University of Memphis theater student Nick Taylor said he is looking forward to the ten-day run of The Last 5 Years, because it will be the first time it has been done anywhere in this region.
Written by Tony Award-winner Jason Robert Brown and directed by Bob Hetherington, the story is about the relationship of two young lovers, Jamie and Cathy, from beginning to end.
Cathy, played by Mary Hollis Imboden, is a young Irish struggling actress while Jamie is a young writer who is Jewish.
"The story is about the last five years that they have been together," Taylor said.
"The play begins with a solo number by Cathy, and she is talking about how her relationship has just ended with Jamie.
Once that is over, Jamie comes in with his first solo number discussing how their relationship had just started and how wonderful it is to have just met the love of his life."
In other words, Cathy covers the relationship from back to front, while Jamie goes from beginning to end, and they alternate solo numbers. In the middle the two stories meet in time, and the two sing their first duet and they get married.
"Actually the first time the two characters ever look at each other is during that number, so it's very moving," Taylor said.
"The reason I worked my butt off for this audition and this part is because the role of Jamie starts out at 24 years of age and ends up at the age of 29 after this five year relationship and as an actor I'm always getting the youthful roles, and I just needed to venture out into older roles... a more mature voice."
The show opens tomorrow night through Aug. 10 on the Lohrey Stage at Theater Memphis.
