4 out of 5 stars

Yup, people are imperfect creatures. And there’s plenty of imperfection to go around in David Lindsay-Abaire’s “The Balusters,” a telling look at a neighborhood association’s board in all its bickering glory. The playwright is skewering the petty politics of such groups as well as the holes in our holier-than-thou liberal enclaves. Every character’s seemingly good intentions prove not-so-good – indeed, Lindsay-Abaire shows how the most “villainous” character, the board president (a perfectly cast Richard Thomas), may be no worse than the rest. Granted, some of the play’s big moments come off a bit contrived, but the Kenny Leon-directed production generally delivers. — Charles Passy

Presented by the Manhattan Theatre Club at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre, through June 7, 2026; manhattantheatreclub.com. Photo credit (bottom picture): Jeremy Daniel. (Review date: May 12, 2026)