Hitching a ride on the American

On the American Express.

Pink House Suite, please.

[cheering] This is the place.

This is the preschool where we used to go.

These are the streets.

These are the dollar vans and delis that I used to know.

And this still counts as real New York?

This is Christiani Pitts performing This Is The Place, from the Broadway musical Two Strangers Carry a Cake Across New York.

York.This is the place.

This is the preschool where we used to go.

These are the streets.

These are the dollar vans and delis that I used to know.

This is the church where everyone knew me by name.

This is the place where nothing changes and where nothing is ever the same.

And this still counts as real New York?

Yeah.

Well, I think that's such a great question, because that was, like, the, I think one of the challenges of the show and one of the challenges of, of the, the script.

And I'm s- I don't mean challenge in a negative way, but I think one thing about the, the Robin's perspective is a lot of her stuff that's making her so muted and gray in comparison to Dougal doesn't happen on stage.

Um, and so there's a real level of, like, craftsmanship and detail that has to happen so that she's just not perceived as, like, angry opposite this, this lively person.

So I know for me, it was always, just like Sam said, really listening, um, and trying to stay present, because it's easy to fall into all of her given circumstance that happens that the audience doesn't see.

So you just...

So for me, the, it was really just listening and staying as present as possible so that you don't get trapped in all the things that Robin experienced that the audience doesn't see, because then it's like, is she okay? Like, why is she so unaffected by this [laughs], you know, larger than life, um, energy sometimes? And I think the, the beauty of that is that it, it allows both of us to, like, have bigger arcs, um, because of the, the checking in with each other.

Uh, but what has it meant to you to bring this specific piece of storytelling to New York audiences?

Did you write down lines for Melissa for yourself? And like, you had to make

two characters.

Yes, yes, we did that.

We did that.

This actually came from our director.

It was a brilliant idea.

So he went in the script.

Is there a moment that every time you are in it or get right through it, you just feel like that's the work I came to do?

... it's, what they should be prepared for?

I think people leave surprised about just how hard they laughed and like j- the release that they had.

And people, uh, the show's described as like a rom-com, which I think is sweet to get people there, but it's a little misleading 'cause there's, it's like so much more than that.

Um, it explores like deeper levels of people's humanity, of these, of these, of the choices that these people are making, and it's really funny.

And I think people leave the show feeling like, "I did not know I was gonna laugh that hard.

I thought I was gonna have the like, aw, like cutesy, romantic experience."

... what is, what is the, the premise of it, to explain?

It is a show about these two unlikely characters, [laughs] uh, unlikely to get along, right? These two strangers who have to be around each other for about 36 hours.

Mm-hmm.

It just, like, little things like that was like, I, it just, it blew my mind.

So yeah.

So like, like all this to say, it kinda, like, saved my life in a way because I was, I was nervous that I wasn't gonna get back to, to music theater in the way I wanted to because of being a mom.

Um, my last show at King Kong, it was just, it was so scary.

It was, I had a lot of PTSD.

I just had all this stuff going on, and then this little, this little show came up, and I wanted it so badly to the point that at my, at my final callback, which was also a chemistry read with Sam, which couldn't have gone better, I remember leaving thinking, "Damn it.

Mm-hmm.

I imagine that's very fun to do something that's so not straightforward and like what everybody has seen before.

It is so much fun.

But also I think in transparency, it's one of the most like vulnerable characters I've ever played.

And I'm so thankful for our director because I've had many conversations with Tim about like, yes, the character.

But then me as a human, like this is how this is affecting me.

This is how this is affecting my my my ego.

This is how this is affecting my spirit, because it's it is exactly what you said is very complicated.

What did you tell Sam about what it's like making your Broadway debut? And did he heed any of the advice? Did you give any helpful advice?

This is Christiani Pitts performing This Is the Place, from the Broadway musical, Two Strangers Carry a Cake Across New York.

[gentle music] This is the place.

This is the preschool where we used to go.

These are the streets, these are the dollar vans and delis that I used to know.

This is the church where everyone knew me by name.

This is the place where nothing changes, and where nothing is ever the same.

You wanna take a detour?

This is Sam Tutty and Christiani Pitts with a live performance of If I Believe from Two Strangers Carry a Cake Across New York.

Like, did you want to see the other actress play the part?

Did you want to keep your distance? I mean, that's such a good question.

I think...

From what I heard, I didn't see much, but listening to the album, I was just obsessed.

And one thing that is so beautiful is I knew that we were very different, which is wonderful because then you know that you don't feel the pressure of recreating.

You just feel the pressure of expanding and building upon what someone beautifully constructed.

So that was my thing.

amazing.