8 / 10
Three powerful performances under the direction of David Cromer (Dead Outlaw) make up for the script's shortcomings. Stylish and steely, Landecker recalls the detached mom in Ordinary People. Lipe-Smith’s work feels natural, never forced. Moretz shines from start to finish as she summons a deep well of anxiety and hurt.
8 / 10
The play’s attention to honesty may be why it is particularly vulnerable to any elements that ring false, like a couple of Caroline lines that seem less rooted in her thinking than in the playwright’s desire for a laugh. More harmful is a late-arriving plot twist so severe that it’s as if Allen has wrested the wheel from his characters.
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 |
