Palo Alto Players Presents Streaming Production of THE LAST FIVE YEARS

Palo Alto Players continues its 90th season with a fully-staged, streaming production of the award-winning Off-Broadway musical THE LAST FIVE YEARS. Directed by Palo Alto Players Artistic Director Patrick Klein and starring real-life married couple Chris and Marah Sotelo, this intimate and alluring musical by modern theatre icon Jason Robert Brown (The Bridges of Madison County, Parade) chronicles the five year relationship of a young couple whose path takes them in different directions - in more ways than one. THE LAST FIVE YEARS will be filmed live on stage at the Lucie Stern Theater and available as an on-demand video stream, from January 29 through February 14, 2021. Streaming tickets, starting at $25 per household, are on sale now at paplayers.org or by phone at 650.329.0891.

From their first hello to their final goodbye, Jason Robert Brown's THE LAST FIVE YEARS follows two New Yorkers who fall in and out of love over a five-year period. Proving there are two sides to every love story, Jamie, a budding novelist, tells his version of their relationship in chronological order, while Cathy, an aspiring actress, tells hers in reverse, with the two meeting only once (at the moment of their marriage) through the show's 14 melodic, haunting, and sometimes hilarious songs. THE LAST FIVE YEARS takes an honest look at themes that can define a modern relationship: success, sacrifice, jealousy, infidelity, miscommunication, and, most importantly, time.

"While this pandemic has thrown us curveball after curveball, it has also created some amazing opportunity, and THE LAST FIVE YEARS is exactly that for Palo Alto Players," said Artistic Director Patrick Klein. "This intimate musical is revered as a modern musical masterpiece and it has long been a bucket list show for us, yet one that we would not normally stage in our large space. Now, with the ability to stream performances, we were able to assemble a remarkable production team and a brilliant cast of two to tell this story with the heart, intimacy, and rich theatrical splendor it rightfully deserves."

Palo Alto Players production of THE LAST FIVE YEARS stars real-life married couple, Chris Sotelo as Jamie and Marah Sotelo as Cathy. Chris Sotelo is making his Palo Alto Players debut. His stage roles include Judas in Come & See: A New Musical (Cornerstone SF) and Beadle Bamford in Sweeney Todd (Danville Light Opera). Marah Sotelo was previously seen on the Palo Alto Players' stage as Linda Low in Flower Drum Song. Recent Bay Area roles include Amalia Balash in She Loves Me (Mountain Play/Ross Valley Players), Candela in Women on the Verge (Town Hall Theatre), Sally Bowles in Cabaret and the Witch in Into the Woods (Pacifica Spindrift Players), and Nan Goto in Allegiance (Contra Costa Civic Theatre).

THE LAST FIVE YEARS is directed by Palo Alto Players' Artistic Director Patrick Klein with vocal direction by Dolores Duran-Cefalu. Klein began his tenure at Palo Alto Players in 2009 as Technical Director and in 2013 became the company's Artistic Director. He has worked as a scenic designer, stage manager, and actor across the Bay Area, New York City, and the Eastern Seaboard. His Palo Alto Players directing credits include Miss Saigon, Young Frankenstein, Big Fish, Into the Woods, A Day in Hollywood/A Night in the Ukraine, The Man Who Came To Dinner, Disney's Tarzan, One Man, Two Guvnors and most recently, Bright Star. Vocal Director Duran-Cefalu has done over 80 musical theater productions as music director, associate, or keyboardist. Most recent shows include Associate Music Director, Hamilton (And Peggy Tour) SF and Puerto Rico with Lin Manuel-Miranda and playing keyboard for: The Book Of Mormon, Beautiful, Motown The Musical and Wicked. She also played keyboard and celeste for the Academy Award-winning

Pixar short Piper.

The production team includes set design by Scott Ludwig, lighting by Abby May and Henry Wilen, sound by Jeff Grafton and videography by Grant Huberty.

THE LAST FIVE YEARS will be filmed live on stage in compliance with county and state COVID-19 recording production guidelines and available as on-demand video stream from January 29 at 12am PT through February 14 at 11:45pm PT. Streaming tickets for THE LAST FIVE YEARS can be purchased online at paplayers.org, or by phone at 650.329.0891 (Tuesday through Friday, 11am - 4pm). Each access ticket purchase is per-device. Access codes are valid for 48 hours from the first time they are used. Note: The watch period is reduced for tickets bought or used February 13 and 14.

Recognizing the ongoing pandemic and to keep theatre accessible to all during this time, on-demand streaming tickets to THE LAST FIVE YEARS are offered on a 'pay-what-you-choose' tier, with four price levels, from $25-$100. Every ticket purchase directly supports the actors, creative team, and staff for this production, and ensures that Palo Alto Players can remain a vital part of this community when live theater returns.

In cooperation with The City of Palo Alto, Palo Alto Players' in-person, staged productions are produced at the Lucie Stern Theater, located at 1305 Middlefield Road in Palo Alto, California. Use of this facility is made possible through support from The City of Palo Alto, Community Services Department, Division of Arts and Sciences, and from our patrons.

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