David Lindsay-Abaire's Broadway Play 'The Balusters' Tackles Community Conflict

David Lindsay-Abaire's play 'The Balusters' premiered at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre, exploring tensions within a fictional neighborhood association board. The Pulitzer Prize- and Tony Award-winning playwright began writing the work nine years ago, inspired by his own community in Brooklyn's Prospect Park South. Director Kenny Leon helmed the production, sharing Lindsay-Abaire's comedic sensibility forged during his South Boston childhood. A ten-actor ensemble includes Marylouise Burke, Richard Thomas, Carl Clemons-Hopkins, and Kayli Carter, with Margaret Colin playing treasurer Ruth and Anika Noni Rose as newcomer Kyra. The play addresses race, privilege, generational wealth, and identity politics through board conflicts over speed humps, racial profiling, and period-inappropriate balusters. Lindsay-Abaire consulted writers of color during revisions to ensure authentic representation of diverse characters. Audience response has been enthusiastic, including the real-life board members who inspired the production.