Jason Robert Brown's "Last 5 Years" @ the American Conservatory Theatre in San Francisco, CA. Directed by Michael Berresse (@mberresse). Starring Margo Seibert (@margo_seibert) and Zak Resnick (@zakresnick).
still hurting: 0:38 shiksa goddess: 5:08 see im smiling: 9:08 moving too fast: 15:05 a part of that: 20:03 schmuel song: 24:26 summer in ohio: 32:12 the next ten minutes: 36:21 a miracle would happen: 43:32 when you come home to me: 46:04 climbing uphill: 49:04 if i didn’t believe in you: 56:41 i can do better than that: 1:01:18 nobody needs to know: 1:06:17 goodbye until tomorrow: 1:12:44 i could never rescue you: 1:15:30 :)
I was studying this musical for my final musical project in high school and I remember after listening to Shiksa Goddess looking at the comments someone wrote something along the lines of, "Their relationship was doomed from the start. The very first song that Jamie sings about Cathy, he sings about all the things she isn't instead of the things that she is like 'kind funny sweet' etc." Ever since reading that it really made me realise that if someone idolises the idea of you and who they could turn you into, not you and who you are the relationship really is doomed.
I love the little detail of Cathy flipping through the book during “I’m a Part of That” as if she’s trying to find herself in the dedications and confirm she is literally ‘a part of that’ and it seems she doesn’t find her name. I’ve always taken that song to be Cathy trying to convince herself that she’s a part of it despite feeling isolated and left behind in Jamie’s shadow and a lot of Cathys don’t really portray that angle I don’t think, so the detail with the book I think really added to the song and makes the meaning of it more literal as Cathy tries and fails to be a ‘part’ of the book/Jamie’s career. This was a fantastic production of this show!
the first time i heard the song i thought the words were "i'm still herding" and "jamie has new dreams, he's building a barn," and was like... okay... weird farming musical
She has such an optimism that's so unique that I hadn't seen in other versions of this show. I think Margo brought some really interesting spunk that showed Cathy to be this bright and shining woman that just wants to be an actress. I think in this version she comes across as maybe less controlling (in the phone conversations between Cathy and Jamie) than she does in other versions. She seems sweeter and like she is genuinely hurt by Jamie's actions and not just mad that he cheated and left her.
My heart breaks every time Cathy and Jamie sings the last "Do" of "I do" in The Next Time Minutes.. the only note they ever sing in unison **sobs** Forever loving the storytelling in this show
That’s what I’ve always wanted from Jaimie! Ofc Jeremy does a great job but I felt liek the direction of the Jaimie made him so unapologetically the villain when I think it’s a better show when it’s about people who just weren’t good for each other in the end and not just “stupid horny cocky man fucks up life”
THANK YOU! Besides Norbert Leo Butz, I hate every other Jamie cause they play him like a complete full of himself asshole. So nice to find another actor who knows how to actually play him.
@@MaxPointyMask08 I think the intention of the material is up to the interpretation of the actors and directors. Personally I think the fall of the relationship is way more tragic if both parties are equally responsible. Although Jamie did cheat on Cathy, you have to keep in mind that these are unreliable narrators. We are only hearing the side of the stories that these characters are willing to share. There’s a lot of implications that Cathy was blaming Jamie for cheating before he was, partly because Cathy was putting her entire self worth on the shoulder of their relationship, since she was so ashamed of her own shortcomings and jealous of his success.
“I will not be the girl stuck at home in the burbs with the baby the dog and the garden of herbs” 👁👄👁 me watching this knowing my mom tried to be a broadway actress and when she failed she married my author dad and moved to the suburbs
And the truth is somewhere in between... both made mistakes which lead to the ending of their marriage... Personally I think Cathys mistakes weight heavier
@@JeriTabiliran Well... Yes, and that's a shitty thing to do. But let's ask why? Because he was horny? No. "A miracle would happen" shows us that he doesn't give in to his urges. Throughout the whole story we see him supporting Cathy unconditionally, while Cathy begins to begrudge Jamie his success. She acts more and more envious and jealous because she's frustrated with her own failures. In the end she acting pretty toxic when he literally begs her to give him the same kind of support he gives her (If I didn't believe in you)... He doesn't cheat on her because he can't control his urges but because he is emotionally unfulfilled. He finds the support he wished Cathy would have given him in the arms of another woman. Also, he recognizes his mistakes, she doesn't. She doesn't even see how difficult it is for Jamie to leave. (Still hurting). Jamie on the other hand is aware that they both fucked up (I could never rescue you) and finally realizes that this is a toxic relationship and that they aren't made for each other. He is still a cheater, but in the end she hurt him which was the reason for him to cheat. That doesn't justify cheating, but it explains it... He doesn't do it in order to hurt her, her frustration, envy and jealousy on the other hand leads her to hurt him willingly.
