The Last Five Years Off Broadway

[steven22]

Posted: 11/6/14 at 6:29pm

I just discovered this show yesterday and downloaded the original cast recording with Nortbert and Sherie and I've listened to it a bunch of times yesterday. Kicking myself for not seeing the revival last year with Adam Kantor and Betsy Wolf.

Did anyone see the original production? How was it? How about the revival last year? Im very excited for the movie to be released soon.

Everytime I listen to the original recording I can't help but hope to see Norbert and Sherie back together as Dan and Diana in Next to Normal. I know they played the roles in the workshop, but wishful thinking?

[JBroadway]

Posted: 11/6/14 at 8:23pm

I was at the first preview of the revival, and thought it was really good! Adam and Betsy were fantastic. I personally prefer the new cast recording over the original, mostly because I'm not the biggest fan of SRS's voice.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 11/6/14 at 8:48pm

I saw the original off-Broadway production. Throughout the entire show, I kept wondering how they had nailed the patio furniture to the wall and if it was going to fall off.

[After Eight]

Posted: 11/7/14 at 5:52am

I saw the original, unfortunately.

It seemed something like 55 years to tell its sorry tale, during which time there was not one word or note worth hearing.

In short, an ordeal from begining to end.

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 11/7/14 at 6:30am

The revival was well sung and had some great moments (it's hard to screw up Summer in Ohio), but it was missing something.

Still, the score is chock-full of tuneful melodies and smart lyrics. The Original Off-Broadway Cast Recording is near perfect from first note to last and reveals new joys upon each listen.

[StageStruckLad]

Posted: 11/7/14 at 8:15am

I thought Norbert was perfect in the original, and Sherie was excellent. Betsy was also excellent in the revival, maybe singing the role better than Sherie, but Adam not quite up to the emotional demands of the role. Overall, I found the original much more moving.

[LYLS3637]

Posted: 11/7/14 at 9:45am

I loved the revival-- mostly because of Betsy's performance. It was as close to perfect as I think the role can be played.

I made my own "cast recording"-- combining both recordings-- Betsy as Cathy and Norbert as Jamie

[StageStruckLad]

Posted: 11/7/14 at 10:05am

LYLS3637, that's a great idea, but you must be a skilled editor! How did you splice out Sherie from the songs she shares with Norbert and swap in Betsy?

By the way, for those who enjoy international cast recordings, I can highly recommend the German Last 5 Years CD. I picked it up on Amazon Germany.

[LYLS3637]

Posted: 11/7/14 at 10:07am

I'm a horrible editor-- I just bit the bullet and picked Norbert/Sherie's "Next Ten Minutes" and Betsy/Adam's "Goodbye Until Tomorrow"-- Betsy's voice absolutely soars on that track.

[TotallyEffed]

Posted: 11/7/14 at 10:34am

I don't think anyone will sing it better than Sherie. Her performance on that album is perfection.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 11/7/14 at 10:44am

I don't think anyone will ever sing it better than Lauren Kennedy. I own all recordings of the show, but the original Chicago cast is the only one I ever listen to.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 11/7/14 at 11:06am

I too saw the ORIGINAL original cast at Northlight Theater (north of Chicago) and it was a transcendental evening. There was a talkback after with audience and creatives and I still recall how many people were baffled, confused and outright enraged by the forward/backward structure.
]
Oh and one woman was REALLY upset that we saw Norbert in his underwear.

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 11/7/14 at 3:21pm

I was lucky enough to see the revival twice last year, and it was incredible. Adam and Betsy had great chemistry, and their voices were perfect. They are also both gorgeous, which helps. I sat one seat away from Jason Robert Brown at their last performance, which is pretty cool. I listen to the original for Norbert but I don't care much for Sherie's voice.

[LarryD2]

Posted: 11/10/14 at 9:06am

Lauren Kennedy chose to do the National Theatre production of South Pacific in London instead of The Last Five Years Off-Broadway. At the time, there was a real belief that the South Pacific production was going to transfer to Broadway, so it seemed like a smarter career move at the time. Of course, that never came to pass.

The Last Five Years was supposed to have its New York premiere at Lincoln Center, in their downstairs space, but they dropped it when Brown's first wife was threatening a lawsuit regarding the piece. I believe she was claiming that the show revealed specific details of their marriage that he was barred from writing about in their divorce decree.

I found the 2013 revival painfully antiseptic. The two leads didn't have an ounce of charisma between them.