Love and romance—whether budding, persisting, or waning—are at the heart of human art, and theatre is the medium for some of the most memorable depictions of these themes. And while at times these themes can become a bit cliché, innovations in theatrical form help breathe fresh life into these tales as old as time. Such is the case with River & Rail’s 2026-27 season opener The Last Five Years, a 2001 musical by Jason Robert Brown that was inspired by his own failed marriage. This musical reimagines the theme of lost love through a cross-temporal narrative–playing the love story forward and backward simultaneously for a striking portrayal of joy, jealousy, tenderness, and heartbreak through quirky, clever musical theatre melodies. Director Ethan Graham Roeder has crafted a beautiful, intimate, and visually absorbing production that marks a strong opening to River & Rail’s 2026-27 season.
The Last Five Years introduces us to Cathy Hiatt (Anna Catherine Smith) and Jamie Wellerstein (Francisco Negrón), a couple who have not survived the trials and tribulations of marriage (don’t worry, this is not a spoiler). The narrative unfolds in two contrasting chronologies: we follow Cathy from the painful end of their relationship back to its hopeful beginnings, while we follow Jamie from the beginning to the end. Each character’s experience of the relationship is portrayed individually; that is, Cathy and Jamie never interact on stage except for one moment: their wedding, which also features the two performers’ only duet.
This production maintains the characteristic rugged, industrial aesthetic of many of River & Rail’s other productions despite a relocation to their interim home at the Knoxville Botanical Gardens’ Carriage House as they continue preparing the East Magnolia Avenue location. Scenic designer Scott Baron hung an assortment of documents, from sheet music and playbills to handwritten notes displaying some of the more powerful lyrics from the musical’s songs, over the traverse stage, all suspended by a series of strings and clothespins; occasionally, the musical’s two performers would unpin photographs or papers from overhead, bridging the gap between the abstract set design and the semi-autobiographical nature of the musical. The banked seating on either side of the traverse stage contributes to the intimate setting. For a more intense experience, sit in the front row close to the stage; to be able to see as much of the production as possible, sit in the higher, rear rows.
One thing I absolutely love about River & Rail is their dedication to live music as a staple of their productions. The Last Five Years features a live band, with Brandon Coffer on the keys, Russ Fuquay on guitar and bass, and Ethan Sharp rounding out the low tones on cello. The musicians were as much a part of this production as the vocal performers are; they are positioned at the back of the traverse stage in full sight of the audience. During “Climbing Uphill/Audition Sequence,” the band becomes part of the on-stage audition. Coffer, Fuquay, and Sharp performed beautifully, and the live music adds an indelible richness and warmth to the production.
Smith as Cathy is the stronger of the two vocalists, and she excels in texturizing her voice for emotional impact; the pain, joy, jealousy, and curiosity are tangible in her vocal timbre, and she achieves these tonal shifts while maintaining volume and clarity. This is not to say that Negrón was not also a skilled vocalist, but I was more impressed by his stamina and breath control than anything. He climbed and jumped from many of the setpieces while singing, and not once did that impact his performance. However, Negrón did a bit more acting, particularly during “The Schmuel Song” where he mimed fictional characters from one of Jamie’s stories. Both vocalists were quite active on stage, having to rearrange four wooden crates stylized as cardboard boxes almost constantly throughout the production while singing, and both Smith and Negrón offered solid performances from beginning to end.
The Last Five Years runs until September 27 with performances on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 7:30pm and Sundays at 2:30pm. All performances are at the Knoxville Botanical Gardens’ Carriage House, located at 2649 Boyds Bridge Pike (look for the River & Rail sign at the entrance). Tickets are available online at https://www.simpletix.com/e/the-last-five-years-by-jason-robert-brown-tickets-278460.
