Phoenix Best and Vincent Michael know exactly what it means to step into the spotlight when it matters most.
As the standbys for Robin and Dougal in Two Strangers Carry A Cake Across New York, the two powerhouse performers recently made their debuts as these characters on the Broadway stage. In a two-person musical built entirely on trust, timing, and connection, Phoenix and Vincent rose to the challenge with humor, emotional depth, precision, and an ease that made their performances feel anything but last-minute.
I was lucky enough to catch the show last Wednesday when both actors went on together for the first time and I left the theater genuinely uplifted. It was the kind of joyful, big-hearted experience that reminds you why live theater is so essential.
In our interview, Phoenix and Vincent opened up about preparing for an intensely intimate piece, building chemistry both onstage and off, and what it was like to go on with just 24 hours’ notice surrounded by friends, family, and a New York audience that instantly “got” the show. We also talked about the evolution of Two Strangers from its Boston run to Broadway, holiday movie traditions, working opposite principal cast members Sam Tutty and Christiani Pitts, and why this show is so special to be part of.
I had the best time seeing you two in Two Strangers Carry A Cake Across New York! I can’t remember the last time I went to a musical where I laughed and smiled the whole time. It’s exactly the type of show that the world needs right now. You were both fantastic—congratulations!
Vincent: Thank you! That seems to be the universal consensus, regardless of who’s on. Kudos to the team for bringing together such a beautiful group of creatives, cast, musicians, and everyone working behind the scenes. There’s a palpable energy and there’s so much love in the building that I hope transcends onto the stage. Plus, the show itself is brilliant, and it’s so special to feel all of that at once.
The energy is definitely palpable! For anyone who hasn’t seen the show yet, how do you describe Two Strangers Carry A Cake Across New York and what makes it such a special musical to be part of?
Phoenix: Kit Buchan, our writer, said it best: it’s a story about two ordinary people who have an extraordinary 48 hours in New York City. You see this beautiful journey of two people who would probably never meet otherwise, having the most connected, beautiful time together in the most magical city during the holidays.
Vincent: Kit and Jim Barne, our writers, transformed the rom-com formula into something really fresh. I’ve never seen a show told like this. It’s two and a half magical hours carried by just two people, and the response you shared you had to it – that’s where it all pays off.
Because it is a two-person musical, how intense was the preparation/rehearsal process as compared to, for instance, a larger ensemble production?
Vincent: It’s somewhat of daunting task! You have no room to hide vocally or energy-wise—it’s all on you at all times. So, preparation is about prepping the body and mind. Thankfully there aren’t any A Chorus Line-level dance numbers, so the body isn’t as broken as previous contracts I’ve been on. But you really have to take care of yourself because at any moment you could be launched out of a cannon.
Phoenix: It also takes a lot of trust in your scene partner and in yourself. We both only have one opportunity in Act One to get water, and in Act Two we each have a small break during the other’s solo numbers. Between costume changes, those tiny pauses, and preparing for the next scenes, you learn to rely on each other. It takes immense trust in what the four of us have been able to grow together ever since our Boston run. With only four people in a full company, you never know what you’re going to get. It is a testament to our creative team for finding four people who really do feel like family. Getting up there last week and going on opposite Vinnie felt so special. I trust him with everything that I have. To be there for his Broadway debut and to champion him the entire time just felt so wonderful. It’s been one of the greatest joys of my life to be able to do a two-person musical with the likes of Vinnie and with Sam.
You both made your debuts as Robin and Dougal on the Broadway stage in the past week. Congratulations! What was that experience like for both of you? And how did you each celebrate after?
Phoenix: It was surreal! On our debut days, we each had about 20 people come to support us independently—and then mutuals on the day we went on together.
Vincent: It was crazy! I had just enough notice to let people know. I had family, high school friends I hadn’t seen in 15 years, and college friends all come. I don’t even know I’ve still fully processed how magical and special that moment was. And doing my debut opposite Phoenix, the person I’m most comfortable performing with, is not something everyone gets to do. It was with the best people in front of my favorite people in the world in a really good show. I’m eternally grateful that this is how it happened. It could not have ticked any more boxes.
Phoenix: I had about the same notice, just over 24 hours. I also want to thank our social media and press teams because they truly did a great job blasting the word out. The stage door the night that Vinny and I went on together was insane! Having that much support, both from the show and from the audiences, made it incredibly special—especially for people who traveled to see us. It was more than either of us could have ever imagined.
