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Another "Little Me" revival with the combined Belle role for Streep..

Vulture

In The Balusters, the Trash Cans Are All Neatly Lined Up

https://www.vulture.com/article/theater-review-the-balusters-lindsay-abaire-anika-noni-rose.html

"It’s cleverly devised, although for a play about the corrupting influence of obsessing over peace and quiet it’s more than a tad pat. Though Lindsay-Abaire lingers on the idea that everyone has their own blind spots, he allows one character to become more villainous than most and another to emerge as near saintly. It’s a tidy conclusion, complete with a sturdy button of a kiss-off line. The play’s clean lines weaken it, letting it speed uninterrupted, like a car along that esplanade, toward judgment and satisfaction. There’s something to be said for disrupting the picturesque, and stopping traffic."

Deadline

‘The Balusters’ Broadway Review: Richard Thomas And Anika Noni Rose Battle Thy Neighbor In David Lindsay-Abaire Comedy

https://deadline.com/2026/04/the-balusters-broadway-review-1236865780/

"Hell hath no fury like a well-intentioned self-appointed watchdog challenged, as David Lindsay-Abaire’s new ensemble comedy The Balusters reminds us. We’ve seen this group dynamic before – in real life possibly, but on stage definitely, most recently in the brilliant Eureka Day and surreal The Minutes – and if the excellently cast play opening tonight on Broadway in a Manhattan Theatre Club production doesn’t add significantly to the committee-implosion genre it certainly has its fun along the way to its comeuppances."

B- from Entertainment Weekly

The Balusters review: David Lindsay-Abaire's play about a homeowners association dabbles in sitcom stereotypes

https://ew.com/the-balusters-review-broadway-david-lindsay-abaire-11954567

"By the time The Balusters reaches its conclusion, the play has forced its characters and audience to explore the intricacies of racism, discrimination, privilege, and those annoying biases that we all contain, and asked the question of how we determine a bad person is a bad person. It's uncomfortable, hokey (in a respectable way, most of the time), and keen, although it could do with a bit of sharpening in some elements."

Variety

‘The Balusters’ Broadway Review: Anika Noni Rose, Richard Thomas Star in Brilliant and Brutally Funny Look at a Dysfunctional Neighborhood Association

Critics Pick

https://variety.com/2026/legit/news/balusters-broadway-review-anika-noni-rose-richard-thomas-brilliant-comedy-1236726809/

"Written by David Lindsay-Abaire with a keen understanding of human nature and directed by Kenny Leon with a master’s skill for building onstage drama to a fever pitch, “The Balusters,” which debuts tonight at Manhattan Theatre Club, may be the most vital and timely show on Broadway this season. It’s definitely the funniest."

NY Stage Review

The Balusters: Love Thy Rule-Following, Historically Appropriate Neighbor

By Melissa Rose Bernardo

April 21, 2026

★★★★☆ Kenny Leon directs David Lindsay-Abaire’s new comedy about a neighborhood association gone wrong

https://nystagereview.com/2026/04/21/the-balusters-love-thy-rule-following-historically-appropriate-neighbor/

 

The Balusters: There Goes the Neighborhood

By Frank Scheck

April 21, 2026

★★★★☆ A series of neighborhood association meetings turns contentious in David Lindsay-Abaire's hilarious comedy

https://nystagereview.com/2026/04/21/the-balusters-there-goes-the-neighborhood/

Theatermania

Review: The Balusters Is the Most Fun You’ll Ever Have at an HOA Meeting

https://www.theatermania.com/news/review-the-balusters-is-the-most-fun-youll-ever-have-at-an-hoa-meeting_1833619/

"While the play is taking shots at everyone for everything, the “woke” younger generations get dumped on the most. But, by virtue of time, the youth always win. That’s the way of it here, though the play’s final moments suggest that the new guard is as corrupt as the old, and class solidarity beats all other kinds. This message requires a character shift that didn’t work for me, but made for a great debate topic with my companion afterwards.'

NYT Critic's Pick from Shaw

Review: In ‘The Balusters,’ Neighborly Dysfunction Is on the Agenda

David Lindsay-Abaire’s comedy about a wealthy homeowners association thrown into disarray makes a case for the same social compact it skewers.

