MOUNT VERNON — The Mount Vernon Players are gearing up for another production. Their latest play is called “The Last Five Years” and despite being a full-blown musical, the cast consists of just two actors.
The show follows the lives of a struggling actress named Cathy Hiatt and a young, up-and-coming writer named Jamie Wellerstein as they meet, fall in love, get married, and then face adversity over a five-year period. In a unique twist, the two characters tell their tales in opposite directions: Cathy’s first song is about the day Jamie has moved out and Jamie’s is about the day he met Cathy. This gives the audience a unique look into their lives that more traditional storytelling would have missed.
Despite the small cast, director and cast member Jesse Miller promises this is a big, entertaining show.
“A lot of the shows out there that you might see with only one or two people like this tend to be pretty avant garde,” said Miller. “The script and music for this show are approachable and do a great job of always giving the audience something to engage in. I don’t tend to have a lot of patience for things that don’t get to the point, and the writer really did a great job of keeping things moving all the way through the show.”
There are actually two casts for this production. The first weekend will star Jesse and Allison Miller, the second Dayne Baughman and Allison Miller. According to Jesse Miller, the dynamics between the two casts make for very different performances.
“The Last Five Years” will be running at ThePlace@TheWoodward, 111 S. Main St., at 7:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, March 11-12 and 18-19, and 2 p.m. on Sunday, March 13 and 20. Tickets are available at the door, Madcap, and the downtown Sips location. Those who bring a ticket stub from a previous performance, will get half off their second trip. Due to language and mature subject matter, this show may not be appropriate for all ages.
Published on March 10, 2011
