The Last Five Years

For the lm based on the musical, see The Last is making a call to her agent: it seems her career isn't
Five Years (lm) going the way she planned it.
Cathy is attending Jamies book party. She sings about
The Last Five Years is a musical written by Jason Robert how he ignores her for his writing but she will always be
Brown. It premiered at Chicagos Northlight Theatre in in love with him (I'm a Part of That).
2001 and was then produced O-Broadway in March Jamie and Cathy celebrate their rst Christmas. He tells
2002. Since then it has had numerous productions both her a new story he has written about an old tailor named
in the United States and internationally. Schmuel and he gives her a Christmas present: a watch,
The story explores a ve-year relationship between Jamie promising to support her as she follows her dreams of act-
Wellerstein, a rising novelist, and Cathy Hiatt,[1] a strug- ing. (The Schmuel Song).
gling actress. The show uses a form of storytelling in Cathy is in Ohio and writing to Jamie. She describes to
which Cathys story is told in reverse chronological or- Jamie her disappointing life in Ohio among her eccentric
der (beginning the show at the end of the marriage), and colleagues (A Summer in Ohio).
Jamies is told in chronological order (starting just after
the couple have rst met). The characters do not directly Jamie is sitting with Cathy in Central Park. Jamie pro-
interact except for a wedding song in the middle as their poses to her and, for the rst time in the musical, they
timelines intersect. sing together (The Next Ten Minutes). They get mar-
ried, exchanging vows to stay together forever.
The Last Five Years was inspired by Browns failed mar-
riage to Theresa O'Neill. O'Neill threatened legal action Jamie is facing temptation from other women, especially
on the grounds the story of the musical represented her now his career as a writer has escalated (A Miracle
relationship with Brown too closely, and Brown changed Would Happen). Cathy, meanwhile, is auditioning for
the song I Could Be in Love With Someone Like You a role(When You Come Home to Me). She is getting
to Shiksa Goddess in order to reduce the similarity be- down about the rejection she faces as an actress and com-
tween the character Cathy and O'Neill.[2] plains to Jamie (Climbing Uphill).

The Last Five Years cast album was released by Sh-K- Jamie speaks to Cathy on the phone, trying to convince
Boom Records in April 2002.[3] A lm adaptation star- her that there is nothing going on with him and his editor,
ring Anna Kendrick and Jeremy Jordan was released in Elise. He wants to celebrate a book review but Cathy
February 2015.[4] refuses to go out.
Jamie is ghting 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,
1 Synopsis he promises her that he believes in her (If I Didn't Be-
lieve in You).
Cathy is sitting alone lamenting the end of her marriage
(Still Hurting). We shift to meet Jamie. It is ve years A younger Cathy is in the car with Jamie, who is going to
earlier and he has just met Cathy. Jamie is overjoyed to meet her parents. She tells him about her past relation-
be dating outside his Jewish heritage (Shiksa Goddess). ships and hopes not to end up in a small town life like her
friend from high school (I Can Do Better Than That).
Cathy and Jamie are in Ohio. It is her birthday and he She asks Jamie to move in with her.
has come to visit her as she works in a show there (See
I'm Smiling). She is anxious to x any problems in their Near the end of the relationship Jamie wakes up beside
marriage but she becomes angry when Jamie tells her he another woman (Nobody Needs to Know). He tries to
has to go back early to New York. During breaks in the defend his actions and blames Cathy for destroying his
music, we see a younger Jamie, talking to a literary agent privacy and their relationship. Jamie promises not to lie
about his book. to this woman and tells her that I could be in love with
someone like you, just as he does to Cathy in Shiksa
Jamie is moving in with Cathy. He comments on how Goddess.
lucky he is that everything is going right for him; his book
is being published and his life with Cathy seems too good Cathy is ecstatic after her rst date with Jamie. She sings
to be true (Moving Too Fast). Elsewhere an older Cathy goodbye (Goodbye Until Tomorrow). She proclaims

1
2 4 PRODUCTION HISTORY

that she has been waiting for Jamie her whole life. Simul-
taneously but ve 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.
2 Music
The musical style draws on a number of musical gen-
res, 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.
4.2 O-Broadway
The show opened O-Broadway at the Minetta Lane The-
atre 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 Out-
standing 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 O-Broadway Musical.

Still Hurting - Cathy

4.3 O-Broadway revival
Shiksa Goddess - Jamie
The show was revived in 2013 O-Broadway at the
See I'm Smiling - Cathy
Second Stage Theatre for a limited engagement with
Moving Too Fast - Jamie Adam Kantor and Betsy Wolfe in the roles of Jamie
and Cathy, respectively. Brown himself directed.[9] In
I'm A Part of That - Cathy March 2015, Kantor and Wolfe reprised their roles in
The Schmuel Song - Jamie a two-night-only concert production of the show at the
American Conservatory Theatre in San Francisco.[10]
A Summer in Ohio - Cathy
The Next Ten Minutes - Jamie & Cathy
A Miracle Would Happen/When You Come Home 4.4 European Premieres
to Me - Jamie/Cathy
The show premiered in Paris, France [11] in 2013 pre-
Climbing Uphill/Audition Sequence - Cathy sented by American Musical Theatre Live featuring
If I Didn't Believe in You - Jamie Jonathan Wagner as Jamie and Miranda Crispin as Cathy.
[12]

I Can Do Better Than That - Cathy The show was given its Irish Premiere at The Lyric The-
Nobody Needs to Know - Jamie atre, Belfast in 2015, running for a limited engagement.
It starred Fra Fee as Jamie and Amy Lennox as Cathy.
Goodbye Until Tomorrow/I Could Never Rescue The production was directed by Stephen Whitson.[13]
You - Jamie & Cathy

