Wisdom of Walt Whitman in I & You: The Musical

Sep 22, 2025 by Two Sues On the Aisle

By Two Sues on the Aisle, Susie Rosenbluth and Sue Weston

I & You: The Musical which will be at McCarter Theater from September 13 – October 12 spins the classic boy meets girl story, into a life affirming moment. Written by Lauren Gunderson, with a score by Ari Afsar, this one act, two-person, 90-minute production will take you on an unexpected journey with high school senior, Caroline, that will leave you spinning.

The show takes place in a colorful messy teenage girls room, walls are covered by pictures and posters, complete with a bunkbed filled with pillows, stuffed animals and a cluttered desk. This claustrophobically cramped space has been Caroline’s world ever since the disease left her homebound. She is tough-as-nails proud, silently fighting an illness that has been destroying her body, friendships and family. Then one afternoon, a boy, Anthony, a classmate, enters her room, uninvited. He is carrying cookies, a snack sent upstairs by her mother, a beat-up copy of Walt Whitman’s Leaves of Grass, and a posterboard. There is an English assignment due tomorrow, and he needs Caroline’s help.

I & You: The Musical, explores the evolving connection with Anthony (Benji Santiago – most recently on Broadway in the Notebook), who refuses to leave Caroline’s room, despite her repeated protests. Caroline (Jasmine Forsberg – best known for playing Jane Seymore in Six on tour and on Broadway), is an artist, who feels rejected by her friends, has been interacting with the world, virtually, and asks Anthony to ‘friend’ her on social. Anthony is a popular kid, who played basketball, and seems to live in the moment, having remembered at the very last minute about an English assignment. The two engage in a highly spirited conversations, initially about completing the assignment. Caroline refuses to be pitied, while Anthony insists that she will enjoy Whitman’s poetry, which she does.

There is more to I & You than two kids working on a posterboard, and a presentation for class. The plot twists and turns in an unexpected direction, an affirmation of the interconnections that make us human.

Simple, Impactful and Captivating

On the surface, it presents as a teenage romance, framed by the exploration of Walt Whitman’s poetry. The set, one room, in the lighted outline frame of a house, seems simple, but outward appearances mask the depth and complexity of issues resting just below the surface. I & You, shifts perspective as the two bond over the course of the evening, slowly sharing, revealing more about themselves, until the final reveal which left us speechless.

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Two Sues on the Aisle bases its ratings on how many challahs (1-5) it pays to buy (rather than make) to see the play, show, film, book, or exhibit being reviewed.

I & You: The Musical received 4 Challahs

Running Time: 90 minutes without intermission

At McCarter Theater until October 12