
The Last Five Years
By Jason Robert Brown
Directed by Meredith Nelson
Musical Direction by Nathan Patrick Nelson
Originally Produced for the New York stage by
Arielle Tepper and Marty Bell
Originally Produced by Northlight Theatre
Chicago, IL
The Last Five Years is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International.
All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI.
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The story of Jamie and Cathy's relationship is told through two different timelines. While Cathy starts at the end of their relationship and moves backwards in time, Jamie starts at the beginning and moves forwards.
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Strobe lights are used in this production and there will be one 10 minute intermission
A Note from the Director
When my husband and I moved to Cleveland last August, I remember packing up our home in Denver and being overwhelmed by how much stuff we had. Stuff from our jobs, trips we’d taken, and gifts we’d received–a good portion of which had to be thrown out for the move. While my husband and I are still very happily married (and running Soft Belly together), when approaching Jamie and Cathy’s story, I was curious about where we put the mental and physical “stuff” we inherit from relationships that don’t work out. Unfortunately, most of us can’t just throw away or delete it, so where does it all go? I imagine the memories are kept preserved and locked away in the warehouse of our minds. However, when we stumble upon those storage spaces of love lost, it can spark overwhelming feelings of joy, anger, and sadness. At the start of the show, Cathy has come back to the storage space where physical and non-physical momentoes of her five year relationship with Jamie have been lying dormant. As we traverse a series of memories with the couple, we get to relive the heartache and victories they experienced together. And when the show is done, Jamie closes the box of memories on the couple’s past, leaving us in the dark to wonder what memories lie in the categorized boxes of our brains and are we brave enough to open them again?


Song List
Act I
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Prologue - Piano
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"Still Hurting" - Cathy
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"Shiksa Goddess" - Jamie
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"See I'm Smiling" - Cathy
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"Moving Too Fast" - Jamie
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"I'm a Part of That" - Cathy
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"The Schmuel Song" - Jamie
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"A Summer in Ohio" - Cathy
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"The Next Ten Minutes" - Cathy and Jamie
Act II
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"A Miracle Would Happen" / "When You Come Home to Me" - Jamie / Cathy
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"Climbing Uphill" - Cathy
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"If I Didn't Believe in You" - Jamie
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"I Can Do Better Than That" - Cathy
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"Nobody Needs to Know" - Jamie
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"Goodbye Until Tomorrow" / "I Could Never Rescue You" - Cathy / Jamie
Madalyn Baker
as Cathy
Madalyn is a second year student in the CPH/CWRU MFA program. Recent credits include the Mechanic/Aunt in Middletown, Sally Bowles in Cabaret, and CPH's 2024 touring Children's show: The Very Lonely Dinosaur. Originally from northern California, Madalyn earned her BA in Theatre from Fordham University, and spent many years performing and creating in NYC. In addition to acting, she is a singer/songwriter and illustrator. She designed the little yellow critter known as "Little Feller" that Soft Belly uses as their mascot! You can check out more of her work at Madalynbaker.com and @madmaddybaker. Her illustrative work can be seen on her website, or on instagram at @maddlebaddle. Many thanks to Meredith, Nathan, Brendan, and Josh, it's been a joy to work with you all!

Brendan Lowry
as Jamie
Brendan is in his second year of the Case Western Reserve University/Cleveland Play House MFA Acting program. He is originally from Colorado where he also received his BFA from Colorado Mesa University in Grand Junction. You may have seen him in the CWRU/CPH production of Middletown playing an eclectic range of characters. Previous roles include: Floyd Collins (Floyd Collins), Sky Masterson (Guys and Dolls), Clifford Bradshaw (Cabaret), John the Baptist/Judas (Godspell), and Demetrius (A Midsummer Night's Dream). Brendan dabbles in many hobbies including guitar, photography, and exploring local architecture in whatever city he happens to find himself in. He'd like to thank the village of family, friends, and teachers that have endlessly supported him on his journey so far. A special shout out to the Soft Belly team and his fellow cast member for their endless patience and encouragement.

Meredith Nelson
Director
Meredith is an actor, director, and educator originally from Denver, Colorado. She received her undergraduate degree from The University of Evansville and is thrilled to be pursuing her master's with CWRU/Cleveland Playhouse. Some favorite roles she's played include Librarian in Middletown, Prospera in The Tempest, and Julie in Miss Julie. She is also the co-founder and co-artistic director of Soft Belly Theatre: a local Cleveland theatre company dedicated to producing accessible, courageous work with an open mind and a soft belly.

Nathan Patrick Nelson
Musical Direction
Nathan Patrick Nelson is an actor, musician, and educator based in Northeast Ohio. He is the co-founder of Soft Belly Theatre. Previous musical direction credits include: Jackie Theoharis' Quarter Life Crisis at Don't Tell Mama's in NYC, tick...tick...BOOM!, where he also played the role of Jon, [title of show] at the Modern Theatre in Spokane, Mr. Burns, a Post-Electric Play at Gonzaga University, and Troilus and Cressida (original music and orchestrations by Nathan Patrick Nelson) in association with Sara Romersberger at SMU. MFA: The New School of Drama, BA: Gonzaga University.

Joshua Bodziony
Stage Management
Joshua is a versatile artist and dedicated community builder from Northeast Ohio, currently residing in the Cleveland area. Passionate about fostering talent and enriching cultural landscapes, his work spans various disciplines, including public space development, community inclusion, and event coordination. Additionally, Joshua is a theatre performer, professional beatboxer and karaoke enthusiast.

A special thanks to the following individuals for helping make our Soft Belly mission a reality
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Chuck and Judy Kerkhove
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Charles and Patricia Nelson
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Cathy and Chip Kerkhove
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Doug and Laura Ham
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The Cleveland Playhouse
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Donald Carrier
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Case Western Reserve University
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Michael Martinek
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The Academy Tavern on Larchmere