The Last Five Years, Jason Robert Brown's somewhat autobiographical musical, has been described as a contemporary song-cycle musical. I prefer a more contemporary description: contra-linear musical drama. Cathy Hiatt (Erin Cronican), former wife of Jamie Wellerstein (Jerimiah Lorenz), begins her story starting today and regressing through break-up, marriage, falling in love, and the first meeting. Jamie, in full opposition, prefers to start at the beginning: first sight, first love, marriage, disillusionment and finally, divorce. Thus, each tells the same story from his own perspective, in opposing directions.
As in a traditional song-cycle musical, the story is told solely through music. Erin Cronican's open solo, "Still Hurting," establishes Cathy's feelings on a romance soured. Cronican presents a Cathy attempting to figure out exactly what went wrong in a relationship that began with so much love. Jeremiah Lorenz's opening solo (for the most part, the production is done in solos) speaks of Jamie's first meeting in "Shiksa Goddess." Love at first sight soon becomes the romance of the year.
Their travels through time meet on their wedding day when all is happiness. Cronican and Lorenz handle the sliding emotions of both their characters quite well. Lorenz is a bit more animated, which balances Cronican's lovely voice. G. Scott Lacy's deft musical direction is apparent throughout.
Ellenstein stages the action extremely well. This is enhanced by Marty Burnett's creative abstract set. The staging is further controlled by Karin Filijin's effective lighting. Robert May's sound design complements the production. Jennifer Hanson's costumes work well, defining the changes in time for both of the actors.
Brown's music and lyrics certainly reflect the emotions one goes through from first glance to eventual divorce. Further, he has an excellent understanding of the vast difference in the way the male and female look at the same situation. As such, The Last Five Years is an excellent production that spans emotions and reactions quite well.
