ACT of Connecticut Reopens This Fall with The Last Five Years
ACT (A Contemporary Theatre) of Connecticut is thrilled to reopen this fall with The Last Five Years, a spellbinding, emotionally powerful and intimate musical. After being granted special permission to livestream this production, ACT patrons will have the option to either attend this production in-person or from the comfort of their own home.
Like most other not-for-profit regional theatres, ACT closed its doors in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. ACT’s leadership has worked closely and tirelessly with all agencies responsible for reopening in order to implement a comprehensive safety, health and return plan. We can’t wait to invite our patrons safely back to ACT after seven months of an “extended intermission”!
The Last Five Years is a modern 90-minute musical that has enraptured audiences around the world with its spellbinding and emotional score. This musical ingeniously chronicles the five-year relationship between two New Yorkers: Cathy, a struggling actress, played by Katie Diamond (Jersey Boys, The Pirate Queen), and Jamie, a budding novelist, played by Daniel C. Levine (Les Miz, The Rocky Horror Show, Jesus Christ Superstar). The Last Five Years is told through an unconventional structure in which Cathy tells her story in reverse-chronological order (beginning the show at the end of their marriage), while Jamie's is told in chronological order (starting just after the couple has met for the first time). With book, music and lyrics by Tony Award winner Jason Robert Brown (The Bridges of Madison County, Honeymoon in Vegas, 13), the musical was adapted into a film in 2014, starring Anna Kendrick and Jeremy Jordan. The Last Five Years will be music directed and conducted by ACT’s Resident Music Supervisor, Bryan Perri (Jagged Little Pill, Wicked and the upcoming Almost Famous). TIME Magazine named The Last Five Years one of the ten best shows of 2001.
“We could not be more excited to reopen ACT with this gem of a musical”, says Artistic Director, Daniel C. Levine. “The Last Five Years is a show that I have loved since it’s premier Off-Broadway in the early 2000’s. This is the perfect two-character musical for us to produce at this moment in time. The Last Five Years has one of the most poignant and exciting scores written in this century, and I cannot wait to share this show with our audiences.”
Katie Diamond, Executive Director adds, “We are so excited to welcome our patrons back to ACT this fall. We understand that some of our audience members may prefer to watch this production from their living room, and so we are thrilled to be able to offer this unique livestream opportunity. As we enter our 3rd season, we are so grateful to all who have supported us and look forward to welcoming new audiences to Ridgefield.”
The Last Five Years will be performed at ACT of Connecticut from October 28th through November 15th, with both limited in-person seating and livestream tickets available. Performance dates and times: Wednesdays at 7pm, Thursdays at 7pm, Fridays at 8pm, Saturdays at 2pm and 8pm, and Sundays at 2pm and 7pm. All ticketing for The Last Five Years will be handled by the ACT box office. Please call or email the box office: 475-215-5497 / boxoffice@actofct.org.
ACT’s comprehensive re-opening protocols include (but are not limited to) daily sanitization and cleaning of the building, virtual purchasing and e-ticketing procedures, limited seating capacity in the theatre and e-commerce concession ordering with in-seat delivery. For the safety of our guests, employees and community, ACT will provide hand sanitizer stations throughout and require that face masks be worn by all staff and audience members. Please visit our website for more information (actofct.org).