Probably the hardest thing about writing any kind of fiction is maintaining integrity throughout the work — integrity of tone, a consistent world, and — on the stage — characters who become real people before our eyes even though we are in the extraordinarily artificial setting of the theater.
The four characters in Ben Cikanek's new comedy come alive for us, rooted in the script but thanks also to solid, sometimes superb, acting and Mike Klar's wise direction. Storywise, Cikanek isn't concerned with giving us anything particularly new — this is a modern romance about two men and two women who simply want love and happiness. However, his particular gifts for dialogue and character development give this talky play a consistent and compelling voice.
It's New Year's Eve, and Nathaniel, who is gay, suggests hooking up his friend Charlie, who is female, with his straight roommate, Carter, who is volatile, and, tonight, very drunk. (Got that?) Instead, Carter brings home Annie, whom he's just met. Cut to two years later: Annie's moved in with the boys, but Carter's working long hours and neglecting her. Meanwhile, Charlie's even more alone and uncertain about herself than before.
The story veers between borderline-campy comedy and focused drama, but the transitions are smooth, and it all (or nearly all) works because the characters rapidly become entertaining, clever, and "real" people we enjoy spending time with, despite — or rather because of — their flaws. It's a good thing, too, because in tiny Theater C at the 59E59 Theaters complex, we're truly up close and personal with the cast.
Carter has commitment problems. That's the standard male character flaw of our age of course, but the handsome, wiry actor, Kurt Rodeghiero, makes him a compelling, even sympathetic, bastard. 
Little touches, like his odd mispronunciation of his roommate's name, and his difficulty remembering Charlie's, help fill out his three dimensions.
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