Stage Troupe’s “The Last Five Years” Doesn’t Disappoint

Kaylyn Bancroft prepares during sound check on Friday night.| Photo by Nicole Cousins.

Stage Troupe launched their first show of the semester last night. The musical The Last Five Years is the first for director and COM sophomore Kelsey Gold.

Jason Robert Brown’s musical The Last Five Years explores the relationship between struggling actress Cathy Hyatt, played by Kaylyn Bancroft, CAS ’14, and rising novelist Jamie Wellerstein, played by Joe Pratolongo CFA ’11, as they move in opposite directions during their five years together. Jamie moves forward from the night after their first date while Cathy moves backwards, starting the show at the end of their marriage. The couple intersects only in the middle when they get married.

The show also serves as Stage Troupe’s annual Charity show. All of the proceeds will go towards Teach for America, this years chosen charity.

Gold said that she chose Teach For America because “My best friend [and roommate] works for Teach for America.” Gold explained that her roommate had connections, so Teach For America was an appropriate charity to pitch alongside the show.

In the program’s Director’s Note, Gold phrases the show’s preparation as “The Last Five Weeks.”

“We’ve been working hard,” Gold explained. “[Five weeks] is a really fast turnaround.”

The juxtaposition between the two points in the relationship was very well-executed in every way: poppy, jazzy, light beats and bright lights for the earlier years, and dark tones and blue lighting for the later years. The dialogue was both poignant and hilarious, and the performances on the stage and in the pit were downright stellar. The show ran smoothly with relatively few hiccups, although sometimes the music was louder then the vocals.

The verdict: Go! Go! GO! With only two nights left, this one comes highly recommended. The Last Five Years will be performed tonight and Saturday night at 8 PM in the Agganis Student Theatre. Tickets are $6 at the door and the show runs for about 90 minutes. Sign Language Interpreters will be present at all shows.

About Tara Jayakar

Tara is a senior at BU, studying English and Journalism. She enjoys nothing more then a good meal, a cup of coffee, and the bone-crushing force of a mosh pit.

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