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/21/theater/the-balusters-review.html

"This psychological delicacy comes as no surprise: Lindsay-Abaire wrote one of our most persuasive dramas on social collision, “Good People,” which explores the two ends of the class struggle in New England. I may have quibbles with the way his plot here unfolds, particularly the way it incorporates Luz, whose circumstances must be manipulated in unrealistic ways. But all boulevard comedies lean on coincidence, and I guess that applies even when the boulevard is a residential esplanade. (I laughed while I watched “The Balusters”; I only grumbled while thinking about it hours later.)"

The Guardian

The Balusters review – a Pulitzer-winning playwright returns with mixed results

3 stars 

Samuel J Friedman Theatre, New York
Rabbit Hole writer David Lindsay-Abaire takes on a list of modern American conflicts in a fun, if ultimately underdeveloped, comedy drama

https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2026/apr/22/the-balusters-broadway-review

"Even more egregious, several emotional turns depend on offstage action that, through its on-stage unveiling, feel like cheap gotchas. Is this a multifaceted discussion or a series of cute writers’ tricks? The Balusters feels more like the latter – which makes it both more fun and less resonant than it probably should be."

CoffeeBreak said: "Interesting. Largest number of nominations,musicals

2025 - Dead Outlaw - 9 nominations. 3 wins.

2024 - Death Becomes Her - 12 nominations. 3 wins.

2023 - New York New York - 12 nominations. 2 wins. (sets/costumes).

These awards are really not strong indicators either."

Death Becomes Her was 2025. Dead Outlaw was nominated in 2024 for its off-Broadway run.

Nice to see I'm not the only one who recoiled at Sam Gold's name. No thank you.

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/THE-LOST-BOYS-MEXODUS-SCHMIGADOON-and-More-Nominated-For-Outer-Critics-Circle-Awards-Full-List-20260421

Full List of Nominations

Outstanding New Broadway Musical

The Lost Boys
Schmigadoon!
Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)

Outstanding New Off-Broadway Musical

Beau the Musical
Goddess
Mexodus
Oratorio for Living Things
Saturday Church

Outstanding New Broadway Play

The Balusters
Giant
Little Bear Ridge Road
Oedipus
Punch

Outstanding New Off-Broadway Play

Angry Alan
Meet the Cartozians
Prince Faggot
The Monsters
The Reservoir

John Gassner Award (for a new American play preferably by a new playwright)

Call Me Izzy by Jamie Wax
Caroline by Preston Max Allen
Cold War Choir Practice by Ro Reddick
Data by Matthew Libby
Well, I'll Let You Go by Bubba Weiler

Outstanding Revival of a Musical

The Baker's Wife
Chess
Masquerade
Ragtime
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee

Outstanding Revival of a Play

Becky Shaw
The Brothers Size
Death of a Salesman
Joe Turner's Come and Gone
Marjorie Prime

Outstanding Lead Performer in a Broadway Play

Rose Byrne, Fallen Angels
Will Harrison, Punch
Nathan Lane, Death of a Salesman
John Lithgow, Giant
Lesley Manville, Oedipus
Kelli O'Hara, Fallen Angels

Outstanding Featured Performer in a Broadway Play

Christopher Abbott, Death of a Salesman
Danny Burstein, Marjorie Prime
Jessica Hecht, Dog Day Afternoon
Laurie Metcalf, Death of a Salesman
Ruben Santiago-Hudson, Joe Turner's Come and Gone

Outstanding Lead Performer in a Broadway Musical

Sara Chase, Schmigadoon!
Nicholas Christopher, Chess
Luke Evans, The Rocky Horror Show
Joshua Henry, Ragtime
Sam Tutty, Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)
Brandon Uranowitz, Ragtime
Jessica Vosk, Beaches

Outstanding Featured Performer in a Broadway Musical

Ali Louis Bourzgui, The Lost Boys
Max Clayton, Schmigadoon!
Andrew Durand, The Rocky Horror Show
Benjamin Pajak, The Lost Boys
Ben Levi Ross, Ragtime

Outstanding Lead Performer in an Off-Broadway Musical

Micaela Diamond, The Seat of Our Pants
Amber Iman, Goddess
Brian Quijada, Mexodus
Matt Rodin, Beau the Musical
Nygel D. Robinson, Mexodus

