Falling In and Out of Love at the Same Time

I have been excited for months to see Pit & Balcony Theatre’s latest production of The Last Five Years and was happy to have been invited. It is an emotional, layered look at the rise and fall of a relationship in a simple format with a complex plot. The story follows Cathy and Jamie as they fall in love, grow apart, and struggle with feelings of ambition, insecurity, betrayal, and not being on the same path in life. The structure of the musical is interesting because Cathy tells the story backward from the end of the marriage, while Jamie tells it forward from the beginning. While the story is more intimate and character-focused than most musicals, it feels very relatable and heartbreaking.

The performance I attended featured Spencer Beyerlein and Danessa Hellus in the lead roles. Hellus gave an especially powerful performance as Cathy. Her singing was very emotional and moving, and there were multiple moments that made me tear up. She did a great job showing vulnerability, frustration, and passion throughout the show, and her acting made the moments feel very real. Her performance carried a lot of the emotional weight of the production and stayed with me after the show ended.

Beyerlein also gave a very strong performance as Jamie. He brought confidence and charm to the role and made the character feel believable and layered. His acting and vocals worked well together to show both Jamie’s giddiness of falling in love, excitement and stress about success, and also the straining, growing distance in his relationship with Cathy. Beyerlein and Hellus together had convincing chemistry that helped carry the deep tension of the story.

One of the most interesting parts of the musical was the music itself. The score uses unusual chords, shifting rhythms, and dissonance instead of simple musical theater melodies. At times, the music feels unresolved or uncomfortable, which fits the emotional strain between the characters. The music and performances made the show feel intimate and quite raw, especially in the smaller theater setting. I also really enjoyed the lighting, sometimes shifting to red in heated or complicated moments. The set was built in a way that moved the characters around, moving your eyes all over the set, which I think is a brilliant way to keep the flow and pace of the play driving forward.

Another unique part of the production was the rotating cast format, with four performers alternating the two lead roles throughout the run. Even though I only attended one performance and cannot compare the different pairings, the idea makes the production feel fresh and gives audiences a reason to return. Overall, Pit and Balcony delivered an emotional and thoughtful production that explored many of life’s struggles along with beautiful moments worth living for.