@@Heldstar you can write full novels of reasons and excuses if you want. BUT THE TEA IS THAT IF YOU ARE TIRED OF A RELATIONSHIP, BREAK UP WITH THEM FIRST NOT CHEAT ON THEM.
I actually found him way snarkier, stuck up, and entitled than Jeremy’s Jamie (just getting into this musical so he’s the only other portrayal I know), but it’s cool how you see it the exact opposite!!
@@damonficken3457 I can't speak for them, but for me, Norbert's Jamie felt a little bit too full of itself, I guess? This version was a lot more vulnerable and more nuanced in my point of view, it felt a lot easier to feel simpathy for him
"If I hadn't believe in you, I wouldn't have loved you at all" always gets me. The first time I ever saw the show that was the line that punched me in the gut and it still always makes me hate Jamie (even more than him yelling or cheating). Idk if that's just me, but this Jamie was great so it just struck me again.
I completely agree! Cheating is bad, of course, but that one line is so manipulative, it makes it seem as if Jamie is the whole root of the relationship. Without his belief in her, the love wouldn't be there, hence the relationship wouldn't either. Cathy would have reason to feel like the bad guy in that moment. It such a small thing, but sometimes the smallest manipulation is the stuff that hits hardest
That sentence always scared me more than anything. I found this musical right after a pretty messy breakup where he cheated, and tried hard to make me the guilty one. So this sentence gave me chills. Still does
@@claytonsackett8237 How do you know this woman is an alto? She is singing those same Eb's as every other Cathy. Her voice just just warm... Like Sherie
@@Keith_Petersen_Actor Sherie I believe is a mezzo with a warm timbre. You can have a warm timbre that doesn’t directly affect the height of your vocal range. (A male example is Steven Pasquale) This Cathy (who is fantastic btw) sounds like she is comfortably near the top of her range. There are moments in the show where you can begin to hear it. However, this isn’t a bad thing. I think that it works for Cathy and brings more gravitas to this actresses interpretation of the role. (If I’m wrong then I’m wrong 🤷🏻♂️)
Oof, this made me see things from Jamie's point of view in ways I never wanted to. The part where he calls her, excited to share his news, and he cuts him off and grills him about a woman he isn't into (yet). Obviously Jamie makes mistakes, but he did genuinely love her at one point.
I love the staging of this version so much - who would have thought that a scarf could make me cry? Also I really really love the way Jamie is characterised as - kind of a naive dumbass who grows and changes and gradually becomes more and more worn down and bitter and lonely. I really believe that he loved Cathy, and so it really hurts to watch him realise that he has to leave her. The most random thing I love is the decision to make Shiksa Goddess an internal monologue type thing, and not something he's saying directly to Cathy or a shadow Cathy. It makes a nice parallel to Cathy's bit of Goodbye Until Tomorrow, and it makes some of the more exaggerated stuff slightly more palatable if it's something he's saying to himself, and not a cheesy one liner. (nobody has ever called me a goddess to my face, but I feel like that would kind of make me cringe a bit). Plus it means that "Maybe I could be in love with someone like you" is a genuine moment of realisation and not a kind of - backhanded compliment that he gives to every girl he sleeps with. My only grievance with this production is that they added a lot of depth and humour to Jamie without doing the same for Cathy - I do thing Margo Seibert is a good singer, and she gave a great performance, but her Cathy is pretty one note, just kind of uptight and angry, which is a shame. It makes it a bit hard to see why the young goofy Jamie would feel he could relate to her. Her voice is gorgeous though. But all things considered this is a really beautiful production and the director and actors did a wonderful job.
