Review: THE LAST FIVE YEARS at On Pitch Performing Arts

There are two sides to every story. Cathy Hiatt's is told in reverse chronological order, beginning at the end of her five-year relationship. She sings:

Jamie is over and Jamie is gone / Jamie's decided it's time to move on / Jamie has new dreams he's building upon / And I'm still hurting

While Jamie Wellerstein's story begins more traditionally, at their first kiss:

I've been waiting for someone / I've been praying for someone / I think that I could be in love with someone / Like you

One marital conflict is the competing successes of their careers. Jamie is a New York City novelist reveling in his success, while Cathy's a struggling actress, performing in out-of-town summer stock. And he's only moderately supporting Cathy, especially when she travels. He visits her only on her birthday in Ohio but not staying to see her on stage.

I think you're really gonna like this show / I'm pretty sure it doesn't suck

At Layton's On Pitch Performing Arts Center, Director Charlene Adams valiantly strives to reveal all the poignancy and perfection of Jason Robert Brown's two-character masterwork. Sad to report, she falls short.

Arguably the best writer in the post-Sondheim era, Brown inarguably excels at crafting musical conversations that are lovely, revealing self-contained stories. Writing the book, music and lyrics for THE LAST FIVE YEARS (closely based on his failed marriage), Brown challenges both performers and listeners with intricate melodies and lyrics.

Second in place in the program credits is Lara Wayman as stage manager, the position where a musical director is traditionally seen. This staging doesn't have one. It's clear the young actors could have deeply benefited from a second major collaborator.

The lyrics are clear, but the attractive and appealing Larissa Pearson and Jake Holt are overstretched as striking soloists and actors. Rather than ideally muted acting to supply complex nuances, the emotions are at times unnatural and not heartfelt. Gifted musical theater performers kill to play these superb roles, with each song a master class in storytelling, and sing the hell out of the songs. But apparently they are not willing to make the trek to Layton. (Although the potential artistry of the show prompted at least half of the audience members to travel from the Salt Lake area.)

Brown himself recently directed a staging, and overstuffed the production with numerous movable set pieces to designate locations. Scenic Designer Brandon Stauffer provided two chairs, and Props Designer April Daw two wedding rings. So many plot points were missed -- including in the humorous "The Schmuel Song," at the couple's holiday celebration, Jamie disappoints Cathy with an elaborately wrapped gift of a watch, rather than the engagement ring she anticipated.

The photos projected on the stage floor could have been a clever idea to suggest location and other missed story objectives, but they are proportionally distorted multiple portraits of the actors, adding nothing to the storytelling. But the worst decision was to include an intermission where it is not designed, an unexpected interruption of the show's flow of the wedding (but here engagement) scene. Including the break of the show in the program's song listing could have effortlessly at least alerted prepared theatergoers to this misguided alteration. This scene is the only portion of THE LAST FIVE YEARS where the actors directly connect with each other.

At community theater, audiences don't expect highly flying stagings. But at On Pitch, the already stripped-down show is produced bare bones. It's heart-shredding that there's little intimate connection to the material of a show that could be so easily produced by inspired participants.

In its second year, On Pitch Performing Arts' selected mission is to "educate, entertain and inspire children, adults and audiences with theatrical productions that range from musicals [to] plays [to] new works; we train and support the next generation of theater artists; we provide arts education programs that promote lifelong learning; and we celebrate the power of theater to bring together our community." And you can book a special event, like costumed performers at birthday parties.

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