Burke, a comedic veteran at the top of her game, threatens to steal the show with each line. Thomas gloriously captures the way older white men hold on to power and wield it with almost evil authority, even when trying to do good. Rose takes her character on a journey, and we see her become more sneaky, political, and dare I say cunning as the play goes on. She was attracted to the neighborhood’s idyll, but she must contend with the implications, cost, and silent exclusions behind that old-timey charm.
Vernon Point and its board live in a self-created bubble, though they also represent something bigger, and The Balusters's scathing critique has much to offer in this divisive moment. Lindsay-Abaire’s script is masterful, a stunning dissection of hypocrisy that is equally political and hilarious. Still, the play stays firmly in the comedy camp, so things can be a bit tidy — a dramatically timed accident, a tied vote, a string of secrets revealed, including by the housekeeper Luz (Maria-Christina Oliveras), and stakes that get continually ratcheted up, leading to an unrealistically large explosion of emotion.
Still, The Balusters is thrilling to watch from start to finish, a sort of respectable cage match with a typed agenda and tea served on family china. Welcome to the liberal thunderdome.
The Balusters summary
Krya Marshall and her family have just moved into a Victorian home in the historic neighborhood of Vernon Point. Kyra has been roped into joining the neighborhood board, and the play traces several of their meetings at her house. They debate things trivial, like historically inaccurate architecture, and serious, like racial gatekeeping and public safety.
The nine board members — carefully selected and representing various backgrounds — have big personalities, strong opinions, and lots of history. With Kyra thrown into the mix, sparks fly and debates quickly turn heated.
What to expect at The Balusters
In a world of minimalist sets, The Balusters is a gorgeous outlier. Derek McLane’s heavily detailed set represents Kyra’s 1905 Victorian mansion: There are high ceilings, crown moldings galore, hardwood floors, sconces, and a grand fireplace. While the set mainly features the parlor, sumptuously designed with a modern flair and featuring an array of seating options in patterned upholstery, beyond we can see a foyer and a dining room.
Lining many of the walls are Black artists’ takes on classic paintings, like The Birth of Venus and Girl with a Pearl Earring. Everything gives off the impression of wealth, of an impeccably (and professionally) designed house that fuses the old and the new.
The play runs 1 hour and 40 minutes with no intermission. It contains extended discussions of race, religion, class, sexuality, disability, and gender and is rife with microagressions — but this is entirely the point. They are there to highlight the biases of the characters and act as litmus tests for who corrects whom.
What audiences are saying about The Balusters
The Balusters has a 90% audience approval rating on the review aggregator Show-Score. Audience response has been extremely positive, with theatergoers especially complimenting the play’s humor, political message, and the dynamic ensemble cast.
- “David Lindsay-Abaire you have done it again.” - Mezzanine user Juliet Grace Grochowski
- “A hoot and a half! This was so fun and funny. Sharp writing, great performances by the entire ensemble. Set was notably great.” - Mezzanine user Jacque
- “Extremely smart, funny, terrible acting, had incisive things to say about our sociopolitical environment in a somewhat subversive way but not over-the-top or spoon feeding a message.” - Show-Score user Rob S
- “One of the best plays I’ve seen this season. Extremely funny, quick, engaging, and well-written. Large ensemble cast but each character has a moment and get developed which is impressive.” - Mezzanine user Aaron Gluck
Read more audience reviews of The Balusters on Show-Score.
Who should see The Balusters
- Fans of witty playwriting will appreciate the play’s satire of holier-than-thou liberals.
- Anyone who has sat on a board — be it a co-op, a nonprofit, a club, a corporation, or even student council — will be reminded both of the annoyances and the hilarity of board meetings.
- Those who have liked David Lindsay-Abaire’s previous work, like Rabbit Hole, Kimberly Akimbo, Good People, and more, will enjoy his signature style on display here.
- If you like ensemble casts and comedies, there is much to love here, with a seasoned cast performing at their top of their game.
Learn more about The Balusters on Broadway
A highly clever and comedic script combines with an all-star cast to create a spot-on satire. In this uproarious indictment of wealth and privilege, no one is safe from petty politics and pointed remarks.
Photo credit: The Balusters on Broadway. (Photos by Jeremy Daniel)
Frequently asked questions
Who wrote The Balusters?
David Lindsay-Abaire, who wrote Good People and Rabbit Hole, wrote this play.
Who directs The Balusters?
Kenny Leon, a Tony winner and Emmy nominee, directs.
Is The Balusters good?
This is a new play, but MTC has a rich track record of uplifting the best voices in the American theatre; previously, they produced multiple Pulitzer winners, including Doubt and Proof.
Is The Balusters appropriate for kids?
Audiences must be four and up to see Broadway shows, and this one contains some adult themes.
Where is The Balusters playing?
The Balusters is playing at Samuel J. Friedman Theatre. The theatre is located at 261 West 47th Street, New York, 10036.
How do you book tickets for The Balusters?
Book tickets for The Balusters on New York Theatre Guide.
What's the age requirement for The Balusters?
The recommended age for The Balusters is Ages 13+. Children under 4 are not permitted in the theatre..
What is The Balusters about?
A raucous comedy, The Balusters is about a newcomer who joins a neighborhood association with one ask: installing a stop sign at the community's prettiest intersection.
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