The Last 5 Years on its final weekend

One misty-eyed critic was overheard during press night to comment: "It is as near to perfection ­-- the singing, the music, the sets, the staging-- as I have ever seen." This weekend is your final chance to catch the limited run of Jason Robert Brown’s romantic musical The Last 5 Years, and see for yourself what they are talking about.

Audiences have left the Carlos P. Romulo Theater in awe at the stellar performances of Audie Gemora and Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo, both of whom are celebrating 25 years as theater professionals and for whom the production was mounted by Actor’s Actors Inc. The musical, which recounts the journey of a marriage on the rocks in cleverly written songs, is more than a "he said, she said" proposition. It takes two time frames and juxtaposes one against the other so that jewels of irony and truth surface in the contrasting moods. The wife tells her story backwards from day of breakup to first date and the husband tells it in reverse. It is a device that keeps the story fresh and surprising.

The Manila production of The Last 5 Years is done with special permission from the author who is a multi-awarded composer/writer. He is also considered the hottest writing talent practicing in the U.S. today. Actor’s Actors Inc., has assembled a top-notch dream team of artistic creators to lend a hand in the telling of this ingenious and moving story. Top fashion designers Joji Lloren and Marden Iglesias handle the costume design chores while Gino Gonzales, Manila’s most outstanding young set designer designed the set. John Batalla designed the lights and Philipp Espina the videography. Musical theater star Michael Williams lends his expertise as vocal coach and renowned classical guitarist Ruben Reyes of the UST Conservatory of Music is the musical director. Direction is by Bart Guingona.

Tickets are available at all Ticketworld outlets, telephone number 891-5610; through e-mail [email protected]; or through text 0918-9385253.