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About the Show and
Composer
The Last Five Years
tells the story of a doomed marriage, told in different points of view through sung monologues.
Cathy begins "Jamie is over and Jamie is gone," and she is telling the story from the end of the
relationship, the break up. Her voice echoes the fragile melody, hauntingly played by the violin
and cello, that resonates as her musical motif throughout the show. Then comes Jamie, flinging
himself into the scene, and telling their story from the beginning, the
heart-racing-emotionally-charged-go-for-broke feeling of finally finding "the one" and in this
case, a girl who is unlike all the others he has been pushed into dating, maybe by family or force
of nature. They continue this story-telling technique as their tragic love story intertwines,
meeting onstage only once, at their wedding.
Jason Robert Brown, an
American musical theatre composer and lyricist, was born in Tarrytown, New York in 1970. He serves
as musical director, conductor, orchestrator and pianist for his own productions. He is best known
for his unique composing style that combines pop, rock and theatrical lyrics. His works are often
rhythmically challenging and are difficult for anyone who tries to play them. Most of his music
also includes complex harmonies and requires a wide vocal range. Brown attended the Eastman School
of Music in Rochester, New York, and French Woods Festival of the Performing Arts in Hancock, New
York. Much of what he writes about has connections to his own personal life, including this work.
Jason Robert Brown has been dubbed by critics and fans alike as a "modern-day Stephen
Sondheim."
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