NextStop Theatre does a good job with the script for “The Last Five Years” which the happily married may enjoy; the unhappily married won’t.
Who wants to relive negative experiences?
Not me.
It’s a musical by two partners about their marriage going, going, gone bad. I had hopes for a happy ending.
With strong and capable voices, Caelyn Williams and Ben Clark exchange the stage and sing solo to each other and to themselves, while their partner is off stage, appearing together for the first time about a third of the way through the play and that’s to recall their alliance.
This would not be bad as a marriage primer.
The couple’s perspectives on their relationship begin and end at different times when “Cathy” starts singing about the end of their love affair, and “Jamie” starts at the beginning, a confusing order even with some knowledge that this is not going to be a night at Disneyland.
Cathy laments her husband’s wandering ways which took me a while to wade through her meanderings and then, try to determine when Jamie croons, whether he is singing about Cathy or another woman?
Turns out it’s the other woman.
At one point Jamie sings to a small Christmas tree he lights up, to signal …what? I was unsure.
He’s a writer whose career takes off; Cathy is an actress whose career doesn’t.
He’s happy; she’s sad.
The highlight of the night has to be the sounds by the seven visible musicians seated in the shadows on an elevated balcony. The conductor is Lucia LaNave who plays keyboards, assisted by six on strings.
The playwright, Jason Robert Brown, composed the music.
The balcony comes in handy for the actors to use and crisscross the stage and each other.
The many costumes (by Imari Pyles) and the mere seconds the actors have to change between scenes are marvels, and yet, Williams and Clark arrive unhurried at the next scene, masking any signs of breathlessness.
It will come as no surprise that this New York down-and-outer stems from Brown’s failed first marriage whose ex-wife sued him on the basis of breaking confidentiality agreement from their divorce proceeding and he in turn sued her for interfering with his creativity.
Wikipedia says the lawsuits were settled with changes to the play.
In the program notes, Ellen Powers, the dramaturg, recounts “joyful moments” but I had to ask myself, where was “joyful” in this play?
Oh, that’s right. They got married.
Other key production team members are Aria Vetz, director; Megan Holden, scenics; Hailey LaRoe, lighting; Lex Allenbaugh, sound; Sean Gotkin, sound engineer; Marty Bernier, props; Sophia Menconi, stage manager; Heather Lanza, producing artistic director; John “Jack” Wilson, technical director; and Sarah Marie Wilson, assistant stage manager.
NextStop has plenty of free, lighted parking within steps of the theatre at 269 Sunset Park Dr., Herndon, VA 20170. It offers discounts for groups and those under age 40. All seats, $53, with discounts of $3 at the box office. boxoffice@nextstoptheatre.org 703-481-5930.
Through Nov. 23. About 90 minutes, no intermission.
