The Last Five Years

For the film based on the musical, see The Last Five Years (film)
The Last Five Years

2002 Album Cover
Music Jason Robert Brown
Lyrics Jason Robert Brown
Book Jason Robert Brown
Productions 2001 Chicago
2002 Off-Broadway
2005 Germany
2006 London
2007 Edinburgh Fringe
2010 Sweden
2012 Denmark
2013 Off-Broadway revival
2014 Norway
2015 Finland
2015 Film
2015 Ireland
2016 Madrid

The Last Five Years is a musical written by Jason Robert Brown. It premiered at Chicago's Northlight Theatre in 2001 and was then produced Off-Broadway in March 2002. Since then it has had numerous productions both in the United States and internationally.

The story explores a five-year relationship between Jamie Wellerstein, a rising novelist, and Cathy Hiatt,[1] a struggling actress. The show uses a form of storytelling in which Cathy's story is told in reverse chronological order (beginning the show at the end of the marriage), and Jamie's is told in chronological order (starting just after the couple have first met). The characters do not directly interact except for a wedding song in the middle as their timelines intersect.

The Last Five Years was inspired by Brown's failed marriage to Theresa O'Neill. O'Neill threatened legal action on the grounds the story of the musical represented her relationship with Brown too closely, and Brown changed the song "I Could Be in Love With Someone Like You" to "Shiksa Goddess" in order to reduce the similarity between the character Cathy and O'Neill.[2]

The Last Five Years cast album was released by Sh-K-Boom Records in April 2002.[3] A film adaptation starring Anna Kendrick and Jeremy Jordan was released in February 2015.[4]

Synopsis

Cathy is sitting alone lamenting the end of her marriage ("Still Hurting"). We shift to meet Jamie. It is five years earlier and he has just met Cathy. Jamie is overjoyed to be dating outside his Jewish heritage ("Shiksa Goddess").

Cathy and Jamie are in Ohio. It is her birthday and he has come to visit her as she works in a show there ("See I'm Smiling"). She is anxious to fix any problems in their marriage but she becomes angry when Jamie tells her he has to go back early to New York. During breaks in the music, we see a younger Jamie, talking to a literary agent about his book.

Jamie is moving in with Cathy. He comments on how lucky he is that everything is going right for him; his book is being published and his life with Cathy seems too good to be true ("Moving Too Fast"). Elsewhere an older Cathy is making a call to her agent: it seems her career isn't going the way she planned it.

Cathy is attending Jamie's book party. She sings about how he ignores her for his writing but she will always be in love with him ("I'm a Part of That").

Jamie and Cathy celebrate their first Christmas. He tells her a new story he has written about an old tailor named Schmuel and he gives her a Christmas present: a watch, promising to support her as she follows her dreams of acting. ("The Schmuel Song").
"The Next Ten Minutes"
The duet between Jamie and Cathy in "The Next Ten Minutes", as performed by Sherie Rene Scott and Norbert Leo Butz on the 2002 Off-Broadway cast recording.
Problems playing this file? See media help.

Cathy is in Ohio and writing to Jamie. She describes to Jamie her disappointing life in Ohio among her eccentric colleagues ("A Summer in Ohio").

Jamie is sitting with Cathy in Central Park. Jamie proposes to her and, for the first time in the musical, they sing together ("The Next Ten Minutes"). They get married, exchanging vows to stay together forever.

Jamie is facing temptation from other women, especially now his career as a writer has escalated ("A Miracle Would Happen"). Cathy, meanwhile, is auditioning for the job in Ohio ("When You Come Home to Me"). She is getting down about the rejection she faces as an actress and complains to her father ("Climbing Uphill").

Jamie speaks to Cathy on the phone, trying to convince her that there is nothing going on with him and his editor, Elise. He wants to celebrate a book review but Cathy refuses to go out.

Jamie is fighting with Cathy, trying to get her to listen to him. He accuses her of being unsupportive of his career just because hers is failing. Though his words are harsh, he promises her that he believes in her ("If I Didn't Believe in You").

A younger Cathy is in the car with Jamie, who is going to meet her parents. She tells him about her past relationships and hopes not to end up in a small town life like her friend from high school ("I Can Do Better Than That"). She asks Jamie to move in with her.

Near the end of the relationship Jamie wakes up beside another woman ("Nobody Needs to Know"). He tries to defend his actions and blames Cathy for destroying his privacy and their relationship. Jamie promises not to lie to this woman and tells her that "I could be in love with someone like you," just as he does to Cathy in "Shiksa Goddess."

Cathy is ecstatic after her first date with Jamie. She sings goodbye ("Goodbye Until Tomorrow"). She proclaims that she has been waiting for Jamie her whole life. Simultaneously but five years forward, Jamie sits in their shared apartment writing laments over the relationship ("I Could Never Rescue You"). As Cathy waves Jamie "goodbye until tomorrow", Jamie wishes Cathy simply "goodbye".