This show relies so heavily on chemistry and timing. How do you two build that sense of connection?
Vincent: In Boston, Phoenix was doing another show, so the first two weeks it was just Sam, Christiani, and I. Meanwhile, Phoenix Zoomed in between shows on her small breaks. I saw her perseverance and drive and knew immediately we’d get along. Her fervor was infectious. And then on day one that she showed up, within ten minutes, we were hitting it off and I immediately felt very safe and comfortable with her. She just jumped right in and we connected so fast.
Phoenix: We spent a lot of time running things just the two of us in a rehearsal studio across from our dressing rooms, so we built the show together independently. By our first technical understudy rehearsal, we were already doing a full run of the show. We were already so locked in. And once the show was open, the two of us would play games like Wavelength and Heads Up backstage to sync up our energy and rhythm.
Vincent: In Wavelength, we even started giving each other looks instead of verbal clues. That ended up translating into our stage chemistry. Those off-stage moments built the family that informs the on-stage connection. We learned how to communicate just by giving each other looks, which we then continued to do in character.
Phoenix: Acting is reacting!
Vincent: Right! The off-stage time the four of us spent together really built the chemistry between Phoenix and I, and also between Christiani and Sam. It turned us all into this big, idiot family that’s been on this wild journey for the last six months.
Speaking of the Boston run, how do you feel that both the show and your understandings/interpretations of your characters have evolved between then and the current Broadway iteration?
Phoenix: Robin has probably changed the most. Her character has really grown and her backstory has deepened. There was already a beautiful baseline for Dougal with Sam, and Christiani gave great ground for us to work off. I was such a fan of hers before doing the Boston run and when I messaged her to tell her I’d be her standby, we immediately felt like sisters. We locked in and she was like “we are building this character together.” So there are Christiani-isms and Phoenix-isms in the character of Robin, which has been so beautiful. That also has helped deepen the relationship between Robin and Dougal. The casting and chemistry made the show hit every mark. Coming from Boston with a foundation allowed us to pad out the show and build quickly once arriving in New York.
Vincent: I couldn’t agree more. Sam had been doing the show so long already but he approached Boston as a place to relearn the show, and I’ve learned so much from him. Seeing him find Christiani’s Robin and the nuances in their storytelling, and then the four of us all linking up, the four of us were able to build on a blueprint that’s only gotten richer.
When you’re watching the show from the sidelines, what are you paying the closest attention to in case you’re tapped to go on? And how do you stay performance-ready when you might not even know until the last minute whether you’re going on?
Phoenix: The show breathes and evolves, little nuances get added all the time. I look for tiny changes: intonation, timing, when an actor shifts a phrase. Even something the audience wouldn’t pick up can change how you deliver a line.
Vincent: There’s a particular pace and moments of patience where tension needs space. On the night I went on, the energy was level 10; if I’d played into that by being clownish, it would have ruined the balance. It’s about listening, staying grounded, and trusting your partner and the audience.
The show is so deeply tied to New York City. How does performing this story on a Broadway stage deepen its meaning for you? Do either of you have a personal New York moment or memory that connects to the themes of the show (chance encounters, travel, unexpected connections, etc.)?
Phoenix: New York audiences laugh at things that got smaller reactions in Boston. There’s an added layer of understanding. The stakes feel higher because people “get” the references—even down to Dougal getting places wrong like asking if Queens is Times Square.
Vincent: For me, I tap into the first-time New York wonder—seeing a Broadway show or Times Square for the first time—which I experienced as a visitor from D.C. That sense of awe is what Dougal channels. Once you live in New York you can become numb to the wonder, but tapping into that first-time feeling of tourist excitement and being overwhelmed helps you be a conduit for that joy onstage.
Dougal’s frame of reference for New York comes from classic Christmas films like Home Alone 2 and Die Hard. What are some holiday movies that are annual must-watches in your homes?
Phoenix: The Jim Carrey version of The Grinch is massive in my home.
Vincent: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone! That boat ride scene always hits. And I also really love The Holiday. I love a Hans Zimmer score at any point in time. The fact that he did a Christmas rom-com is a crazy pull for me.
Phoenix: I LOVE The Holiday!
Vincent: I also have nostalgic rituals. Lord of the Rings came out around December when I was a kid, so it’s become an integral part of the season for my family. It sparks a lot of joy.
