The Last Five Years

carthage music department presents

The Last Five Years Book, Music, and Lyrics by

Jason Robert Brown Directed by

Rogelio A. Castro ‘22

January 27-9, 20 | 7:30 p.m. | Recital Hall

musical numbers Still Hurting.................................................................................................................Cathy Shiksa Goddess............................................................................................................Jamie See I’m Smiling...........................................................................................................Cathy Moving Too Fast...........................................................................................................Jamie I’m Apart Of That........................................................................................................Cathy The Schmuel................................................................................................................Jamie A Summer In Ohio......................................................................................................Jamie The Next Ten Minutes.................................................................................. Cathy & Jamie A Miracle Would Happen............................................................................................Jamie Climbing Uphill...........................................................................................................Cathy If I Didn’t Believe In You............................................................................................Jamie I Can Do Better Than That.........................................................................................Cathy Nobody Needs To Know..............................................................................................Jamie Goodbye Until Tomorrow/I Could Never Rescue You............................... Cathy & Jamie

linear timeline

cast biographies Tyler Meyer (Jamie Wellerstien) is a Senior Musical Theater & Marketing double major. Tyler’s previous credits on the Wartburg Mainstage include FLORA THE RED MENACE (Runner/Ensemble) and PUFFS (Oliver) both directed by Dr. Neil Scharnick, as well as KISS ME KATE! (Bill Calhoun) directed by Martin McClendon and WOMEN ON THE VERGE (Ambite/Ensemble) directed by Herschel Kruger. Tyler has also previously appeared in numerous Musical Theater Workshops at Carthage College. These credits include RIDE THE CYCLONE (Noel Gruber), SWEET CHARITY (Oscar Linguist) and MY REAL MOTHER (Liam) directed by Magdalene Spanuello and SHE LOVES ME (Steven Kodaly) and SISTER ACT (Joey) directed by Thomas Novak. Tyler would like to thank the entire cast and creative team, but most specifically Rogelio Castro for his incredible work, dedication, and belief through out this

cast biographies amazing collaborative process. “What’s great about collaborating is getting to work with wonderful people. That’s what theatre is about: other people getting you to give your best, and getting everyone else’s best out of them.” -Jason Robert Brown Lauren Hammes (Cathy Hiatt) is a junior music major here at Carthage, and is absolutely thrilled to be a part of Carthage Music Theatre Workshop’s The Last Five Years! Lauren was most recently seen as Sue in Carthage College’s directing scenes production of Phoenix. Past roles include Mary Poppins (Mary Poppins), The Beggar Woman (Sweeney Todd), Anna (The King and I), Scuttle (The Little Mermaid) June and the understudy for Roxie Hart (Chicago), and Sandy (Grease). Lauren would like to thank Rogelio Castro for casting her in this role and allowing her to work with such an amazing cast and crew. She would also like to thank her parents and her sister for always supporting her and encouraging her to do what she loves. She hopes you enjoy the show!

director’s note “The Last Five Years” is not only one of my favorite musicals, it also holds a special place in my heart. At the age of five, my parents got divorced and from what I can remember it was filled with anger, resentment, and chaos. Within this time of my life I thought that I had some responsibility as to why my parents’ marriage didn’t work and I hoped that one day they would find their way back to each other.

However, when I saw the show for the first time I saw so much of my parents in these characters and I came to two realizations. One, that I had no part to play in my parents divorce. It had more to do with the choices they made and the situations they found themselves in. Two, that even though I have vivid memories of my parents being together, at some point in time they did love each other and no matter how much they resent one another now, I know they cared for each other. As Jason Robert Brown once said about the relationship between Cathy and Jamie, “they made some mistakes, but they believed that loving each other was going to fix any problem that came along. It didn’t, it doesn’t. That doesn’t mean they shouldn’t have tried.” Tonight as you watch our interpretation of the story, I hope you come to see that sometimes we have a tendency as humans to only see the negative in previous relationships (family, friend, or romantic) that have caused us pain. However, once we have taken the time to separate ourselves from the experience and reflect on it, we can see how it has made us a better person and a stronger one as well.

I want to thank a few people tonight. I want to start off by thanking my production team Chloe, Sam, Lane, and Yu-Mei for coming along with me on this crazy adventure I call my thesis and for helping to bring my vision to life. I couldn’t have done it without all of your dedication, passion, and hard work. Tonight I would also like to thank my actors Lauren and Tyler. Thank you for choosing to be a part of this story that means so much to me and thank you for trusting me one hundred percent throughout this entire process. You both will forever and always will be my Cathy and Jamie.

- Rogelio Castro

production team Director.........................................................................................................Rogelio Castro Stage Manager.................................................................................................. Chloe Hilby Assistant Stage Manager................................................................................. Sam Werner Diversity Equity and Inclusion Coordinator........................................... Lane Breimhorst Music Director/Accompanist....................................................................... Yu-Mei Chang

upcoming events Little Women Feb. 3-5 • 7:30 p.m.

VPAL • Tickets required V Crushable Feb. 8 - March 11 Opening Reception: Thursday, Feb. 10 • 3:30-6:30 p.m.

H. F. Johnson Gallery of Art Student Recital: Chloe Hilby Monday, Feb. 14 • 7:30 p.m.

Recital Hall • Tickets required Student Recital: Caroline Lilly Tuesday, Feb. 15 • 7:30 p.m.

A. F. Siebert Chapel • Tickets required Student Recital: Alecia Cory Friday, Feb. 18 • 7:30 p.m.

Recital Hall • Tickets required Fine Arts at Carthage acknowledges that the land on which our building stands is part of the traditional Potawatomi, Sioux, Peoria, Kickapoo, and Miami peoples past, present, and future. These homelands reside along the southwest shores of Michigami, North America’s largest system of freshwater lakes. We honor with gratitude the land itself, and the people who have stewarded it throughout the generations. Many Indigenous peoples thrive in this place—alive and strong, and this calls us to commit to continuing to learn how to be better stewards of the land we inhabit as well.

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Get tickets 24/7 at carthage.edu/tickets or 262-551-6661 noon to 5 p.m. Tuesday – Friday