Prepare to grab your tissues.
TheatreLAB and Yes, And! Entertainment have teamed up to present “The Last Five Years,” a musical written by Jason Robert Brown that gives audiences an intimate look into the relationship of Cathy and Jamie–two artists who meet, marry, and end their relationship over the course of five years.
“Our production of ‘The Last Five Years’ explores the concepts of memory and perspective in relationships,” said director Chelsea Burke. “Two people falling in love – or out of love – will never completely see eye to eye on where the relationship is going or where things went wrong. In this show, the audience gets to be voyeurs; they witness Cathy and Jamie’s dueling perspectives on the moments that defined the course of their time together. For better or for worse it is never clear who (if anyone) was to blame.”
Local actor Christie Jackson plays Cathy, a young aspiring actress who can’t quite seem to catch a break. She plays alongside Alexander Sapp, who portrays Jamie, an author and star on the rise as his novels become a huge success. The two characters deal with issues of jealousy over their careers, negligence, infidelity and the simple phenomenon of falling out of love.
“I find ‘The Last Five Years’ to be a deeply relatable and challenging romantic puzzle that encourages us to examine our own loves (lasting or fleeting) with greater thoughtfulness,” Burke said. “The show is a reminder to reflect on past relationships in their entirety without oversimplifying their problems, glorifying their successes, or vilifying either partner.”
What is special about this musical–which is almost operatic, as there is little to no dialogue–is its format and narrative structure. We hear two different sides of the story, two different perspectives, with chronological and reverse-chronological storylines. Cathy tells her side starting from the crucial moments at the end of their marriage, while Jamie begins his story soon after they’ve had their first date. It is only at their wedding, in the middle of the show, that the two stories converge and the characters sing together.
Previews for The Last Five Years begin this Fri., Sept. 22 at 8 pm and the show will run until Oct. 14 at The Basement, 300 E. Broad St. Tickets are $15 and can be purchased HERE.
