Editor’s Note: This article is a review and includes subjective thoughts, opinions and critiques.

I was so excited to be back in New York this summer, and to follow up my last review of five Broadway shows I saw, I thought I’d write a second edition reviewing five new productions from this trip! 

Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York) — 7.5/10 

This was the top of my list and the first show I saw — I love supporting original musicals, and the title put it on my wishlist before I even knew I’d be in New York this summer. The show follows Dougal (an optimistic Brit who arrives in the city for his estranged father’s wedding) and Robin (a cynical local barista and sister of the bride) as they navigate the city, their families and their unexpected bond while carrying the titular wedding cake across New York. 

The only other two-person show I’ve seen was “Maybe Happy Ending,” which is far more emotionally ambitious, but this one perfectly achieved a sweet, comedic tone, where the characters’ opposite dynamic is the heart of the show. I wish the sets, a pile of suitcases that become different parts of the city, shifted more, but “Two Strangers” did a lot within the limitations of its small-scale production. I feel especially lucky when I get to see shows doubling as love letters to their setting, and this one delivered that fun energy. 

Every Brilliant Thing — 4/10 

I was excited to catch this one-woman show — starring Tracee Ellis Ross as its unnamed protagonist — on closing night. The play details Ross’ character’s lifelong struggles with mental health through vignettes about a list of “every brilliant thing” that makes life worth living after her mother’s first suicide attempt. 

It fully involves the audience, assigning members to shout out various “brilliant things,” from ice cream to things with stripes, and including viewers in directed scenes. I loved the concept and was eager to see how the list’s symbolism would develop alongside the protagonist’s arc, but the show never lent Ross’ character meaningful development. The audience participation was charming in theory, but without much plot to anchor it, the moments felt disconnected and repetitive, more like standup interspersed with theater rather than vice versa. 

Overarching statements about destigmatizing mental health or dark moments being temporary were beautifully phrased, but landed without the emotional payoff to make them feel earned by the story itself. While I think mental health can be explored beautifully on stage — “Dear Evan Hansen” is one of my all-time favorites — I didn’t feel like the execution of “Every Brilliant Thing” lived up to its concept.

MJ — 7/10 

I usually don’t love pop music in musicals … but it’s Michael Jackson. After I saw the “Michael” biopic earlier this summer, I immediately added it to my list. I truly respect anyone who takes on that role, the toughest act to follow of all time. 

Some standout numbers were “They Don’t Really Care About Us” right before intermission, staged at a press conference with insane choreography from the surrounding dancers, and the two finales, “Thriller” and “Man in the Mirror,” ending with the character of Jackson jumping out of the stage as the real one had for the opening of his “Dangerous” tour. 

Probably because I’d just watched the movie, I wish there had been a bit more of his biography interspersed with the songs, but I enjoyed the high-energy performances and glowing sets all around. 

Oh, Mary — 5/10 

“Oh, Mary” is a dark comedy reimagining the life of First Lady Mary Todd in the weeks leading up to Abraham Lincoln’s assassination. Now the third “Hacks” actor I’ve seen on Broadway, Meg Stalter, who plays Kayla on the show, stars as Mary here and brought her signature humor to the stage. While I love Stalter, the writing felt repetitive at times, and the beginning was slow to get moving. In fairness, I’m not sure I was the target audience for the show’s particularly absurdist brand of humor, but I like to try to expand my theater horizons. 

 The last third of the play was a 10/10, and I wish some of its momentum had been spread more evenly throughout, but I’m still glad I got to see Stalter onstage. 

Just in Time — 8.5/10 

This was the last show I saw, and also my favorite. I’ve been wanting to see “Just in Time” since Jonathan Groff originated the starring role, and I’d also heard great things about his Broadway successor Jeremy Jordan — who did not disappoint. 

My knowledge of Bobby Darin’s life (and discography, honestly) was limited, but once the production got past the breaking-the-fourth-wall intro, I was thoroughly engaged for the rest of the performance. The only other show I’d seen at this circular, interactive theater was Kit Connor and Rachel Zegler in “Romeo + Juliet,” and this time, I loved how immersive this format was without feeling distracting. 

The other two leads — Olivia Holt as Connie Francis and Carrie St. Louis as Sandra Dee — were incredible, and I loved how Darin’s songs propelled the story of his life forward in an impactful way. If and when Jeremy Jordan makes yet another Broadway return, I’ll be just as excited to see it.