Jason Robert Brown’s Drama Desk winner, “The Last Five Years,” opens Friday, Nov. 10 at Sul Ross State University.
Performances are Friday-Sunday, Nov. 10-12 and 17-19 in the Studio Theatre, Francois Fine Arts Buildings. Show times are 8:15 p.m. Friday-Saturday and 2 p.m. for the Sunday matinees. The production contains language and adult content. Late seating is not permitted.
An emotionally powerful and intimate musical about two New Yorkers in their 20s who fall in and out of love over the course of five years, the show’s unconventional structure consists of Cathy (Sedia Woods, Houston) telling her story backwards while Jamie (Josh Martinez, El Paso) tells his story chronologically; the two characters only meet once, at their wedding in the middle of the show.
Director Ashley Jane Page said the musical, with just a two-person cast, provides a great opportunity for actors with both range and stamina.
“’The Last Five Years’ is one of my favorite musicals,” said Page. “I fell in love with this show when I attended an impromptu production in 2011. The simplicity paired with the intense raw emotion of the show blew me away. Jason Robert Brown’s music and lyrics are inspired and hauntingly relatable. That is part of the magic of this show! The emotions and experiences these characters live are moments that feel so personal for each person watching.”
“The intimate musical is perfect for a small space, such as the Studio Theatre at Sul Ross,” said Dona Roman, professor of theatre and director of the Sul Ross Theatre Program. “We are moving fast and furiously from one production to another this fall providing a wonderful opportunity for all of our students and great diversity for our patrons.”
The musical has been translated into a handful of languages and was named one of TIME Magazine’s 10 best shows of 2001. “The Last Five Years” also enjoyed an Off-Broadway revival at Second Stage in 2013, and a film adaptation was released in 2014, starring Anna Kendrick and Jeremy Jordan.
Tickets are on sale now: www.sulross.edu/theatre or in the Theatre office (FAB 203). Tickets are $12 for adults and $10for seniors.
For more information, call (432) 837-8372.