I LOVE this Jamie’s version of "Nobody Needs to Know" because the pain and inner conflict with himself is so apparent in this. You can see that he loves Cathy and is truly freaked by his actions. He’s generally torn between being committed to Cathy vs getting the love he really needs. It's clear that this affair was caused by miscommunication and feeling distant from Cathy. Whereas in Jeremy Jordan's version, it’s clear that he HAS to be loved by someone and is more desperate for connection. It feels like he has less love for Cathy than this Jamie does. Both versions are fantastic, but I really like this one because of how deeply conflicted he is and how scared he is of his actions
This Cathy is so good and different. I love this show and the different takes on the character but a lot of actresses tend to play her to be more jealous and resentful of Jamie's success and her lack thereof, but in this version we see a more supportive Cathy who by the end of the marriage has been hurt one too many times. While she is also at fault for the marriage not working (it takes two to tango), she is more sympathetic in this version and I love it.
im someone who's indirectly hurt by cheating by people like my father or even my grandparents. so i walked into this musical fully expecting to hate jaime. and somehow the actor managed to get me to emphasize with him. genuinely phenomenal acting. from both jaime and cathy's actors
This is the best "If I didn't believe in you" I've ever seen. He gets it perfectly. It's a pep talk he's annoyed to be having, and the eye roll to that escalation at the bridge was just a perfect choice.
this is like my fav one!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! multiple productions like villainizing jamie (it's also very easy to do so, pick a side and go from there) we know right. i love how this version plays it, cuz as far as i know, tl5ys is not about how jamie is a monster who fucked is marriage for fun and more abt a relationship that didn't... work; not bc there's a villan or whatever, but more in the sense that some relationships end. this musicals screams that to me. jamie and cathy arent even in the same vibration, u can see that they're so disconnected by the way the story is told. i think it's so dumb how people like arguing abt which side is the right one when clearly there isn't.
Yes! The reason most stage productions have it where they are only on stage together for the very beginning- middle- and very end is because we are watching cathys version of the story (Jamie is a villian because he left her) from the end to the beginning, and we are watching Jamie’s version of the story (Cathy grew jealous and unstable) from beginning to end. And it shows us how different their versions are because of their perspectives
@@milierubino6324 right!!!!! their timelines and way of storytelling is such an important part of the narrative and also very characteristic of them both (Cathy going from the end to beginning bc she's always stuck in the past, has a hard time going forward with everything - to her life, to her career, love life, endings... Jamie going from the beginning to end bc he has that way of always moving forward, always getting head, etc). them meeting only at the beginning and middle bc that's the only time they were truly on the same page, same vibration, same time (they don't really meet at the end tho, sure they share the stage but I don't think if fits with the other two times ??) can u tell I'm really passionate abt this musical??!!!! HAHSHSHSHSHS
This is my first time watching a stage version of The Last Five Years and I would say the transition going back to Cathy in The Next Ten Minutes is much more effective in here rather than in the movie. I LOVE IT SO MUCH I WAS LIKE SCREAMING THE WHOLE TIME! HAHAHAHA🤣
@@emanuellancecruz3028 Said no real L5Y fan, ever (nor anyone who knows what good singing sounds like). Don't get me wrong: Jeremy Jordan can sing and Anna Kendrick is good at comedy (and can occasionally pull off a song) but, for anyone who's been with the show since its off-Broadway days, spent over a decade obsessively listening to the soundtrack/watching bootlegs, and pining for a proper film (but also dreading what a Hollywood treatment would look like)... the eventual product was a huge letdown. The arrangements were choppy, the visual style choices were all wrong, the decision to add so many other characters was distracting and, sadly, Kendrick does not have the vocal range necessary for Cathy. Its just a simple, beautiful show, intimately told between two characters. Its not RENT or Chicago - the type of thing which can be opened to the world and still hold the same level of absolute heartache and joy. Next, you'll tell me that Tim Burton's Sweeney Todd is great as well?
I love this show because there are so many moments to pull honestly from in each character that if you watch two different versions you could get two different stories. Did she really mean that? Is he just being defensive? Was this a retaliation or an instigation? There are so many complexities, probably because it's based on someone's actual life and story.
