Two-person musical explores love, marriage

FLAT ROCK, N.C. – Onstage from May 29 trhough June 22 at Playhouse Downtown in Hendersonville, Flat Rock Playhouse will present The Last Five Years, a two-person musical about the complexities of love and marriage.

The modern musical explores the five-year relationship between two young New Yorkers, Jamie, a rising novelist, and Cathy, a struggling actress. What makes this story unusual is its simultaneous yet vastly different depiction from end to end. Jamie tells the audience the story from the beginning, while Kathy shares her story from the end. The two central characters only lock eyes once – in the middle of their story, during their wedding. The rest of the time the audience is a party to their lives, witnessing the ups and downs of their relationship.

Written by Jason Robert Brown, The Last Five Years debuted in 2001 and ran off-Broadway from March until May 2002, the same year it won a Drama Desk Award for outstanding music and lyrics.

The Flat Rock Playhouse production is directed by Producing Artistic Director for the Playhouse Vincent Marini. In addition to producing the innovative “Music on the Rock” series, Marini has directed productions of Les Miserables, A Few Good Men, and Guys and Dolls, to name a few.

The Cliffs Communities and Eblen Kimmel Charities present The Last Five Years at the Flat Rock Playhouse Downtown, May 29 – June 22. Performances will be Wednesday through Saturday at 8 p.m., with matinees Thursday, Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m. All tickets are $40 and can be purchased by calling the Playhouse box office at 828-693-0731, toll-free at 866-732-8008 or online at www.flatrockplayhouse.org.