Music

The musical style draws on a number of musical genres, including pop, jazz, and classical, klezmer, Latin, Rock, and Folk. The orchestration consists of piano, guitar, fretless bass, two cellos, one doubling on celesta and tubular bell, and violin, doubling cymbal.

Source: MTI Shows song list

Original casts

Character Chicago (2001) Off-Broadway (2002) Off-Broadway (2013) Film Adaptation (2015) West End (2016)
Jamie Norbert Leo Butz Adam Kantor Jeremy Jordan Jonathan Bailey
Cathy Lauren Kennedy Sherie Rene Scott Betsy Wolfe Anna Kendrick Samantha Barks

Production history

Original Chicago production

The show debuted at Northlight Theatre in Skokie, Illinois in 2001, running from May–July 1. The production starred Lauren Kennedy as Cathy and Norbert Leo Butz as Jamie.[5] Kennedy had a previous commitment (a role in South Pacific in London) and was replaced by Sherie Rene Scott.[6] Scott, therefore, performed the vocals on the cast recording.

Off-Broadway

The show opened Off-Broadway at the Minetta Lane Theatre on March 3, 2002 and closed May 5, 2002. Directed by Daisy Prince, Butz and Scott again starred.[7] The production won the 2002 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Music and Lyrics, as well as receiving Drama Desk nominations for Outstanding Musical, Outstanding Actor, Outstanding Actress, Outstanding Orchestrations, and Outstanding Set Design.[8] It also received the Lucille Lortel Award nomination for Outstanding Musical and Outstanding Actor, and the Outer Critics Circle Award nomination for Outstanding Off-Broadway Musical.

Off-Broadway revival

The show was revived in 2013 Off-Broadway at the Second Stage Theatre for a limited engagement with Adam Kantor and Betsy Wolfe in the roles of Jamie and Cathy, respectively. Brown himself directed.[9] In March 2015, Kantor and Wolfe reprised their roles in a two-night-only concert production of the show at the American Conservatory Theatre in San Francisco.[10]

Irish Premiere

The show was given its Irish Premiere at The Lyric Theatre, Belfast in 2015, running for a limited engagement. It starred Fra Fee as Jamie and Amy Lennox as Cathy. The production was directed by Stephen Whitson.[11]

In Concert

On September 12, 2016, Jason Robert Brown, along with SubCulture, had a one night benefit for the Brady Center to prevent gun violence. The Town Hall at 123 W 43rd St hosted this event. Cynthia Erivo played Cathy and Joshua Henry played Jamie. Jason Robert Brown directed the orchestra.

West End

On October 23, 2016, Samantha Barks and Jonathan Bailey took on the roles of Cathy and Jamie on the West end for the first time.

Film adaptation

An adaptation starring Anna Kendrick and Jeremy Jordan was directed by PS, I Love You director Richard LaGravenese.[12] The film was premiered at the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival.

References

  1. ↑ Brown, Jason Robert (22 May 2012). "The Schmuel Song". Jason Robert Brown. Retrieved 4 July 2014.
  2. ↑ Vogel, Scott." Young Composer's Wonder 'Years'" Washington Post, June 17, 2005
  3. ↑ "The Last Five Years Original Off-Broadway Cast". Cast Albums. Retrieved 2007-10-16.
  4. ↑ Harp, Justin. "Anna Kendrick, Jeremy Jordan for 'Last Five Years' musical adaptation". Retrieved 2013-03-04.
  5. ↑ Jones, Kenneth.Marriage Dissected: Brown's Musical, Last Five Years, Opening May 23 in IL" Playbill.com, May 23, 2001
  6. ↑ "Talkin' Broadway - Sound Advice: 4/16/03". Talkinbroadway.com. Retrieved 2015-04-05.
  7. ↑ Brantley, Ben.Novelist and an Actress Sharing a Leaky Boat" The New York Times, March 4, 2002
  8. ↑ Jones, Kenneth; Simonson, Robert."Drama Desk Awards Announced; Goat, Metamorphoses Tie for Best Play, Millie Scores" Playbill.com, May 20, 2002
  9. ↑ Hetrick, Adam (May 30, 2012). "Jason Robert Brown's The Last Five Years Will Get Off-Broadway Revival at Second Stage". Playbill.com. Retrieved September 29, 2012.
  10. ↑ k. "Betsy Wolfe and Adam Kantor Reprise Roles in THE LAST FIVE YEARS, Beginning Tonight at A.C.T". Broadwayworld.com. Retrieved 2015-04-05.
  11. ↑ "The Last Five Years – Lyric Theatre, Belfast". Musical Theatre Review. 1 July 2015.
  12. ↑ Gioia, Michael. "Jeremy Jordan and Anna Kendrick Will Explore The Last Five Years On Screen in Richard LaGravenese Adaptation". Retrieved 2013-03-08.
Wikiquote has quotations related to: The Last Five Years
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 11/24/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.