Fires in the Mirror was Smith's major breakthrough. The play was a runner-up for the Pulitzer Prize, and the critical reaction to it was overwhelmingly positive. Robert Brustein, for example, writes in his New Republic article "Awards vs. Achievements" that Smith's play is one of "the most interesting works being produced in New York." Brustein describes the play's commentary about race and stresses that it vividly expresses emotions such as grief and rage "with an eloquent, dispassionate voice."

Reviews of the play tend to focus on the accuracy and efficacy of its political commentary, and it has become known as a superb historical document about race relations in the United States. Richard Schechner, however, was among those who discussed Smith's stylistic prowess as a writer and performer. In an article in TDR: The Drama Review, Schechner praises Smith's acting skills, writing that "Smith composed Fires in...