MJTC to Stage THE LAST FIVE YEARS, 2/8-3/2

Minnesota Jewish Theatre Company will introduce the winter weekend production, The Last Five Years. This intimate musical will open February 8 and run through March 2, 2014.

The Last Five Years tells the story of two urban, aspiring artists who dive into a relationship fueled by youthful optimism. It chronologically follows Jamie, a Jewish writer, and Cathy, a gentile actress, she telling her story backward, and he telling his story moving forward. Funny and honest, the work examines a relationship where professional and personal passions collide and bring piercing and unexpected challenges.

The Last Five Years is directed by Kevin Dutcher. Kevin has a long history with MJTC, having appeared in Old Wicked Songs (1997, 1998) and Parade (2008). He was musical director for the sold-out hit My Mother's Lesbian Jewish Wiccan Wedding, Chutzpah á go-go, and The Odd Potato, and has directed and/or music directed 80+ productions in the Twin Cities as well as acted in 40 more. He was one of the hosts of the BBC television series Look Ahead, and has been seen locally in 50+ commercials. He combines his passions for theater, music and teaching by directing plays for the Spring Lake Park and Fridley school districts, and teaching music at Horace Mann Elementary in St Paul. Kevin was the music director for the MN Twins for 11 years, providing the soundtrack to 6 division-winning seasons.

The Last Five Years will feature Matthew Rein and Sarah Shervey. Matthew was previously seen at MJTC as David in My Mother's Lesbian Jewish Wiccan Wedding, as well as in Compulsion or the House Behind and The Triangle Factory Fire Project. Most recently, he appeared with Theater Latté Da in All is Calm. Other credits include Theater Latté Da (Company, Song of Extinction), Children's Theatre Company (Five Fingers of Funk, Romeo and Juliet), Gremlin Theatre (Orson's Shadow, The Water Engine), The Phoenix Theater Project (Proof, Art), as well as Park Square Theatre, Illusion Theater, Mu Performing Arts, Walking Shadow, Teatro del Pueblo, The Tennessee Williams Festival Provincetown, MA and The Court Theatre in Christchurch, New Zealand. Sarah will make her debut with MJTC. She is a recent graduate of the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse with degrees in Music Theatre and Music Education. Favorite credits include Footloose (Ariel Moore), Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (Christine Colgate), and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (Narrator).

The Last Five Years will play on weekends from February 8 through March 2, 2014.

Minnesota Jewish Theatre Company is a non-profit organization now in its 19th year of presenting professional productions rooted in the Jewish experience and illuminating the common humanity among us all. The audience for MJTC is almost equally divided between Jews and non-Jews. For further information about MJTC, call 651-647-4315 or visit our website at www.mnjewishtheatre.org; or join our facebook family at http://www.facebook.com/MinnesotaJewishTheatreCompany or follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/MNJewishTheatre.