When I first watched this show, I was kinda like “Team Cathy, duh! Jamie was never there and he cheated”. But after rewatching it, I began to understand Jamie’s side even more. He was trying his best but he couldn’t help Cathy because her problems were more internal and they wouldn’t be fixed with external presence & words & stuff… In the end, they’re both wrong at some point and it’s just so SAD This show is just so raw and profound and even with the simplicity of the production, staging, & orchestration, the way it’s told is so poetic and *beautiful* And also, THIS PRODUCTION DID SO WELL IN PORTRAYING THE STORY **sobs**
This is only my second time seeing a live stage production of this musical but I've listened to the original cast recording probably over 500 times at this point and I'm absolutely shook at so many of the little details here that really add to it: their costumes as a way of showcasing the passage of time (the watch, the scarf, the rings). The parallel shot of her picking up his scarf and smelling it vs. him backstage holding the scarf out. Her putting the watch in the box vs. him giving it to her during The Schmuel Song. The little touches of humor here and there and like many other comments say the softening of Jamie's character -- I've never been really team either one of them bc I think they're both pretty awful people to each other BUT this made me feel so much sympathy for both of them, just in the way they were acted. Massive kudos to Margo and Zak. Also, something that really struck me watching it is how a lot of the musical's tragedy comes from how isolated both Cathy and Jamie are forced to be. They both go through the highs AND lows of their relationship entirely alone, and so does the audience. Even though we see both of their sides of the same/similar events as the musical progresses, it's very clear how separated they're meant to be seen from the start. Even The Next Ten Minutes, which is their literal wedding, only brings them together chronologically for about six and a half minutes before they're separated again, and here it was staged so well I teared up: the way it starts with him not wearing a coat and talking to her in the boat, and then she shows up in his coat and it ends with him giving it back to her so we see her on the other side of the boat talking to him? Please. I don't know why this is one of my favorite musicals of all time because it is just SO sad and I normally hate sad endings but here we are, lol.
I love this production and that it's viewable here. Go from the last scene to the first...never been able to do that before. Kudos to the staging here...
Its good that this is not a bootleg, I was worried at first. I sure hope no one goes and posts a bootleg of the 2013 version with betsy wolfee and Adam Kantor either.
rewatching this and feel like I noticed something... during Im apart of that she looks through the book at the end. I’m assuming she is looking for her name in the dedication of his book but doesn’t see it.
Yeah, she looks so hurt, and that's why this version of Cathy is so interesting because she seems less jealous of Jamie and more hurt by his lack of support and encouragement because she's not a very secure person. Other versions of Cathy seem more jealous of Jamie's success and I think this take is so different and nice to see.
@@katiee4396 I AGREE! I love Margot Seibert so much. and this made me love her even more. I also found this take on Jamie to be soo much more likeable. They both seemed to be so much more playful!
@@azariaoglesby3148 I agree! Both characters are so much more likeable and believable here than in many other versions. I love the little things like her delivery of ‘I am not always on time’
Better than almost every other production I've seen of The Last 5 Years! Like so natural and not these fake pop sounding people. These guys, Norbert and Sheri are my favs.
i think this totally makes sense! that melodic theme is called the “Marriage Waltz” and opens the whole show at the beginning of Still Hurting. replaying/re-interpolating the notes throughout the show is powerful, but it feels even more gut-wrenching to me here because Jamie truly thought on some level that he could “rescue” Cathy by marrying her
58:35 oh my god i always find new things in this boot to love! i actually saw Zak at a stage door visiting a friend but I didn't want to interrupt them
As someone who was first exposed to The Last Five Years through Jeremy Jordan & Anna Kendrick's portrayals, I have to say it's very interesting how the stage production does things. If I had no clue what the show was about and I had watched the play live first, I feel like it would have been more confusing, though? I mean, obviously you get the playbill but was there any kind of brief announcement about the "synopsis" or the show before it started?
The guy playing Jamie kinda looks like Kevin Jones and him at the end wearing leather jacket with that scarf is the most Kevin Jonas thing that anyone has ever worn.