Louis Colaiacovo and Kathy Weese in The Last Five Years.

(photo: Chris Cavanagh)

The Last Five Years

The Last Five Years has intrigued the musical theater world since it was first produced in New York City in 2002, a production directed by Daisy Prince with Norbert Leo Butz and Sherie Rene Scott—well before their Broadway pairing in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. Buffalo would not see the show until two years later, when The Dramatis Personae company, a group of recent Fredonia graduates, mounted a production at Ujima Theatre Loft with Sara Schoch and Adam Phillips, directed by Dan Zak. The production picked up a couple of Artie Award nominations. Now, MusicalFare has succumbed to the allure of the piece.

The Last Five Years boasts an appealing score by Jason Robert Brown and a quirky dramatic structure. It is the story of a relationship between Cathy, an aspiring actress, and Jamie, an aspiring author. The actors playing the roles alternate in musical numbers that advance the story, but whereas Jamie’s story is told in proper chronological order, Cathy’s story is told in reverse. Her first song marks the end of the relationship, and with each number, she moves backward in time. Their two versions of events cross in the middle, providing the evening its only duet.

For their take on The Last Five Years, MusicalFare has assigned the roles to two of the region’s most admired musical performers Kathy Weese and Louis Colaiacovo.

The stars agree that the structure of The Last Five Years has provided a major challenge.

“We’re curious to see what audiences come away with,” says Kathy Weese. “It makes perfect sense to us!” she adds with a laugh.

Both actors emphasize that Randall Kramer, in directing the piece, and Michael G. Hake, in providing the musical direction, have been very attentive to the play’s special requirements.

“Randy was meticulously prepared,” says Colaiacovo. “We began with table work, sitting down and understanding the story in its chronological order.”

“They had both Lou and me in every rehearsal, and we would go back and forth,” says Weese. “That helped fill in the gaps; Lou and I could see each other and we understand how the audience is seeing these two versions of events. For instance, Lou’s first song refers to the same moment as my last song, and we talked about that. Also, Randy has staged the show cleverly, in a way that gives the audience a visual reference. We start on opposite sides of the stage and gradually cross over in the middle, the only moment when we are together. The show (designed by Chris Schenk) uses slides to locate us in a place, visually.”

Colaiacovo stresses that a time came when they could no longer watch each other. “Our emotional journeys go in opposite directions. I can no longer watch her grieve the loss of the relationship and then walk out and celebrate meeting her. We’re at the point where we need our distance.”

He adds that a company like MusicalFare is particularly well-suited to mount a production of a demanding show like The Last Five Years. “I knew every last person on the team, coming in. Kathy and I have worked together often before, too. We understand each other and work together well. It makes the whole process easier.”

À LA FRANÇAISE

Le Théâtre de la Chandelle Verte, a theater company dedicated to performing in the French language, will present “An Evening of Ionesco with La leçon (The Lesson) and 3 shorts” on March 4 at 6:30pm and 8:30pm in the Black Box Theatre at UB’s Center for the Arts. The performances—in French, of course—are free, but reservations are recommended (645-2191 x1205 or christianflaugh@gmail.com).

Meanwhile, at Buffalo State College, Casting Hall Productions and the Theater Department present Les Liaisons Dangereuses, written by Christopher Hampton—in English—based on Pierre Choderlos de Laclos’ 1782 novel of the same title. Directed by Donn Youngstrom, the play tells the story of the Marquise de Merteuil and the Vicomte de Valmont, former lovers and daring game players who use sex to humiliate others. The story’s depiction of perversity and cruelty among the French aristocracy before the revolution was seen as proof of the decadence of the Ancien Régime. The contemporary relevance of the piece can be seen, however, in the story’s popular retelling, through Hampton’s 1985 play; the 1988 film version, Dangerous Liaisons; and the 1999 teen remake, Cruel Intentions. Les Liaisons Dangereuses runs March 2–12. Call 878-3005.