Outstanding Featured Performer in an Off-Broadway Musical

Justin Cooley, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
J. Harrison Ghee, Saturday Church
Judy Kuhn, The Baker's Wife
Kevin McHale, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
Jasmine Amy Rogers, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee

Outstanding Lead Performer in an Off-Broadway Play

Quincy Tyler Bernstine, Well, I'll Let You Go
Alana Raquel Bowers, Cold War Choir Practice
André Holland, The Brothers Size
Alani iLongwe, The Brothers Size
Aigner Mizzelle, The Monsters

Outstanding Featured Performer in an Off-Broadway Play

Caroline Aaron, The Reservoir
Brian d'Arcy James, Eurydice
River Lipe-Smith, Caroline
Andrea Martin, Meet the Cartozians
Malcolm Mays, The Brothers Size

Outstanding Solo Performance

Sean Hayes, The Unknown
Mary Kate O Flanagan, Making a Show of Myself
Jack Holden, Kenrex
Daniel Radcliffe, Every Brilliant Thing
Jean Smart, Call Me Izzy

Outstanding Book of a Musical (Broadway or Off-Broadway)

Jim Barne and Kit Buchan, Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)
David Hornsby and Chris Hoch, The Lost Boys
Douglas Lyons, Beau the Musical
Cinco Paul, Schmigadoon!
Brian Quijada and Nygel D. Robinson, Mexodus

Outstanding Score (Broadway or Off-Broadway)

Jim Barne and Kit Buchan, Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)
Heather Christian, Oratorio for Living Things
Ethan D. Pakchar and Douglas Lyons, Beau the Musical
Brian Quijada and Nygel D. Robinson, Mexodus
The Rescues, The Lost Boys

Outstanding Direction of a Play

Debbie Allen, Joe Turner's Come and Gone
Ngozi Anyanwu, The Monsters
Trip Cullman, Becky Shaw
Robert Icke, Oedipus
Joe Mantello, Death of a Salesman
Tarell Alvin McCraney and Bijan Shibani, The Brothers Size

Outstanding Direction of a Musical

Michael Arden, The Lost Boys
Lear deBessonet, Ragtime
Lee Sunday Evans, Oratorio for Living Things
David Mendizábal, Mexodus
Diane Paulus, Masquerade

Outstanding Choreography

Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, Masquerade
Christopher Gattelli, Schmigadoon!
Darrell Grand Moultrie, Goddess
Darrell Grand Moultrie, Saturday Church
Rickey Tripp, The Monsters

Outstanding Orchestrations (Broadway or Off-Broadway)

Fraser Campbell, Jane Cardona, Ben Moss, Odetta Hartman, John Murchison, Peter Wise, Oratorio for Living Things
Doug Besterman and Mike Morris, Schmigadoon!
Mikhail Fiksel, Brian Quijada, and Nygel D. Robinson, Mexodus
Ethan Popp and The Rescues, The Lost Boys
Michael Thurber, Goddess

Outstanding Scenic Design

James Fluhr, Masquerade
Dane Laffrey, The Lost Boys
Scott Pask, Schmigadoon!
Adam Rigg and Anton Volovsek, Bowl EP
Jason Sherwood, The Baker's Wife

Outstanding Costume Design

Dede Ayite, Goddess
Linda Cho, Schmigadoon!
Jeff Mahshie, Fallen Angels
Ryan park, The Lost Boys
Emilio Sosa, Masquerade

Outstanding Lighting Design

Mextly Couzin, Mexodus
Adam Honoré, Cats: The Jellicle Ball
Jack Knowles, Death of a Salesman
Jen Schriever and Michael Arden, The Lost Boys
Studio Luna, Marcel on the Train

Outstanding Sound Design

Caroline Eng, The Unknown
Mikhail Fiksel, Mexodus
Adam Fisher, The Lost Boys
Brett Jarvis, Masquerade
Nick Kourtides, Oratorio for Living Things

Outstanding Video/Projection Design

59 Studio, Ragtime
Akhila Krishnan, Kyoto
Derek McLane, This World of Tomorrow
Johnny Moreno, Mexodus
John Narun, Bughouse

Rentaholic2 said: "I feel somewhat vindicated - when this was announced, people on the board were tripping over themselves to say how badly it was going to bomb, and I said I could see it being a sleeper hit. With these reviews and the positive word of mouth I've been hearing, I wouldn't be surprised if this turns into a hit and takes Best Musical."