Phoenix, Robin brings a very specific emotional openness to the story. What excites you most about stepping into Robin’s journey? And how do you keep a straight face when Vinny is hamming around?
Phoenix: After doing the show with Vinnie so long, I’ve learned when to break and when to hold. It’s better for the moment if I stay still and let the scene land.
Robin’s openness and emotional journey resonate with me. I’m also a Sagittarius/Capricorn cusp, so I feel a lot of what Robin feels. I have grown up being a sensitive gangster and tend to keep my emotions close to the chest. But I read Shonda Rhimes’ book last year and am now in my year of “yes.” I’m embracing vulnerability, trying to be more open, and so this show has come at such a pivotal time. Robin taught me it’s ok to let down my walls and lean on the people around me. That has been a real gift. Being able to learn from Robin’s mistakes and wins has resulted in the best year of my life.
Vincent, Dougal has such a distinct sense of humor and heart. What do you love most about embodying his energy? And how much training went into perfecting your English accent? I was shocked to learn that you’re not actually British!
Vincent: Thank you! What’s wild is that I’ve done UK accents in a few shows the past couple of years—Northern Irish, posh English, Welsh—so the accent here is another project in that line. It’s always something I constantly finesse; I want to honor the creative team and the British sensibility.
Dougal’s unrelenting optimism is his superpower, though it comes at a cost emotionally. There’s so much nuance to explore. It’s funny because Sam and I are kind of the Robin personalities, while Christiani and Phoenix are the Dougal personalities in our real lives. I think that’s why the show works because it’s about the recognition of the other perspective. So many people I know in casting have said that they like to cast the most empathetic people in villainous roles because they understand the other side of things. With Dougal and Robin, I will always give Kit and Jim their flowers because they’ve written two very real characters. Dougal is such a joy to play because he has so many nuances and layers. You can write a whole other play based on the backstories of both characters’ lives, which is what makes them so fun to play. There’s so much to work with.
One of the show’s biggest fans has been Wicked and Bridgerton actor Jonathan Bailey. What has it been like to have the support of People’s sexiest man alive?
Phoenix: It has been truly amazing! Even at opening night, he was so joyful with smiles from ear to ear. He’s been close friends with Kit since childhood and so seeing his friend do Broadway is something he seems to be really proud of. He’s been so supportive of all of us and the show and the work we’re doing.
Vincent: I love when you can tell when a theater dork gets famous. There’s this sense of we’ll all come back and support each other no matter what. Like when Phoenix becomes a global superstar and starts booking huge movies, we’ll all be her biggest cheerleaders. Theater people are great at celebrating each other’s success. So to see this theater kid grow up to become People’s sexiest man alive and still joyously celebrate his childhood friend is so special and gratifying.
Finally, if Two Strangers Carry A Cake Across New York had a sequel, where do you think these characters would end up next?
Phoenix: I think it would have to be in the UK! Maybe Robin shows up in London, wanders into the pub Dougal mentioned, and they bump into each other again. Then they take a UK adventure, traveling the world, and reconnecting.
Vincent: I think the sequel is all about Dougal’s mom, Big Polly. Or maybe a prequel about Polly’s backstory. It’d be about how she pulled herself up by her bootstraps to create a successful gardening business and then the last scene is her finding out she’s pregnant with a boy.
Phoenix: We love a prequel and a sequel!
I would be immediately seated for both of those! Thank you so much, Phoenix and Vincent. It was such a pleasure to chat with you and congratulations again on such a fantastic show. Is there anything else that either of you want to add?
Phoenix: Just come get your tickets to Two Strangers Carry a Cake Across New York!
Vincent: I agree! Broadway seasons can ebb and flow, and I know that coming to a Broadway show isn’t always easy for people. But we have something really special happening at the Longacre. No matter where you’re from, no matter who you are, there’s something in this show for you. It will hit a heartstring at some point during the two-and-a-half-hour journey. That is just the coolest thing to know that we get to go to work and serve that purpose.
Phoenix: And also thank you to everyone who’s supported us already. We really feel it and we are so blessed and thankful. Whether online or in person, that support means more than people maybe realize it does. When you’re putting on a new musical, you never know how it will be received. You put everything you have into it—so for people to be giving us that energy back really does mean so much.
CLICK HERE to purchase tickets to Two Strangers Carry A Cake Across New York, now playing at the Longacre Theatre in New York, NY.
Press Event Photo Credit: Rebecca Michaelson