How did you hear about The Last 5 Years?

[Lorelai]

Posted: 11/14/03 at 9:37pm

I know there are a few fans of The Last 5 Years here and I was just wondering.....how many people actually saw the show and then liked the CD after. On the other hand, someone I know that knows Sherie very well told me that she gets recognized more for that show than Aida or any other show, even by people who never saw the show snf just recognize her from the CD cover or something like that. I know I have gotten a lot of my friends to listen to the CD and they have loved it just based on the music. I've also heard that a lot of people heard about the cast recording (after the show closed) just by word of mouth.

I, personally, heard about it only because I'm a Sherie fan and I'm always interested in what project actors/actresses are working on. Then I caught the show near the start of the show's run and totally loved it.

So..if you're a L5Y fan...how did you hear about it?

Posted: 11/14/03 at 10:00pm

Well, I heard about it because I live in NYC. Had no interest at all. Then after joining this board I read others' posts and thought, "well, maybe I'm being closed minded." So I bought the CD. My reaction: prentious non-musical about two self-involved boors. I'd never recommend this show. I don't care how many critical awards, etc. It's not about the audience being involved its about a writer determined to be the center of attention and say "aren't I clever." Booring piece of barroom songs.

Just my opinion.

Yours for a better Broadway!

[Cadriel]

Posted: 11/14/03 at 10:00pm

Let's see. One day, it must've been the 30th of January of 2002, I bought a few cast albums, including the OBCR of Parade. I fell in love instantly, and two things happened in quick succession. One, a production of Parade was announced over in Princeton for that Friday, and I immediately made plans to go. That Friday morning, I got an email with a code for $35 seats for the new JRB musical, The Last Five Years. I called my best friend, we both got tickets for March 12th. So within a little over a month, I went from a Jason Robert Brown newbie to a dedicated fan who'd met the composer himself (at L5Y, natch).

I loved the show from the start, bought the OCR quickly, and saw it again in Philadelphia, which production I absolutely loved. I hope to see it again in the not distant future.

-Wayne

[Lorelai]

Posted: 11/14/03 at 11:03pm

I'd love to see another production of it also...though I'd find it hard to see someone besides Sherie playing the role of Cathy, I think she did a wonderful job

[newyorkuniq]

Posted: 11/14/03 at 11:04pm

I have never seen the show but have heard a few songs recently.

[Cadriel]

Posted: 11/14/03 at 11:07pm

Sherie was probably better than the Philadelphia actress, but she was in a worse production so it sort of evened out. She was really, really good, but not essential to the work, I thought. Besides, every actress to tackle the role really has to create her own Cathy independent of the original.

Can't agree with Broadway Bulldog on the quality - The Last Five Years comes off as a very honest piece to me. Songwriting like Jason Robert Brown's is a delight.

-Wayne

[BillFinn]

Posted: 11/14/03 at 11:28pm

I heard about this show from an acquaintance I have. We're big Aida fans, and one day she came at me all Pro-L5Y YOU HAVE TO BUY THE CD-ish type of attitude. Then she had me sign a petition to help stop the closing. So I finally decided to give it a shot. I bought the CD at NYC. To this day, L5Y is not carried in any Florida CD stores unless requested, but I see Debbie Does Dallas in it's place everytime I go. Irony, what a wonderful thing.

I ended up falling in love with the show and now I'm a bigger fan of Sherie's work in that versus Aida or her other projects. I know this has been said many times before, but everything Cathy sang about, I've lived through before. It's a musical about a relationship. How could you not relate?

Updated On: 11/15/03 at 11:28 PM

Posted: 11/14/03 at 11:33pm

I tried to like it. Honest. Unfortunately, I feel asleep half way through. the CD seemed endlessly repetitious. Then I listened to the 2nd half the next night. Just didn't do anything for me. I've never ever done that in many years of listening to OBC albums. Oh well. To each his own.

Yours for a better Broadway!

[BrdwyThtr]

Posted: 11/15/03 at 8:52am

I learned about it when I was doing a regional production with Norbert's brother.

[JakeB]

Posted: 11/15/03 at 9:28am

Well, I think a friend told me he was one of those 'one-to-watch' composers so I searched for 'Last Five Years' on WinMX and the only song that would download was Summer in Ohio. I fell absolutely in love with it, and that's no joke. I found out that the Edinburgh Festival had Songs for a New World playing, so I got the CD to see what it was like. Then I just knew I had to get L5Y and since then I've been utterly obsessed with it. Whenever I'm feeling low it just takes a couple of songs to cheer me up, the device of time he uses is so clever and everytime I listen to it I find new reasons for who to point the blame at.

On JRB - I saw the UK premiere of Parade (it was amateur) but it was awful, the sound was absolutely dreadful and you couldn't hear a word they were saying, shame. I don't think it would work in a professional production here, it just wouldn't get an audience.. not even if it was marketed the right way.

Anyway, Last Five Years goes on my list of shows I want to direct.

Jake.

Posted: 11/15/03 at 12:01pm

Jake, L5Y really a show you to cheer you up?

Bulldog.

[BillFinn]

Posted: 11/15/03 at 12:16pm

I know what you mean Jake. "Goodbye Until Tomorrow" especially cheers me up. The envitable naive hope we all get when we fall in love. It's great that he could stick that into a song, and then have Norbert's little part contradict it at the same time, her being completely oblivious to the future.

