Musical Theater: The Last Five Years’ Troubling Past and Its Relevance Today
Jason Robert Brown’s 2002 musical, The Last Five Years, is a poignant portrayal of the breakdown of a marriage between a rising Jewish writer and his actress partner. Although the show has become a beloved standard for college theater departments, its creation was marred by personal struggles.
Brown won a Tony Award in 1999 but had just divorced his wife, Theresa O’Neill, two years later. The couple’s marital issues spilled into their professional collaboration, with O’Neill suing Brown and he responding with counter-suits. This tumultuous situation led Lincoln Center to step away from producing the musical’s New York premiere.
Despite these challenges, The Last Five Years has endured as a powerful exploration of love, loss, and relationships. However, its staging remains a topic of debate among theater professionals. A key question arises: how can stage productions balance the show’s sympathies towards Cathy, the actress, while still telling her story in reverse chronological order?
Source: https://www.vulture.com/article/theater-review-nick-jonas-adrienne-warren-last-five-years-jason-robert-brown.html