Director: Hugo Trebels

Assistant Director: Jamie Seaton

Musical Director: Lesley Olivia van Egmond

Performance dates: Sept 17,2024 to Sept 20, 2024.

Open Auditions (all are welcome to attend).

Audition dates: May 19 and May 26, 2024 at the Stables Theatre, Hastings. Auditions will start at 10am.

10am till 1pm – first auditions

2pm onwards – further first auditions and call backs (May 19 only)

We will send you a Calendly link for you to book your slot. A separate recall may be booked in for chemistry testing.

Rehearsal dates: Mainly Tuesday and Thursday evenings 7pm to 9.30pm. There will be a couple of Mondays instead of Tuesdays and please expect a couple of Sunday rehearsals. Start date TBC

Production week – cast call time will be at 6.00pm on performance days (1pm for the matinee performance). There will be a company warm up which is compulsory, and we will strictly adhere to ‘the half’. Please bear this in mind when you audition.

Synopsis

A contemporary song-cycle musical that ingeniously chronicles the five year life of a marriage, from meeting to break-up… or from break-up to meeting, depending on how you look at it. Written by Jason Robert Brown (Parade, Songs For A New World), The Last Five Years is an intensely personal look at the relationship between a writer and an actress told from both points of view.

The story explores a five-year relationship between Jamie and Cathy. Cathy’s story is told in reverse chronological order (beginning the show at the end of the marriage), and Jamie’s is told in chronological order (starting just after the couple have first met). The characters do not directly interact except for a wedding song in the middle as their timelines intersect.

Jamie Wellerstein

Male, tenor. Jamie is a talented, charming, and rising novelist. He’s ambitious and enthusiastic, experiencing a growing success in his career. Jamie’s part is written for a Tenor. His vocal range in the musical extends from A2 (A below middle C) to Bb4. Jamie’s songs demand a good upper range, with a mix of lyrical and powerful moments.

Cathy Hyatt

Female, mezzo soprano. Cathy is a struggling actress, characterized by her emotional depth and vulnerability. She deals with professional rejections, the complexities of love, and the challenges of being in a relationship with a rising star. Cathy’s part is written for a Mezzo-Soprano. Her vocal range typically extends from about G3 (G below middle C) to D5 or Eb5. The character’s songs require a strong mix/belt voice as they often sit in the middle of the Mezzo range with occasional higher belts.

Music: You will be required to sing 2 songs for the auditions.

1. Please bring a song from any musical with you on the day. You will need to supply sheet music unless you are happy to sing a cappella. Please choose something that fits the style of this show and shows off your voice/range to the best of its abilities. No longer than two minutes please.

2. We would like you to sing one contrasting song from The Last Five Years. Sheet music and backing track for a 2 minute cut will be provided for you to learn. Please note, you will be accompanied on piano rather than using the backing track.

Cathy: I Can Do Better Than That or Still Hurting

Jamie: Nobody Needs To Know or Moving Too Fast

Please contact Hugo – htrebels@aol.com to register your interest in auditioning and to obtain audition materials.

This is a sung through musical without an interval.