“The Last Five Years” MILWAUKEE

***** I am never sure about heading up to the north for some of you, but will tell you that Milwaukee has an amazing theater scene. Besides having all the national tours ( usually at a lower ticket price), they have one particular cabaret theater that does powerful stuff. It is called The Stackner Cabaret and is part of Milwaukee Rep. If you read about our Staycation, you will see that this particular show was the one that we were in town to see and I must tell you, it was WORTH THE TRIP, even if we had to drive home after.

For some reason, I had never heard of or seen this two person musical story that was one of the ten best shows in 2001 (Time Magazine). The story is filled with the powerful music of Jason Robert Brown and has two players ( they also play piano and guitars) as the tell the story that delivers all types and styles of ballads depicting the falling in love of two twenty southings and the five years where they fall in love, out of love and just keep on trying.

Brown’s music is haunting, funny ( the second song “Shiksa Goddess” is hysterical, and you don’t have to be Jewish to love it and laugh This is a cabaret performance, so only the two stars, Asher Muldoon as Jamie and Grace Bobber as Cathy do the singing, story-telling and play the other instruments. The background musician , Scott Cook is there and his bass truly adds to the beauty of the score and the performance art that this is. Under the direction of Kelly Faulkner, who has kept it simple stupid ( a phrase that is used to describe something that is easy to follow and stay with) the audience finds themselves seeing the changes in these two people several times and the minimal costume s ( Nicholas Hartman), lighting (Maaz Ahmed) and sound (Stefanie Senior) gets it done to perfection. I for one, would return and see again. I was mesmerized by the performance of Muldoon and fell in love with Bobber, who I have seen perform in Chicago area theaters, but never with the emotion she brings to Cathy.

“The Last Five Years” will continue in The Stackner Cabaret at Milwaukee Re located at 108 E. Wells Street thru  May 18th with performances as follows:

Tuesdays         7:30 p .m

Wednesdays  7:30 p.m.

Thursdays      7:30 p.m.

Fridays          7:30 p.m.

Saturday      3 p.m. and 8 p.m.

Sundays       2 p.m. and 7 p.m. ( except 4/20,5/11 and 5/18)

Tickets are available by calling 414-224-9490 or online at www.milwaukeerep.com

The Stackner has great sacks and a wonderful drink menu- so make a night out and have a great time.