The Verdict
Read the Reviews for Ngozi Anyanwu's The Monsters Off-Broadway
Okieriete Onaodowan and Aigner Mizzelle star in the Manhattan Theatre Club, Two River Theatre co-production.
February 12, 2026 By Logan Culwell-Block
The Off-Broadway premiere of Ngozi Anyanwu's The Monsters officially opened at New York City Center, and the reviews are in. See what critics had to say about the Manhattan Theatre Club, Two River Theatre co-production below.
The work follows two siblings—played by Aigner Mizzelle (Chicken & Biscuits) and Okieriete Onaodowan (Hamilton)—who reunite after years apart and wrestle with their pasts. Understudies Torée Alexandre and DeLeon Dallas round out the company. Casting is by The Telsey Office's Destiny Lilly and Caparelliotis Casting's Kelly Gillespie.
Read the reviews below.
1 Minute Critic (Jerry Portwood)
New York Theater (Jonathan Mandell)
New York Theatre Guide (Amelia Merrill)
The New York Times (Brittani Samuel)*
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Playbill will continue to update this list as reviews come in.
Playwright Anyanwu is also directing the production, which features choreography by Rickey Tripp, scenic design by Andrew Boyce, costume design by Mika Eubanks, lighting design by Cha See, original music and sound design by Mikaal Sulaiman, and fight direction by Gerry Rodriguez. Sljara Eubanks is the MMA consultant, and Alyssa K. Howard is production stage manager.
Visit ManhattanTheatreClub.com.
