The Last Five Years by Jason Robert Brown debuted in 2001, reflecting the tumultuous emotions surrounding a marriage breakdown. Brown's own experiences influenced the character dynamics, as he drew from a painful divorce. The musical features two narrative threads: Cathy, the actress, tells her story in reverse, while Jamie, the writer, progresses forward. This duality complicates audience sympathies as it explores themes of love, betrayal, and ambition, capturing the zeitgeist of the early 2000s while resonating with subsequent generations of theater-goers.
"…came this wistful, restless two-hander about the breakdown of a marriage between a young Jewish writer whose star is rapidly rising and his partner, an actress who can't escape summer stock."
"For Cathy, the actress, the story runs backward, from heartbreak to first magical meeting. For Jamie, the author, events go forward…"
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