This Was The Last Show We Saw Before The TONYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Now We Have Seen All The Nominated Musicals!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                    "Two Strangers (Carry A Cake Across New York)" did for me what "Maybe Happy Ending" did for David.  I loved it because I found it warm and compelling, with an unexpectedly melodic score.

                                       That score is sung superbly by Christiani Pitts and Sam Tutty.  Mr. Tutty is especially compelling with his voice, his warmth, and something unexpected that is starting to emerge as a trend.

                                           The emergence is of male pulchritude on Broadway.  In just a year we have seen Jonathan Groff and Aaron Tveit in their underwear, much to audience delight, and now Mr. Tutt can be added to that list.  He is a fine young man, and the gay community, who should be going to the theater this week, will just love him.  But he is not just another pretty face and body.  As Dougal, who has come to New York to see a father he has never known, at a family wedding he necessarily was not invited to, his showstopping opening number "New York" is sure to be added to the canon of great songs about the city.  And he delivers it in a showstopping style.  What a great start!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                           Christiani Pitts (no relation to Zasu!!!!!!!!) may not be as compelling but her two solo second act numbers, "He Doesn't Exist," and "About To Go In," display a talent and strength sure to win over Broadway audiences.  I was simply enchanted by the whole thing in a way I have not been in a while.  I could be shot for saying this, but the show is far superior to "Maybe Happy Ending."

                                                 Credit must go to Jim Barne and Kit Buchan, who created the whole thing. to Tim Jackson's direction and choreography, and to set designer Sourta Gilmour, who also did the costumes.  The latter are perfectly designed in accordance with the characters, and the set, which starts out as a pile of luggage in an airport, morphs throughout into the city itself as Robin and Dougal discover things about the city and themselves.

                                                     Yet, for all the charm, there is a poignancy here.  Both Dougal and Robin are loners who apparently are not wanted by their families.  How many of these types do we New Yorkers know, darlings?  I kept wondering how this show would end, and, while it is sudden, it ends on a note of hope.   A self-examining musical, as well as a charming one.

                                                         Repeating a point, I made earlier, "Two Strangers (Carry A Cake Across New York)" really gets it right about life in this city.  It can also be added to the canon list of great shows about New York City.  It is better than "Hell's Kitchen."

                                                            It is a TONY nominee, and it could be a dark horse.

                                                           Let's see how it does on Sunday.

                                                           But see it, girls!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!