The new recording of The Last Five Years, which will be recorded May 22, will be produced by Brown, with Kurt Deutsch and Stacey Mindich serving as executive producers. The 2002 original cast recording of The Last Five Years – the label's first cast album – remains one of the label's best-selling titles.
The Last Five Years was originally scheduled through April 21. Previews began March 7, prior to an official opening April 2, at Second Stage's Tony Kiser Theatre.
The production, which proved to be a fan favorite, broke box-office records for Second Stage Theatre and ranks among the longest-running productions in the company's 34-year history.
Composer, lyricist and book writer Brown directed his semi-autobiographical work that stars Wolfe — straight from the acclaimed Broadway revival of The Mystery of Edwin Drood — as struggling actress Cathy Hyatt, who falls in love with on-the-rise Jewish novelist Jamie Wellerstein, played by Kantor, the final Mark in Broadway's Tony and Pulitzer-winning Rent.
On directing the piece, Brown previously told Playbill.com, "It wasn't my idea, initially. A producer wanted to produce a revival on Broadway if I directed it, because he knew I had a very specific take on the show. After years trying to pull together a Broadway production with the casting nonsense required, I finally decided I didn’t want to wait for an Anne Hathaway and a Jake Gyllenhaal, so I came to Second Stage. This is a show that many people love, but almost none have actually seen — at least not with my vision and the kind of amazing cast you can find in New York. It was time." This is the first New York City production of the popular property (500 regional productions and 3,000 performances around the world) in 11 years. Although Brown said that bits and pieces of the work have been updated throughout the years, The Last Five Years does not take place in 2013; the piece stays true to its original incarnation, which premiered in Chicago in 2001 and was later produced Off-Broadway — starring Sherie Rene Scott and Norbert Leo Butz — in 2002 at the Minetta Lane Theatre.
Click here to read the full interview with Brown, a Tony winner for his work on Parade.
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| Photo by Joan Marcus |
The revival featured scenic design by Derek McLane, costume design by Emily Rebholz, lighting design by Jeff Croiter and sound design by Jon Weston. The musical director isThomas Murray.
The original Off-Broadway production of The Last Five Years, directed by Daisy Prince, received the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Music and Outstanding Lyrics, and was nominated for five additional Drama Desk Awards, including Outstanding Musical. It was also nominated for the Outer Critics Circle Award and the Lortel Award for Outstanding Musical.
Brown also wrote music and lyrics for the musicals 13, Parade and Songs for a New World. His upcoming musical projects include the Broadway-bound new work Honeymoon in Vegas, a musical adaptation of the 1992 film that was written with Andrew Bergman and will premiere at New Jersey's Paper Mill Playhouse, and The Bridges of Madison County, a musical adapted with Marsha Norman from the best-selling novel.
Ghostlight Records is also producing a feature film based on the show directed by Richard LaGravenese and starring Anna Kendrick and Jeremy Jordan. Read more about the film adaptation here. In addition, the label has preserved both the Broadway and London cast recordings of Brown's 13 – The Musical, as well as his solo album "Wearing Someone Else's Clothes."
Second Stage's Tony Kiser Theatre is located at 305 W. 43rd Street. For more information, visit 2ST.com.