Maybe. Or it could wind up like Shucked, which was in the same theater, and whose trajectory it seems to be replicating so far. 

BWW's review roundup calculated Shucked's average rating to 71.1%.

Schmigadoon got 74.4%

Shucked had 12 positive, 3 mixed, 0 negative on DidTheyLikeIt.

Schmigadoon has 11 positive, 4 mixed, 1 negative.

Schmigadoon only has one full week of sales for comparison, but it's comparable to Shucked's. (The latter did a better job filling the houses and was sold out early on, but it had a cheap ticket promotion in its early weeks to build word of mouth.)

If it had gotten much better reviews I could see it breaking out. With these, it could still very much go either way. 

(It's also not that far off from Boop's 71.3% and 10 positive/4 mixed/2 negative and we saw how that went.)

UWS10023 said: "I saw the production Saturday evening the 18th of April and thought it was splendid. Jack Falahee was signing playbills at the stage door. I know he was scheduled for Happy during the matinee but does anyone know if he also did the evening performance? I was sitting in the back of the orchestra so I assumed I was watching Ben Ahlers and there was no mention of an understudy performancein the playbill. In retrospect I think I saw Jack. Maybe there was a notice in the lobby and I missed it."

Death of a Salesman does the online/QR code understudy notice, no slip. Falahee was indeed in for both shows Saturday.

https://atthisplaybill.com/Death-of-a-Salesman

 

 

Theatermania

Review: Kelli O’Hara and Rose Byrne Are a Great Slapstick Duo in Fallen Angels

https://www.theatermania.com/news/review-kelli-ohara-and-rose-byrne-are-a-great-slapstick-duo-in-fallen-angels_1833432/

"But Byrne and O’Hara are the main reasons to see this excellent revival. In O’Hara’s case, one could even call this production revelatory, given not only how unexpected it is to see her tap into her inner farceur but how stellar she turns out to be at it."

WSJ:

‘Fallen Angels’ Review: Rose Byrne and Kelli O’Hara in a Bubbly Broadway Revival

The two actresses make for a smashing comic duo in this production of the Noël Coward play about two women eager to rekindle a romance with the same French lothario.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/fallen-angels-review-rose-byrne-and-kelli-ohara-in-a-bubbly-broadway-revival-2321558a

"Yet even when their characters are at their cattiest, Ms. Byrne and Ms. O’Hara are clearly having a grand time depicting these genteel women dropping their grandeur under the influence of heightened emotion and high alcohol consumption. And they see to it that, even without the benefit of a flute or 12 of champagne, the audience has a grand time too."

 

The Wrap: Hofler is mostly negative

‘Fallen Angels’ Broadway Review: Rose Byrne and Kelli O’Hara Do Their Lucy & Ethel Best to Dust Off an Antique

Noel Coward would not recognize his 1925 flop about two married women who consider revisiting past affairs with the same lover

https://www.thewrap.com/creative-content/theater/fallen-angels-broadway-review-rose-byrne-kelli-ohara/

"Even at the very un-Coward-like length of 90 minutes, this production of “Fallen Angels” under the direction of Scott Ellis takes about half an hour to light any real comic fire in what was once the play’s first act. When it finally does ignite, Rose Byrne’s Jane and Kelli O’Hara’s Julia don’t delight by what they say. Instead, they have to get sh*t-faced drunk."

Variety

‘Fallen Angels’ Broadway Review: Rose Byrne and Kelli O’Hara Sparkle in Lackluster Noël Coward Revival

"the two stars, who at first seem to be playing in different registers with O’Hara launching her punchlines towards the balcony and Byrne aiming for the second row, harmonize to deliver a master class in physical comedy. It’s demented, hilarious fun to see Byrne kick off her heels and rappel down her chair or witness O’Hara dipping her after-dinner strawberries into her Cordial Medoc as though dunking shrimp into cocktail sauce. The two are so silly, so loopily in synch, that the scene, which occurs halfway through the second act, lifts the entire show, giving it a buoyancy that has been lacking during its exposition-heavy beginning."