Out of the Box Theatrics Presents THE LAST FIVE YEARS Musical Review — Mostly in That Murky Middle

First comes love..

Then comes marriage…

Then comes baby in the baby carriage…

As they are living out the murky middle of their short half-life relationship—the largest chunk of reliving this five-year romance and marriage-- Cathy (Nasia Thomas) sings to Jamie (Nicholas Edwards) something about trying to live like the Cleavers of Leave It to Beaver. Traditional roles seem to stalk the troubled duo. Initially she was the chiksa that let him escape the drear of J-Date. He was the rock star writer on the fast track that gave her something to feel a part of, while her own professional goals of acting stardom sputtered on Midwest roads trammeled during touring summer productions.

This much we get--- as the story is told backwards by her from break up to first meet, and forwards by him, from the electric SHE’S THE ONE!! moment to his finale of leaving his wedding ring after jotting a note to her that he’s closed the bank account. It’s not the first time a story has been told in this fashion, nor likely the last.** Most of the time, just like our couple, we are in the murky middle where we can’t exactly tell what’s going on.

We like them, are just in it. It is especially given form in this production by the New York City apartment in which this production is staged. Manhattan abode in scale, it feels like a setting confining them much as the world they have created for themselves closes in on them. During most of this five-year relationship, they each, for different reasons, chomp at the bit of their marriage restrictions.

We read in the promotional materials that this was all done with COVID-19 precautions in place, implying (?) that not only Thomas and Edwards had quarantined for a fortnight or so together, but that the half dozen musicians whom we quickly learn to anticipate as popping out from behind a curtain or door every once and again were living there to.

You too may feel that these musicians’ recurring cameos are the highlight of this production—even though our two stars certainly have vocal power and acting chops to make their characters come alive. These instrumental popups in the couple’s love nest infuse a serendipity charm to the performance, that it might otherwise lack. The music, in this writer’s view, though ear pleasing and melodious throughout, somehow seems to be lacking in diversity and range. They begin to scale like a Sondheim song but without enough clarifying codas, the many complex lyrics somehow get garbled and add to the feeling that we are trapped with the couple in a too small apartment, not quite able to focus on what’s happening.

Out of the Box Theatrics Production is Pandemic Pitch Perfect

Originally produced by Chicago’s Northlight Theatre, The Last Five Years seems tailor-made for these times. Sure, stagecraft can create apartment sets but filming in a New York City apartment strikes this reviewer as yet another stroke of brilliance flashing from the theater world. Out of the Box Theatrics has found its sea legs and new terra firma for performance in the context of the pandemic – bottling some of what energizes live performance in ways that a Hollywood film camera never quite reaches.

This is a top pick for theater junkies trying to manage the DT’s accompanying withdrawal from performance on live stages. If you aren’t already a huge fan of the musical genre, you might want to take a pass on this one.

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Cast:

NICHOLAS EDWARDS & NASIA THOMAS

Musicians:

CELLO 1 AND 2: STERLING ELLIOTT
VIOLIN: ORLANDO WELLS
GUITAR: JONATHAN LINDEN
BASS: CHELTON GREY
DRUMS: BRANDON BROOKS

Creative Team: 

DIRECTOR/MUSIC DIRECTOR: JASON MICHAEL WEBB (TONY WINNER- CHOIR BOYS)
ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR: CHRISTINA FRANKLIN
ASSOCIATE MUSIC DIRECTOR/KEYBOARD: CYNTHIA MENG (HADESTOWN)
COSTUME DESIGNER: SIENE ZOË ALLAN (WHAT THE CONSTITUTION MEANS TO ME)
PRODUCTION DESIGNER: ADAM HONORÉ
DP/VIDEOGRAPHER: BRIAN BON
PRODUCING CONSULTANT: BLAIR RUSSELL (SLAVE PLAY)
PRODUCER/ FILM ADVISOR/COMPLIANCE OFFICER: JOANNA WHITE-OLDHAM

When:

Thru May 9, 2021

Livestream curtain times vary; Available On-Demand

Where:

Online – via link.

Photos: Gerald Malaval

Tickets:

For more information and tickets visit the Out of the Box Theatrics webpage.

Amy Munice

About the Author: Amy Munice

Amy Munice is Editor-in-Chief and Co-Publisher of Picture This Post. She covers books, dance, film, theater, music, museums and travel. Prior to founding Picture This Post, Amy was a freelance writer and global PR specialist for decades—writing and ghostwriting thousands of articles and promotional communications on a wide range of technical and not-so-technical topics.

Amy hopes the magazine’s click-a-picture-to-read-a-vivid-account format will nourish those ever hunting for under-discovered cultural treasures. She especially loves writing articles about travel finds, showcasing works by cultural warriors of a progressive bent, and shining a light on bold, creative strokes by fledgling artists in all genres.

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