There's only one song I cannot stand and I refuse to listen to, and that is "Nobody Needs to Know". It's so boring musically. "The Schmuel Song" though is a complete waste of space. There are better ways of showing Jaime and Cathy's First Christmas than a 7 minute story about a tailor.

[jesseeinstein]

Posted: 11/15/03 at 12:19pm

I first heard of Jason Robert Brown when I sang "Hear my Song" from Songs for a New World with my Music Theater group at school. I have to admit, I wasn't crazy about it at first. One night soon after, I was in a really bad mood and was downloading music that we were singing to practice. I listened to Hear my Song over and over again and was soon cheered up! As soon as I realized that "Hear My Song" was from a musical, I downloaded all of the other songs from it and was instantly in love. A few weeks later I had a gif certificate to Amazon.com and took a risk on Parade. Loved it even more! Then I saw that The Last Five Years was coming out on c.d. and bought that the first day it was available. Fell in love with Jason's music! Now I consider myself to be obsessed with JRB. I own everything that he's released (and some that he hasn't!). I even was lucky enough to work with him over the summer when I was in Parade! I can't wait until he releases new material! Anyone know what he's working on? I heard that The Moneyman was put aside and that it's something on Betty Boop at the moment?!

[NativeNewYorker]

Posted: 11/15/03 at 12:22pm

I think I did a search for music with Sherie Rene Scott and that came up...I love that girl...I completely fell in love with that album. I can't believe I haven't dated a Jewish guy yet for the sole purpose of making him sing "Shiksa Goddess" to me :)

[JakeB]

Posted: 11/15/03 at 12:37pm

A lot of people say that, what's not cheerful? Sure it's a bit 'uh oh, these people are doomed for unhappy lives' but in the case of Jamie, he's better off! TBH the music is just so refreshing, that's probably the key factor to my enjoyment.

Posted: 11/15/03 at 1:20pm

Refreshing? Jake, com'on. Ok, we don't have to like/dislike the same things. But I am thoroughly baffled over this response. I'll try listening one more time, when I need cheering up, just to prove I'm not closed-minded. I will state upfront that JRB is grossly overrated by a small clique of musicalistas, in my opinion. History will tell us one way or the other, of course. In the meantime I'll give it another listen and especially listen for the cheering and the refreshing qualities.

Cheers. Bulldog

[Schmack]

Posted: 11/15/03 at 1:39pm

I don't remember how I heard about L5Y...i think i found out about SFANW first, and then researching that show i heard about L5Y. I think most of the music is good...even the songs people have previously posted on about disliking. What's cuter than when Jamie sings the "Na Na Na Na" chorus to Cathy in the last chorus of 'The Schmuel Song'? And when he sings "I grip, and she grips...and faster we're sliding..." in 'Nobody Needs To Know" i get chills every time. Jason Robert Brown's "happy" material is better than his "sad" material in this show, IMO.

PS - does anyone have any info on the tour of L5Y starring Jason Robert Brown and Lauren Kennedy (the actress who played Cathy originally, and who was supposed to go to NYC with the show but couldn't because of prior commitments)?

[JakeB]

Posted: 11/15/03 at 2:10pm

Exactly, I get more chills from this than any other show. The biggest one for me is when Cathy says 'I want to be your wife, I want to bear your child', the shift in the music excentuates what she is saying and the impact this has on both of their lives.

The reason it's so uplifting is because whichever way you listen to it, either from the beginning --> end or end --> beginning there is always hope for both of them and anticipation for the the rest of their lives and careers. These people have hopes and dreams which are fulfilled and dashed throughout.. I know this is sounding ridiculously false and sentimental but it's true.

[BillFinn]

Posted: 11/15/03 at 2:15pm

Jake I know! The first time I heard that lyric I cried. It's such a beautiful dream she wants to share with Jaime, and only Jaime. "I want to die knowing I led a long full life in your arms."

Updated On: 11/15/03 at 02:15 PM

[Lorelai]

Posted: 11/15/03 at 2:34pm

"Goodbye Until Tomorrow" especially cheers me up. The envitable naive hope we all get when we fall in love."

I have never heard anyone put it quite that way, but I TOTALLY agree

[Cadriel]

Posted: 11/15/03 at 2:36pm

It's much nicer to listen to "Goodbye Until Tomorrow" as it's arranged on Lauren Kennedy's solo album if you want it as a pick-me-up. All of her songs from L5Y on that album are glorious.

-Wayne

[BillFinn]

Posted: 11/15/03 at 2:58pm

Except for "I Can Do Better Than That". Her version of that song makes me think of a calypso for some reason.

[Menken Fan]

Posted: 11/15/03 at 7:07pm

I saw the pre-Broadway run of the show here in Chicago, with Lauren Kennedy and Norbert. Had a pretty lukewarm reaction to that production. Probably because I was trying hard to figure out the story structure.

Then, I saw it off-Broadway, from the front row, on closing night. The performances of Norbert and Sherie were outstanding and emotional. (The closing remarks from Jason and others were fun, and the entire crew was introduced, all wearing Cathy's dress.)

I've since grown to really like the music, but still don't get into the book too much.

[StateOfJade]

Posted: 11/15/03 at 9:22pm

I recently heard the songs as well. I wish I could have seen it.

[King Stevos]

Posted: 11/15/03 at 11:10pm

I was a fan of Songs For a New World, and loved JRB's music. Then Came Parade, and I loved the work in the score. Then a friend put the Last Five Years cd in my lap,when it was just released, and said Listen to this. So I did, and cried. SIGH great memories.

STEVOS