Review: THE LAST FIVE YEARS at Hudson Theatres Backstage

When Jason Robert Brown’s “The Last Five Years" first opened Off-Broadway in 2002, it wasn’t an obvious crowd-pleaser. With just two characters and a stylistic, non-linear structure to tell its doomed love story, it lacked the spectacle of larger, ensemble-driven musicals.

And yet, over time, its intimate storytelling and minimalist staging have made it a favorite within theater circles and a natural fit for smaller, regional productions, where it has thrived for more than two decades.

The 2014 film adaptation, starring Anna Kendrick and Jeremy Jordan, helped broaden its reach, while the 2025 Broadway revival featuring Nick Jonas and Adrienne Warren brought it back into the conversation. Oh, and there’s the 25th anniversary concert staging with Ben Platt and Rachel Zegler (including a one-night stop at the Hollywood Bowl April 3!), which is keeping the show’s momentum very much alive.

Yet, for all its high-profile turns, The Last Five Years has always been a two-hander that thrives in smaller spaces. 

That’s why I was excited to see the new, intimate staging of the show by LA theater newcomer Chalomot Productions. 

Under the direction of Aaron Byrnes, with music direction by Mike Walker and produced by Sharona Krinsky, the show stars Cat Rojo as the aspiring actress Cathy Hiatt and Sean Yves Lessard as the fast-rising novelist Jamie Wellerstein (understudies Corydon Melgoza and Sophia Konat rotate into the roles for select performances). 

It runs March 27 to April 12 at Hudson Theatres (in the 99-seat Backstage theater) on Santa Monica Boulevard. 

For those unfamiliar, The Last Five Years—reportedly inspired by Jason Robert Brown’s own failed marriage to actress Theresa O'Neill—tells the story of a doomed relationship from two opposing timelines: Jamie begins at the optimistic start, while Cathy starts at its jaded end. By the final scene, the two have effectively swapped places in time, their paths crossing only when their timelines converge at their wedding.

It’s a clever structure that allows the audience to experience both the rise and fall of a relationship simultaneously. One character is always hopeful, while the other is grieving. And then they switch.

For Chalomot, it’s an ambitious debut choice. With no ensemble to fill the stage and none of Broadway’s usual song-and-dance spectacle to distract, the spotlight narrows considerably. The two performers must carry everything.

And, for the most part, they do.

Lessard brings a magnetic stage presence and fitting swagger to his role, commanding the stage even when singing to an empty space (as the show’s structure requires, since the characters rarely interact directly). 

Rojo has a lovely voice and capably meets the musical demands of Cathy’s reverse downward spiral, though she didn't match Lessard's energy. Telling a story in reverse is no easy task, of course: It’s inherently disorienting—not just for the actor, but for the audience, who can’t really connect with her before fully understanding how and what she’s lost.  

I enjoyed the few minutes when the criss-crossing lovers finally came together on stage. Having a scene partner to play off of grounded both performances; after all, it’s inherently more compelling to watch two people interact than what can otherwise feel like dueling solo shows.

I found myself wishing the timelines could just…stay merged.

Except, of course, they can’t. The fleeting togetherness and subsequent separation are part of the show's design.

Byrnes’ staging leans into that separation, using multiple levels, lighting, and movement to keep the characters orbiting each other without fully connecting. One enters as the other exits; one rises while the other retreats. Occasionally, it seems like they’re sharing a moment—even when they're not—an effect that blurs the timeline into one hazy whole (much like memory itself).

As for the set design, there’s very little to speak of: a table and chair, a mattress on the floor, a few circular wall pieces with scribbled images marking the relationship’s milestones. The absence of a more defined visual world makes the timeline harder to follow, with nothing to anchor the show in a clear time or place. 

And while there isn’t a full orchestra, music director Mike Walker covers the score on keyboard, providing a welcome upgrade from backing tracks so often heard in smaller theaters.

Chalomot was founded by Sharona Krinsky, who has for more than a decade served as executive producer at Encore Theater Group in Torrance, a nonprofit theater company rooted in community productions. Encore’s large-scale musicals are known for their ambitious staging and youth-focused casts. 

Chalomot, by contrast, takes a more intimate approach—and a more professional one. Productions are paid under Los Angeles’ 99-Seat Equity agreement, a notable commitment in a city where many highly trained actors still work for free.

The name “Chalomot”—Hebrew for “dreams”—feels fitting. This production may not be flawless, but it marks a meaningful first for a company willing to take risks, invest in artists, and bring emotionally-driven theater to smaller spaces where stories like this can resonate most.

The Last Five Years runs March 27 through April 12 at Hudson Theatres (in the Hudson Backstage theater), 6539 Santa Monica Blvd. For more information about Chalomot Productions, go to chalomotproductions.com.