Interview: Angie Kane Ferrante of THE LAST FIVE YEARS at Tipping Point Theatre Says It's An Unapologetic Tale of Love & Choices

Tipping Point Theatre is bringing The Last Five Years to life from January 26th to March 3rd in Northville. Jason Robert Brown's emotional and unconventional musical is the intimate telling of relationship of a young couple from beginning to end that weaves all their endearing qualities and flaws in a way that leaves audiences constructing their own opinions on where the relationship went wrong. The audience witnesses Jamie (played by Nick Yocum) and Cathy (played by Angie Kane Ferrante) be human and experience human emotions filled with love, anger, defeat, sadness, opinions, defiance, hope, and more - all told through song. BroadwayWorld Detroit had a chance to speak with Angie Kane Ferrante about her love of theatre, why The Last Five Years is so special, and it what is like to be returning to role of Cathy again. Check out what she had to say below!

BroadwayWorld Detroit: Can you give our readers a brief background of yourself and then your theatre career as an introduction?

Angie Kane Ferrante: My love of theatre began at a very young age, but I didn't really get into it until high school. I pursued acting in college and graduated with a B.F.A. in Theatre from Wayne State University in 2007. I didn't limit myself to acting, however. I directed, stage managed, produced, choreographed, and even worked in the costume shop during my time at Wayne. From there, I went on to direct the Roosevelt High School theatre program in Wyandotte for four years. This was really where my passion for theatre as a career was fueled. I started the AKT Theatre Project in Wyandotte, MI in 2009 where I quickly became a producer, director, choreographer, technical director, PR person, and designer of nearly every element except lights. I had the wonderful Harley Miah with me the whole way. Near the end of the years with AKT, I received a scholarship into a class at The Purple Rose Theatre Company through BoxFest Detroit, a women's directing festival. I walked into those doors and I never left. I have found an artistic home there, where I get to stage manage, direct, do movement and voice work, teach, and occasionally stretch my acting muscles. Then just a few years ago, I was introduced to James Kuhl and was introduced to the wonderful work of Tipping Point Theatre. It's my third year working with the company, but my first as an actor and I couldn't be more excited!

BWW Detroit: How would you describe The Last Five Years in your own words?

Angie Kane Ferrante: It's the story of the ups and downs of a five-year relationship told through exciting and heartbreaking music.

BWW Detroit: What makes Tipping Point's production of The Last Five Years special?

Angie Kane Ferrante: Oh gosh. The combining of different people to create a show is like chemistry. The elements (people) of the TPT collaboration have never been put together before, and the behavior and changes we go through will be completely and wonderfully unique.

BWW Detroit: Did you do any special preparation for your role? Do you have special pre-show rituals that you do?

Angie Kane Ferrante: Lots and lots of singing!! And some basic dramaturgical research about New York City and other references in the script. I physically and vocally warm up before every rehearsal or performance. During that time, I start to get my head and my heart where it needs to be for this story. It's a bit like meditation, I suppose. That's my main ritual and it's really important. We do like to play tape-ball as a group.

BWW Detroit: How would you describe your character, Cathy?

Angie Kane Ferrante: Cathy is a passionate, driven, woman. She has big dreams in a business and, as it turns out, a relationship that doesn't need her.

BWW Detroit: Do you see any similarities between Cathy and yourself?

Angie Kane Ferrante: There are a lot of similarities between Cathy and myself. We're in the same business. We fall super hard in love. And we have some difficulty being on time. There are plenty of circumstances and details about this story that relate directly to my life and others that don't.

BWW Detroit: What is it like being in show such as The Last Five Years? There is nothing else to compare it to being that it is an unconventional musical with two people practically on stage the entire time. What is this experience like compared to your other theatrical endeavors?

Angie Kane Ferrante: It isn't just the fact that there are only two of us that makes is different. Although the band is very much a living breathing part of the story. Jamie and Cathy are on different time lines, so are we really ever in the same space? It's an interesting idea to serve as we rehearse, and it often leaves you feeling like you're the only one out there. The moment we lock eyes though, everything changes. There's no dialogue between us, only music. There's a lot of blanks to fill in where word would be. It's quite a journey.

BWW Detroit: Do you have a favorite moment, line, or song in the show? Why?

Angie Kane Ferrante: Oh man. Most of my favorite lines are Jamie's. Jason Robert Brown really tugs at your heartstrings. I think one of lines that has always resonated with me is, "we build a tree house, I keep it from breaking. Little more glue every time that it breaks. Perfectly balanced and then I start making conscious, deliberate mistakes." In this particular show though, there is a moment Nick Yocum looks at me and does this thing with his eyebrows and it makes me laugh every time. He has no idea, either. I haven't told him...

BWW Detroit: You've played Cathy before, what is it like returning to a role after all this time?

Angie Kane Ferrante: It's incredible. Terrifying, but incredible. It was almost ten years ago. I have grown so much since then. My life has gone through changes I never could have imagined. My life began to mirror this story...and I am walking into this with so much more experience than I had last time. That production and the people in it helped shape me as a person, and they will always have a corner of my heart.

BWW Detroit: If given the chance to see something else in the area or The Last Five Years, why should people come see your show? Pitch me your show.

Angie Kane Ferrante: Without being an actor in this show I can say I LOVE THIS SHOW. The Last Five Years is an unapologetic tale of love and choices we make to move ourselves forward. The Tipping Point production is in an intimate setting where you get to be right there. You'll feel like the friend who gets to listen about the exciting first date, and go on the journey with us.

The Last Five Years opens January 26th and runs through March 3rd at the Tipping Point Theatre in Northville. For more information and tickets, call 248-347-0003 or visit www.TippingPointTheatre.com.

Connect with Tipping Point Theatre on Twitter at @TPTNorthville, on Instagram at @tippingpointtheatre, and on facebook.com/tippingpointtheatre.

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