The trend of small scale musicals keeps growing by the bounds on Broadway these days, and after the success of the small-yet-vast production known as “Maybe Happy Ending” and the not-as-successful-but-wildly-weird-and-engaging “Dead Outlaw,” they’re likely to keep popping up! Well, in a season of absolute boredom, a shining jewel’s finally been found, and it’s quite small but undeniably mighty. The name of this precious stone: “Two Strangers (Carry A Cake Across New York).”
It’s more than a musical about, well, what the title explicitly states; It’s a multitude of descriptors. A love letter to New York City, a battle of personalities on highly opposite ends of the spectrum, a journey full of unexpected surprises and personal growth, a slightly cliche but highly compelling romcom that actually avoids many of the typical tropes and traps, and, above all, a story of unexpected connection. We see so much drama and tragedy and political correctness onstage these days where the message has to be some kinda life lesson or anecdote, so it’s nice to see something that gives us a reprieve from overthinking and allows us to belly laugh and remember the simpler things in life that make us happy to be alive, even when those things may seem like nothing. But if you are looking for something to make this musical comedy feel deep (no judgment here), it’s a wonderful exploration of the human condition’s aspects of loneliness and belonging and the desire for quelling those feelings. There’s so much of myself that I could see onstage and because I went with my best friend who knows I struggle with these feelings and is my rock through and through, the impact the show had on me was even stronger than I anticipated.
It’s a heartfelt experience that you will get from watching this show, and I hope you see it with someone close to your heart because then you’ll know exactly what I mean.
Broadway newcomers Jim Barne and Kit Buchan are comedy experts, eloquent character architects, and highly skilled musical craftsmen that can perfectly walk the fine line between comedy, with its zingy one-liners and farcical actions, and drama, with its high emotions and heated intimacy, whether it be via dialogue or song. I hope this duo won’t be strangers to Broadway any time soon, because I’ve found their work here remarkably compelling and I’m eager to see what they pump out here in the States next! And with their work here being handled by Tim Jackson as director/choreographer, along with a few friends from his work on last year’s “Sunset Boulevard” and some newbies in my book on the team, it really soars off the page.
Jackson also knows how to walk the same line as the writers, and has proven himself to have quite an active imagination with some inventive staging and poignant pathos that all leads up to a final number that is a confectionary of heart, hope, and happiness.
My only qualm in the team was the sound mixing; it’s hard to hear some lines of songs at times, and I don’t know whether to chalk that up to it being in an old theater or an imbalance that wasn’t fully noticed. Hopefully that gets fixed over time.
But what doesn’t need fixing is the chemistry and performances of the two actors that dominate the entire playing space. The shared arc these two have conjured up and go on fits the romcom mold, but they’ve both found a way of making it their own without you knowing exactly what’s gonna happen come the end. And the fact that each plays a polar opposite personality of the other makes it even more engrossing and exciting to watch progress. They clearly understand one another as performers and what they need from the other to score a touchdown.
Sam Tutty has likely become Broadway’s newest heartthrob. That undying optimism, adorable naivety, bright smile, rocking vocals, and rugged red-haired looks are swoon worthy, but he also has this unwavering vulnerability that comes from a place of pure honesty which creates an added depth that we know is there in his character but is actually coming to light when he steps onstage in the role. Is my sixth sense saying Tony nod? Yeah, I believe so.
And then on the opposition we got Christiani Pitts. It’s such a joy watching her journey as much as Tutty’s. I think we can all relate to her character at the top as she goes through the everyday grind that hardens us all while likely wanting more than what we’ve been served. But when her routine’s shaken up and she goes on her journey, it brings us to the act of awakening the idea of softening our edges and keeping a more hopeful outlook for a brighter life. Her journey feels more of a spiritual one than Tutty’s (his feels more of a journey of identity and closure), but it serves her character in the best ways possible. Plus, when it comes to her songs, you can feel the wants and desires and emotions streaming out of her powerhouse of a voice.
I hope for you readers if you see this one, these two are there; the experience of watching them come together as these characters is like fireworks! There’s no predictably on what the rest of the year has in store for Broadway in this lackluster year, and I’m still having trouble seeing anything with the promise of golden originality like last season. “Two Strangers…” is the only exception to this season so far, and if that’s the case, I am perfectly content with that because no other musical right now wears its heart on its sleeve as much as this one. If given another chance at seeing it, I would be honored to laugh out loud unabashedly and be reminded to love the people and little things in life around me.
