10 / 10
Which brings this review to River Lipe-Smith. If I’ve ever seen a more accomplished performance from a child actor on stage, I can’t think of it. Over and over again, this young actor delivers a zinger with the comic timing of a veteran stand-up comic. It’s one of the great things about Allen’s writing and Cromer’s direction: They know how to win an audience’s sympathy not through tears but laughter.
9 / 10
That’s why it’s refreshing to come across a play like Preston Max Allen’s Caroline, the assured, affecting three-hander now getting its premiere at MCC under the emblematically thoughtful and ungilded direction of David Cromer. Allen is writing about something that’s in our newsfeeds daily, but crucially, that thing doesn’t flatten or predetermine his people. What he’s actually interested in are relationships, the interconnectedness of messy human beings. His characters are grappling with the consequences of broken trust and the agonizing question of how much we can truly protect anyone we love. The political resonance of his project arises not from an explicit statement of values but from a tender demonstration of complex, undeniable humanity.
Explore the world premiere of Caroline at MCC Theater, featuring Chloë Grace Moretz. Discover critics' insights on this emotional family drama.
Production photos have been released for Caroline, now running at MCC Theater’s Susan & Ronald Frankel Theater. Directed by Tony Award-winner David Cromer, the intimate new play explores fractured family ties and the possibility of redemption across three generations of mothers and daughters.
The World Premiere of Caroline has been extended for a second and final time at MCC Theater. Learn more about the production and see how to purchase tickets here.
MCC Theater's World Premiere of Caroline by Preston Max Allen and directed by Tony Award-winner David Cromer just celebrated it opening night at MCC Theater’s Susan & Ronald Frankel Theater. Check out photos from the big night here!
MCC Theater's World Premiere of Caroline by Preston Max Allen and directed by Tony Award-winner David Cromer will run for two additional weeks. Learn more and see how to purchase tickets.
MCC Theater will present the World Premiere of Caroline, by Preston Max Allen and directed by Tony Award-winner David Cromer. Learn more and see how to purchase tickets.
| Year | Ceremony | Category | Nominee |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Direction of a Play | David Cromer |
| 2026 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Featured Performance in a Play | River Lipe-Smith |
| 2026 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Play | Caroline |
| 2026 | Drama League Awards | OUTSTANDING DIRECTION OF A PLAY | David Cromer |
| 2026 | Drama League Awards | OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION OF A PLAY | Caroline |
| 2026 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | John Gassner Award (for a new American play preferably by a new playwright) | Preston Max Allen |
| 2026 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding Featured Performer in an Off-Broadway Play | River Lipe-Smith |
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