We are thrilled to announce that we will soon be heading into the studio soon to lay down tracks for a brand-new cast recording of The Last Five Years, created and directed by Jason Robert Brown and starring Adam Kantor and Betsy Wolfe.
To sign up for the album's pre-order waitlist, click here.
The beloved two-character musical, which has received more than 500 regional productions and 3,000 performances around the world, has broken box office records for Second Stage (where it is currently playing through May 18, 2013) and ranks among the longest-running productions in the company’s 34 year history.
The new recording of The Last Five Years will be produced by Jason Robert Brown with Kurt Deutsch and Stacey Mindich serving as executive producers. The 2002 original cast recording of The Last Five Years – our very first cast album – remains one of our best-selling titles. We are also producing a feature film based on the show directed by Richard LaGravenese and starring Anna Kendrick and Jeremy Jordan. In addition, we have released both the Broadway and London cast recordings of Brown’s 13 – The Musical, as well as his solo album Wearing Someone Else’s Clothes.
Did Sh-K-Boom win the lottery or something? Where are they getting the money to record all these new cast albums? I'm not complaining, I'm just curious.
Last Five Years, it's one of my favorite shows, but I'm super excited for Pippin and Marry Me a Little. And Dogfight is excellent. I'm so glad they recorded it.
Yes I know that, but not every revival gets a cast recording, especially one with a relatively recent recording. Often changes to the score/orchestrations are used as justification for a new recording, and as I am unable to see the production I was simply asking if there were any changes for this production.
I know I'm in the minority here, but I was just crazy about Adam Kantor's Jamie. It was the first time I've ever actually felt any sympathy for the character. I'm excited to have a recording of him in the role.
"I know now that theatre saved my life." - Susan Stroman
If you're in the minority then I'm right there with you. People talk about him doing too many riffs and all that but I thought it was perfect. I found him to be a better singer than NLB in that role.
"Pardon my prior Mcfee slip. I know how to spell her name. I just don't know how to type it." -Talulah
Clyde, a lot of my friends seem to think he's a cheap imitation of Norbert. I don't see it at all. I thought his story-telling in The Schmuel Song was astonishing. And his "Nobody Needs To Know" made me sympathize with him - not an easy task.
"I know now that theatre saved my life." - Susan Stroman
Very happy for the new cast, but when I was watching the show I couldn't help but wish I was watching Sherie and Norbert. They are still definitive Jamie and Cathy to me.
Some of the comments in this thread prove just why this revival was doomed from the get-go. The show has such a cult following that the only people accepted in the roles would be Scott and Butz. Not knocking those that have made the comments, just lamenting the fact that Wolfe and Kantor weren't given a fair shake by a chunk of the audience.
And for the record, I'm completely with iluvtheatertrash... I found Kantor to be fantastic in the role. I've seen the show numerous times at companies in and around Boston, and never really felt for Jamie the way I did at 2ST. If anything, I felt like Wolfe didn't quite match Kantor.
Some of the comments in this thread prove just why this revival was doomed from the get-go.
Doomed in what way? That a handful on posters on a theatre board didn't like it? I'd say that a revival that was extended three or four times, sold very well, and generated a cast recording was anything but doomed. I wouldn't for a second think that the small handful of comments made on this board represent the opinions of the vast majority that saw the production over 10 weeks.
"You travel alone because other people are only there to remind you how much that hook hurts that we all bit down on. Wait for that one day we can bite free and get back out there in space where we belong, sail back over water, over skies, into space, the hook finally out of our mouths and we wander back out there in space spawning to other planets never to return hurrah to earth and we'll look back and can't even see these lives here anymore. Only the taste of blood to remind us we ever existed. The earth is small. We're gone. We're dead. We're safe."
-John Guare, Landscape of the Body
When I got a call from Second Stage last month asking me how I liked the show they said that it would be released in July. Doesn't seem to be anything official though.
"Pardon my prior Mcfee slip. I know how to spell her name. I just don't know how to type it." -Talulah