Lauren Samuels, fresh from her West End success as Sandy in GREASE – THE MUSICAL, and widely known from her success as a finalist in BBC’s ‘Over The Rainbow’ will star in a new production of THE LAST FIVE YEARS at the Tabard Theatre, Chiswick from Wednesday 9 February to Saturday 5 March. (Press night: Friday 11 February).

In his personal and intimate musical, THE LAST FIVE YEARS, Jason Robert Brown takes the conventions of musical theatre and sends them spinning into the 21st century. The contemporary story explores a five-year relationship between Jamie and Cathy a rising novelist, and a struggling actress, falling in and out of love. It is told from two angles: Cathy’s story travels backwards in time, from the end of their marriage to when they first met, and Jamie’s story traces the relationship from the beginning to its sad conclusion. The music combines classic Broadway with funk and rock, an emotional and often comical story that has won a loyal following around the world.
 
Jason Robert Brown  (Writer and Composer) has been hailed as one of Broadway’s smartest and most sophisticated songwriters since Stephen Sondheim.  Jason won a 1999 Tony Award for his score to Parade and a Drama Desk award for outstanding music and lyrics for The Last Five Years in 2002

Starring Lauren Samuels (Cathy) and Christopher Pym (Jamie). In 2010 Lauren was a contestant on BBC televisions ‘Over the Rainbow’: a talent contest to find an actress to play Dorothy in a West End revival of THE WIZARD OF OZ. She made it through to the final, where she ultimately came third.  In January 2011 she will finish a very successful West End debut playing Sandy in GREASE, THE MUSICAL at the Piccadilly Theatre.   Rising musical theatre actor Christopher Pym’s credits include Seymour in THE LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS, Guy in Howard Goodall´s GIRLFRIENDS, Herb Lee in MY FAVOURITE YEAR and Michael in I DO! I DO!

The creative team for the new staging of this award winning musical is led by director Drew Baker who has directed OUR HOUSE for HQ Theatres, BEAUTY AND THE BEAST at the White Rock Theatre; SONGS FOR A NEW WORLD at the New Players Theatre, London and OKLAHOMA at the Riverfront Theatre. Lee Freeman (Musical Direction) credits include CHAT! THE INTERNET musical at Jermyn Street Theatre and Edinburgh Fringe Festival; SPEED DATING: THE MUSICAL at Upstairs at the Gatehouse; ‘Bent’, at Landor Theatre and Tabard Theatre; Colin Mayes is the shows Designer.
 
THE LAST FIVE YEARS debuted at Northlight Theatre in Skokie, Illinois in 2001, and opened off-Broadway in 2002. The production won the Drama Desk Awards for outstanding music & lyrics as well as receiving Drama Desk nominations for Outstanding Musical, Outstanding Actor, Outstanding Actress, Outstanding Orchestrations, and Outstanding Set Design. It also received the Lucille Lortel nomination for Outstanding Musical and Outstanding Actor, and the Outer Critics Circle Award nomination for Outstanding Off-Broadway Musical The show has since been produced around the world and received its UK premiere at the Menier Chocolate Factory in 2006. In 2008 and in 2009 Julie Atherton and Paul Spicer starred in another successful production of the show in the West End.