The Last 5 Years
The Last 5 Years
RENThead414
Broadway Star Joined: 12/1/05
#0The Last 5 Years
Posted: 6/26/06 at 1:31am
Does anyone know...well, pretty much anything about this show? A friend lent me the soundtrack and I was blown away. I was under the impression that it was Off-Broadway a few years ago; has anyone heard of any regional theatres putting on productions of it? (or, where I may find that information?)
*edit* well...nevermind, I suppose, because Jason Robert Brown's official website is about the 8th one that comes up when you Google him, and I didn't look far enough down the page the first time I tried.
Updated On: 6/26/06 at 01:31 AM
#1re: The Last 5 Years
Posted: 6/26/06 at 1:41amSearch the boards for some great topics. L5Y is a cult musical that has slowly been gaining momentum since its offBroadway run several years back. It starred Norbert Leo Butz and Sherie Rene Scott. It is a work of genius (in my opinion:)).
GypsyRoseLee
Broadway Star Joined: 7/5/04
#2re: The Last 5 Years
Posted: 6/26/06 at 2:16amThere was a wonderful production last summer here in DC at MetroStage. A community theatre in the District is putting it on this summer, called The Foundry Players.
#3re: The Last 5 Years
Posted: 6/26/06 at 2:18am
Rifling through the dictionary of common phrases used on the BWW.com board:
"It's a cast recording, not a soundtrack."
Closes book and passes it on to the next user.
SueleenGay
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/9/03
#4re: The Last 5 Years
Posted: 6/26/06 at 2:31amThank the precious Lord, I was worried we were going to go a day without a new L5Y thread...Whew! That was a close one.
C is for Company
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/16/05
#6re: The Last 5 Years
Posted: 6/26/06 at 8:40am
It's an amazing show. The CD lives in my CD player... well, most of the time 
Sherie and Norbie are incredible in the roles.
So if you have the CD, you should be good to go.
I keep hoping it will show up actually ON Broadway someday 
Jon
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/20/04
#7re: The Last 5 Years
Posted: 6/26/06 at 9:35amSince it flopped Off-Broadway (mediocre reviews and terrible ticket sales) I don't think it has much chance of ever being seen ON Broadway.
jacco
Stand-by Joined: 7/29/05
#8re: The Last 5 Years
Posted: 6/26/06 at 12:31pm
A New Production is opening in London's Menier Chocolate Factory this July (the theatre which produced the successful Sunday in the Park transfer to the West End last year). A professional production has also been announced for The Netherlands this January.
So the show is doing well in Europe.
SporkGoddess
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/27/05
#9re: The Last 5 Years
Posted: 6/26/06 at 1:03pm
Just some friendly advice: if you don't want to get lynched around here, say "Cast Recording."
Anyway, L5Y is a beautiful show, also very depressing. I understand though why it didn't make Broadway: the characters and songs feel too disconnected (a flaw of the concept, as brilliant as it is.) JRB is my favorite musical composer and I really find his work just amazing.
Chicago supposedly recently had a regional production of L5Y, but it seemed to mess with the staging (as in had Jamie and Cathy together onstage throughout the show) which I don't think I'd like.
If you like this show, btw, I highly suggest Parade, if you don't know about it already. It's one of my top favorites and also uses the idea of musical contrasts like L5Y.
ashley0139
Broadway Legend Joined: 1/3/05
#10re: The Last 5 Years
Posted: 6/27/06 at 12:54pm
I didn't know that it flopped off Broadway. That is interesting, seeing as it has such a following and is thought of as one of the perfect musicals (by some).
the characters and songs feel too disconnected
I actually don't agree with that. Both times I have seen it, and whenever I listen to the cast recording I feel very connected to the characters.
#11re: The Last 5 Years
Posted: 6/27/06 at 1:12pm
Spork--
Yeah, the recent Chicago production of L5Y got really slaughtered by the critics, mostly because of the actress playing Cathy. I totally would have gone to go see it had that not been the case, since I LOVE this show even though I've never actually seen it live.
#12re: The Last 5 Years
Posted: 6/27/06 at 1:37pm
Baritone,
Too bad you listened to the critics, because the actress playing Cathy was fantastic. She was heartbreaking, funny, charming, and sang the roof off the joint.
The characters were rarely on stage together, just during "The Next Ten Minutes", of course, and they were on opposite sides of the stage during "Goodbye Until Tomorrow/I Could Never Rescue You".
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