‘The Last Five Years’

Premier Performing Arts and Artists presents the musical in Morrisville, Pa.

By: Stuart Duncan

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Emily-Grace Murray And Stephen Lyons star in Premier Performing Arts and Artists’ production of The Last Five Years.


   Those of you who read these reviews faithfully will know that recently I wrote about a production of The Last Five Years at George Street Playhouse in New Brunswick — a splendid staging, with sensational performers, strong direction — but you might have noticed a lack of approval for the flawed work itself.
   As luck would have it, the same show in a different production was on this week’s schedule, staged by a new company to the area, Premier Performing Arts and Artists. Began in Philadelphia but recently relocated to Bucks County, the company is still searching for a permanent home theater. The particular venue for this staging is the M.R. Reiter Elementary School in Morrisville, Pa.
    And once again, the performers were terrific. The staging was much simpler than that of George Street’s, and, more specifically, did not include projections to keep the audience informed as the years changed The show involves only two characters, the girl Cathy and the boy, Jamie, but their stories are told in reverse order. That is to say, Cathy begins and year five and works backwards. Jamie begins at year one and works forward. They meet only once in the story — in year three when they are married and together sing the show’s single duet. Without some indication as to exactly where we are in the two tales, the audience wallows in confusion. The New York critics killed the show for that reason, and any production which doesn’t take heed, faces the same problems.
   Indeed, most of the fans of the show (and there are surprisingly many) will tell you they discovered it via CD. Jason Robert Brown’s music is sensational — Jamie’s songs are splashed with colors, and Cathy’s are more subdued. But the show remains more a recital than drama. The co-directors of this version, Ken and Kathy Junkins, actually try to find ways to have the pair meet more frequently, but of course the score doesn’t really permit it. This is a score in search of a show.
   Don’t blame either of the performers. Emily-Grace Murray, graduating in a month from Temple University, and Stephen Lyons, a triple threat with a Shakespearean background up and down the East Coast as well as a record album in the works, are beautifully matched. He can handle the trickiest of arrangements such as "Moving Too Fast," and she has great fun with tunes such as "A Summer in Ohio" and can break your heart with "I’m a Part of That."
   Musical director Ryan Fleming leads a seven-piece combo from the piano and sound designer Eric Rotunno has worked miracles to adjust for the cavernous spaces of a school gym.
The Last Five Years continues at M.R. Reiter Elementary School, 150 Clymer Ave., Morrisville, Pa., through May 15. Performances: Fri.-Sat. 8 p.m., Sun. 2 p.m. Tickets cost $20. For information, call (215) 428-9491. On the Web: www.premiere-arts.org