Source: MTI Shows song list

4.5 In Concert

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

The show debuted at Northlight Theatre in Skokie,

Illinois in 2001, running from MayJuly 1. The produc-
tion starred Lauren Kennedy as Cathy and Norbert Leo
Butz as Jamie.[5] Kennedy had a previous commitment
(a role in South Pacic in London) and was replaced by
Sherie Rene Scott.[6] Scott, therefore, performed the vo-
cals on the cast recording.
4.6 West End
On October 23, 2016, Samantha Barks and Jonathan Bai-
ley took on the roles of Cathy and Jamie on the West end
for the rst time.
 3

5 Film adaptation 7 External links

Main article: The Last Five Years (lm)
An adaptation starring Anna Kendrick and Jeremy Jordan
was directed by PS, I Love You director Richard LaGrave-
nese.[14] The lm was premiered at the 2014 Toronto In-
ternational Film Festival.
The Last Five Years at the Internet O-Broadway
Database
New York Times review, March 4, 2002
Curtain Up review, March 2002
The Last Five Years at the Music Theatre Interna-
tional website

6 References
[1] Brown, Jason Robert (22 May 2012). The Schmuel
Song. Jason Robert Brown. Retrieved 4 July 2014.

[2] Vogel, Scott." Young Composers Wonder 'Years" Wash-

ington Post, June 17, 2005

[3] The Last Five Years Original O-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: Browns Musical,

Last Five Years, Opening May 23 in IL Playbill.com,
May 23, 2001

[6] Talkin' Broadway - Sound Advice: 4/16/03. Talkin-

broadway.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, Mil-
lie Scores Playbill.com, May 20, 2002

[9] Hetrick, Adam (May 30, 2012). Jason Robert Browns

The Last Five Years Will Get O-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] Andrew Gans (June 7, 2013). Jason Robert Browns The

Last Five Years and Benj Pasek and Justin Pauls Edges.
Will Make Paris Debuts for Limited Engagement. Play-
bill.

[12] Bryan Pirolli. The Last 5 Years. TimeOut Paris.

[13] The Last Five Years Lyric Theatre, Belfast. Musical

Theatre Review. 1 July 2015.

[14] Gioia, Michael. Jeremy Jordan and Anna Kendrick Will

Explore The Last Five Years On Screen in Richard La-
Gravenese Adaptation. Retrieved 2013-03-08.
4 8 TEXT AND IMAGE SOURCES, CONTRIBUTORS, AND LICENSES

8 Text and image sources, contributors, and licenses

8.1 Text
The Last Five Years Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Last_Five_Years?oldid=777114678 Contributors: Pgunn, Greystar, Red-
Wolf, Ajd, Cyrius, David Gerard, JnB987, DMG413, Paulus~enwiki, Bonalaw, Mindspillage, Rspeer, YUL89YYZ, CanisRufus, Wcq,
C-squared, Brant Jones, Dafyd, Kevin M Marshall, Feezo, Firsfron, EQuintan, Mandarax, BD2412, Kbdank71, Rjwilmsi, Tizio, Koavf,
Mikm, Ian Pitchford, Tresrboles, Warpedmirror, UDScott, Mikeblas, ColinFine, Omtay38, Paul Erik, Gambler67, SmackBot, Com-
mander Keane bot, BenAveling, Clampton, Chris the speller, LeoCastillo, Ingomar, MikeyB!, Derek R Bullamore, MusicMaker5376,
GCW50, Iridescent, GDallimore, Wfructose, Leader Vladimir, Doryface, Jayunderscorezero, Lentower, AndrewHowse, Khatru2, ST47,
Alaibot, Ssilvers, Saxmachine1411, WVnativeson, Dugwiki, AnemoneProjectors, Michaelkenji, MSam, Nevermore27, Magioladitis, Kar-
avaki~enwiki, TheOtherBob, Jakwee, Alonzolozano, Flami72, Drm310, Gwern, Adelaidely, Mrswaan, MT triplethreat, WFinch, Atama,
Rabidfangirl, Tesscass, DibGoat, MearsMan, Keangell, Matterofpersuasion, Mcjungle, Broadwaygal, Jasonbres, WereSpielChequers, Bot-
Multichill, Docta247, Abby621, Wikiboom, Guitargem1223, Thisis0, Sopilis, Yellowmelons, ClueBot, Gillybean99, All Hallows Wraith,
DionysosProteus, Gwguey, DumZiBoT, Rcv3f, Addbot, Vanished user zdkjeirj3i46k67, MrOllie, LaaknorBot, Lightbot, Yobot, Mike-
bloom819, RJD-UK, Fringeaddict, Jim1138, Ltmh, Laurafc1107, Bellerophon, Aratom, FrescoBot, BenzolBot, HarryC15, Tcnuk, Full-
date unlinking bot, Enjoyment, Tdstom, Fastilysock (usurped), RjwilmsiBot, Last5yearsgsmd, Aliataannha, Zollerriia, Ridaderek, Fpinho,
Givenunion, Editguy9, Routesteps, Captain Assassin!, JSWober, IJVin, Meipy, Bemland, Leko2k, MuBu212, Cricket829, EthosNY,
Phrasecloud, Miszatomic, Earle stephanie, Efrat12345, Gman3398, Alpertoh, Morita5114, Intersects, Jojo5821, Solonese, Cassiezyx,
Lawrence.villegas, CharlieWalt12, Bender the Bot, Emzierin and Anonymous: 227

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