Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York):
A love letter to the Big Apple
Written in May 2026
A view of the sole set of Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York) from the front row before the performance. (Photo: Elizabeth Armstrong)
I’ve had the pleasure of seeing a lot of theatre over the past few years. I’ve seen some that I strongly dislike, many I’ve felt neutral about or liked enough to not want my money back or wished I had spent my night elsewhere, and only a handful that I truly felt so inspired by that I walk out of the theatre in a daze, ready to take on whatever the world throws at me next. Two Strangers falls into that rare latter category.
I lined up for a single rush ticket on a rather cold late-May morning before my flight home Toronto that evening not expecting much. I had heard overall positive word of mouth from those in the theatre community and I had played many of the extremely addictive songs from the cast recording over and over again, still not quite sure what I was in store for.
Two Strangers, as the title may suggest, only comprises of two on-stage characters: Dougal, a naive Englishman with an intense love of New York triggered solely by his equally intense love of cinema, and Robin, a quintissential (perhaps slightly stereotypical) lonely New Yorker longing for happiness and connection. The two seemingly opposite personalities meet when a wedding and wedding cake brings them together and takes them on a journey that changes how they see the world and each other.
Many aspects of this musical are highly minimalistic. The sole set is a heap of silver suitcases that serve as a restaurant, airport, hotel room, subway car and more; there are not many costume changes or props; choreography is limited. However, Two Strangers is a musical where the characters and story must be at the forefront and flashy sets and elaborate dance numbers would detract from its intimate nature.
The music is memorable, charming and, unlike most new musicals lately, has the perfect mix of ballads and uptempos and the songs don’t all blend together. The jokes and comedy are very clever and does not in the slighest feel forced. I perhaps embarrassed myself a little at how loud and often I found myself laughing right in the front row.
What struck me most about Two Strangers was how powerful the performances were. I was expecting just a silly little musical comedy, something that would distract me from the intense week I’d had. Instead, I found myself in tears several times by how honest and raw the performances were. I saw maybe too much of myself in Christiani Pitts’ portrayal of Robin searching to find herself in the Big Apple, and the pure joy and excitement depicted by Sam Tutty’s Dougal reminded me of my early trips to the city and the intense love I still felt everytime I set foot in it again.
I think Two Strangers has sadly fallen just under the radar since its opening in the fall and I’m not quite sure why it doesn’t seem to be receiving the praise it deserves. I have only seen two of three Best Musical Tony contenders, but I sincerely hope Two Strangers gets a lot of praise on Tony night, especially considering it is the only nominee in its category that is not an adaptation of a film or TV show.
I encourage anyone who has ever considered New York City to be a part of their lives in some capacity to see this show and support original musicals.