The Monsters
Closing: March 22, 2026The Monsters - 2026 Off-Broadway History , Info & More
New York City Center
131 West 55th St. (between 6th and 7th Avenues) New York, NY 10019
For a long time, LIL has been obsessed with fighting, and one fighter in particular: her older brother BIG, an aging but successful figure in the local Mixed Martial Arts circuit. But she’s been doing it all from afar… until one day when she decides to show up on his doorstep. Written and directed by Ngozi Anyanwu (Good Grief, The Homecoming Queen, The Last of the Love Letters) this world premiere is a sibling love story about reunions, resentment, reconnection, and wrestling with demons.
The Monsters - 2026 - Off-Broadway Cast
FEATURED REVIEWS FOR The Monsters
The Monsters
9 / 10
The duo’s journeys include abandonment and substance abuse, but The Monsters is not a sob story—it’s a sib story, in which two people, misshapen in their youths, give each other a chance to remake themselves. For him, that means trying to open up and settle down; for her, it means finding confidence and putting herself out to be noticed. (“I aint a meat and potatoes fighter like you,” she brags of her style in the cage. “I’m a steak fritz bitch.”) Anyanwu charts this progress smartly, without pushing too hard, and the actors complement each other beautifully as Mizzelle’s scrappy charisma bounces against Onaodowan’s musclebound grace. They keep you gripped as you watch them fight for what freedom they can find in the cage and beyond.
Off-Broadway Review: THE MONSTERS (Manhattan Theatre Club at NY City Center)
9 / 10
The Monsters is a layered, emotionally muscular play powered by two formidable performances and technical flair that matches a script full of duels and drama alike. While some viewers may find a personal cultural connection in the big-brother/little-sister dynamic — with racial and generational trauma present without ever being spelled out — the play lands squarely on universal terrain: abandonment, abuse, and self-loathing.
Category
by Chloe Rabinowitz - February 12, 2026
Manhattan Theatre Club extends The Monsters Off-Broadway through March 22, adding an extra week. The play by Ngozi Anyanwu stars Aigner Mizzelle and Okieriete 'Oak' Onaodowan.
by A.A. Cristi - February 11, 2026
Read reviews for Manhattan Theatre Club's Off-Broadway premiere of The Monsters, written and directed by Ngozi Anyanwu. The Monsters is about two siblings, LIL and BIG, who reunite after a long time apart and must wrestle with their pasts.
by Chloe Rabinowitz - January 22, 2026
Manhattan Theatre Club's Off-Broadway premiere of The Monsters, written and directed by Ngozi Anyanwu, will begin performances. Get a first look at photos!
by Bruce Glikas - January 13, 2026
MTC will present the Off-Broadway premiere of The Monsters, written and directed by Ngozi Anyanwu, in a world premiere co-production with Two River Theater. See photos of the cast meeting the press here!
by Chloe Rabinowitz - August 26, 2025
Two River Theater has revealed ticket sale dates for the world premiere of The Monsters, a sibling love story, written and directed by Ngozi Anyanwu. Learn more!
The Monsters History
Other Productions of The Monsters
| 2026 | Off-Broadway |
Off-Broadway |
The Monsters - 2026 Off-Broadway Awards and Nominations
| Year | Ceremony | Category | Nominee |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Fight Choreography | Gerry Rodriguez |
| 2026 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Lead Performance in a Play | Aigner Mizzelle |
| 2026 | Drama League Awards | OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION OF A PLAY | The Monsters |
| 2026 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding Choreography | Rickey Tripp |
| 2026 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding Direction of a Play | Ngozi Anyanwu |
| 2026 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding Lead Performer in an Off-Broadway Play | Aigner Mizzelle |
| 2026 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding New Off-Broadway Play | The Monsters |
| 2026 | The Lortels | Outstanding Choreographer | Rickey Tripp |
| 2026 | The Lortels | Outstanding Lead Performer in a Play | Aigner Mizzelle |
| 2026 | The Lortels | Outstanding Lead Performer in a Play | Okieriete Onaodowan |
Videos
