By Joel Applegate
The Last Five Years is a musical meditation on love and disappointment. It begins at the end and it took me down two diverging rails. I hope for reconciliation by the time the last word is written. That’s because the music soars – and so do the performances – but it took me to some thorny places.
This musical is a love story, naturally – an operetta firing on all cylinders that takes an economical 80 minutes to play out. The play is double cast, and after one viewing, you’ll understand why. It is a grueling operetta for one man and one woman. Performing the night I saw it were Tia Galantis as Cathy and Taylor J. Smith as Jamie, employing surety and magnificent voices with an obvious chemistry flowing between them. The other cast features Smith’s twin brother, Austin John Smith in Taylor’s role and Sara Kae Childs as Cathy. As performing partners, they are interchangeable depending on the night you go. And you should go.
You get a live orchestra, precise in its fulsome sound, tightly conducted by Alex Marshall, musical director. They make their way through a fascinating cycle of 14 songs. I wasn’t sure whether the actors were miked at first because the sound was so well modulated for the black box Babcock Theatre. Turns out they are miked, but in that space it doesn’t sound like they need to be – which I think is a testament to the excellent sound design by Jennifer Jackson.
You also get a set designed by Kevin Dudley that was curiously soothing. It consists of blue-green translucent panels flown from the ceiling, metal scaffolding and a switchback staircase standing against the back wall, behind which the live orchestra played. Time and place were easily evoked by the actors themselves and a crew of impressively nimble stage hands dressed in black. I can also apply nimble to Denny Berry’s direction. When you have a two-person script, it’s a challenge to make sure the actors don’t fall into inertia. I never once wondered why an actor was placed where he or she was. Movement was all logically organic.
But most of all you get two actors at the top of their game – and in excellent voice. Together they spin out the five-year arch of their relationship with each other and with their careers. They are on divergent paths from the beginning. Cathy is an actor often touring during the summer and Jamie is a writer whose career takes off with a successful bestseller. Jamie pursues his career and friends, leaving his wife alone a lot. He is focused on himself, not the bond into which he entered.
There is some strong language here, but it’s a story for grown-ups anyway. A story with equal shares of humor and hurt. It’s not all anger. There are lots of funny moments. Cathy on touring in Ohio: “A root canal in Hell.” Jamie on infidelity: “Resisting temptation is not a problem, it’s a challenge.” Cathy on the angst of auditioning: “Why does the pianist hate me?”
Ms. Galantis and Mr. Smith had ample opportunity to show off their comic chops, but let’s get to the good part: their singing. Galantis has a voice like a bell – powerful, easy, clear. Her singing is versatile, almost conversational. She hits the top of her range effortlessly. I muttered “wow” more than a few times at Tia’s breath control and the soaring ease of her top notes and at how easily she turns the notes in her head. She’s really using her voice – breaks and all – to tell a painful story. I’m pushed to happy and pulled to sad by great music that accompanies disintegrating lovers. I sympathized with Cathy’s hurt. It’s tough to be in the shadow of your partner or spouse; the perennial second priority.
Jamie’s frustrated too, being pulled in the direction of home while his career is taking off. “I will not fail so you can feel comfortable.” Smith brings it with a big tenor. He’s real good, with comic timing that had the audience spontaneously laughing out loud, totally charming them with his sheer relish of performance. Taylor must have some range as an actor. Among his credits in the program is a turn as the Nurse in Romeo and Juliet(!) Here, though, both he and Galantis handle a very complex, demanding and beautiful score that requires a high level of skill. They’ve accomplished a wonderful feat making copious lyrics tunefully heard and so achingly understood.
As the show nears its close, a violinist arcs a tune over the back of the set. Our couple shares a slow waltz. It made me think dancing is sex idealized. (Spoiler alert next) But what was ideal ends in poignant still life: Jamie’s gold ring on Cathy’s white laptop. Sharp thorns rounded by a melody.
Postscript:
In the lobby before the show I was lucky to meet and chat with one of the original founders of Salt Lake Shakespeare Company. Gage Williams is the executive producer for this show and Chair of the department. It was he and other theatre faculty that started the company as an offshoot of the U of U’s theatre program 20 years ago. At first they mounted only one production a year. The last few seasons have seen them expand to two productions in the summertime; usually a drama and a comedy or musical. They draw their actors from university students and occasionally have guest professionals, as will be the case for their second production this season, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, opening July 17th. All performers are paid. “Not much” demurs Mr. Williams, but it’s a blessing to have resources enough to do the right thing. Salt Lake “Shake” is also supported by the Sorenson Legacy Foundation and grants from the Zoo Arts and Parks (ZAP) program.
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The Last Five Years
Written and Composed by Jason Robert Brown
Salt Lake Shakespeare Company at the Babcock Theatre, University of Utah
300 South 1400 East, SLC 84112
June 13 – 29, 2014 at 7:30 pm on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday
Matinees June 21, 22, 28, & 29 at 2:00 PM
Box Office 801-581-7100
General: $18
U of U Faculty, Staff, Seniors age 60 and over: $15
Military and their immediate families: $15
U of U students FREE with Arts Pass
Other students: $8.50
For group discounts of 20 or more call 801-581-6406
No refunds or exchanges
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