BWW Stage Mag THE LAST FIVE YEARS - Orillia Opera House Stage Mag

The OOH! Presents
Proudly produced in partnership with Mansfield Entertainment

THE LAST FIVE YEARS

Written and composed by JASON ROBERT BROWN

Originally Produced for the New York stage by Arielle Tepper and Marty Bell.
Originally Produced by Northlight Theatre. Chicago, IL 
THE LAST FIVE YEARS is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI. www.mtishows.com.
Recommended for ages 14+.
Production Advisory: This production contains mature subject matter and language. 


About the Show

The Last Five Years is an intimate, deeply moving musical that explores the rise and fall of a five-year relationship between Jamie, an ambitious novelist, and Cathy, a struggling actress. Told through a unique and captivating structure, Jamie narrates their story from the beginning to the end, while Cathy moves in reverse - from the heartbreak of their separation back to the excitement of their first spark. 

Featuring an emotionally rich score by Tony Award winning composer Jason Robert Brown, this contemporary musical is a raw, honest, and beautifully crafted portrait of love, ambition, and the moments that shape our lives. With its powerful music and inventive storytelling, The Last Five Years has become a modern classic, resonating with audiences around the world. 

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Cast

Robert Popoli
Jamie
Nicole Cann
Cathy

Creative Team

Joan Mansfield

Director, Producer (Mansfield Entertainment)

Ethan Rotenberg

Musical Director

Max Kane

Lighting Designer / Technical Supervisor

Kit Bauldry

Stage Manager

Susan Robinson

Assistant Stage Manager

Gemma Donn

Violin

Austin Chao

Cello

Michael Wong

Cello

Kim Ratcliffe

Guitar

Mike Ippolito

Bass

Emily Martin

Theatre Manager

Claude Labrecque

Technical Director

Jon Hutchinson

Audio Technician

Emma Ross

Client Services Coordinator

Nicole McMurdy

Audience Services Coordinator

Meet the Company

Robert Popoli

Jamie
Robert Popoli - Jamie

Robert Popoli is a Toronto based performer, music director and composer. He is a graduate of the Bachelor of Music Honors Performance (Voice) program at Western University. Robert’s TikTok and Instagram pages, Rob’s Rec Room (@robsrecroom), feature his “Pop Goes Musical Theatre” video series. Selected acting credits include Seymour in Little Shop of Horrors (TheatreTO); Luigi Gaudi in Lucky Stiff, Mr. Christian/Mayor in Rock of Ages, Nikos/Elle’s Dad in Legally Blonde, (Stephenville Theatre Festival); George Bailey in It's A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play (Simcoe Street Theatre); Riff Raff in The Rocky Horror Show (The Historic Gayety); Cogsworth in Beauty and the Beast, Rooster in Annie, J. Finch & Others in Puffs (Canadian Premiere) (The LOT).

Nicole Cann

Cathy
Nicole Cann - Cathy

Nicole Cann is thrilled to step back into the shoes of ‘Cathy Hyatt’ in The Last Five Years. Reprising the character is a true pleasure and she is excited to bring life back into the role once more. Previous credits include RENT (Mimi), Next to Normal (Natalie), and You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown (Lucy). Nicole extends her deepest thanks to her wonderful fiancé for his unwavering love and support, and to her parents, whose constant presence in the audience and shared passion for live theatre continue to fuel her love of the stage. 

Joan Mansfield

Director, Producer (Mansfield Entertainment)
Joan Mansfield - Director, Producer (Mansfield Entertainment)

Hailing from Cape Town, South Africa, Joan Mansfield is a director, producer, and artist living in Oshawa Ontario.  Joan is the Artistic & Managing Director of Mansfield Entertainment. Producing credits include GREASE (Ontario Place 2002), Guys & Dolls (Summerstock Toronto @ Young-Dundas Square, 2005). Directing credits include the annual Christmas Panto, Mamma Mia! (2017), Disney’s THE LITTLE MERMAID, ANY NIGHT (both 2019), to name a few.   

In 2008, Joan was the Artistic Director of the then newly re-opened Regent Theatre (prior to the university’s ownership) in Oshawa, and produced and directed the first musical in over 50 years at the venue that Christmas. 

Joan was a glamour model in Toronto in the early 1970s, and is a sketch artist and avid gardener. She loves her family, her dog, her car, and can often be found sitting in the back row, night after night, finding something new in the show to admire and enjoy.  

Ethan Rotenberg

Musical Director
Ethan Rotenberg - Musical Director

Ethan is a Toronto-based music director, conductor and orchestrator, excited to finally be working on this "bucket-list" musical. In 2025 he landed the annual Metcalf Foundation Music Internship at the Shaw Festival, working under the mentorship of Paul Sportelli and Ryan DeSouza, and conducting several performances of Anything Goes and White Christmas. He conducted the TO Live Orchestra at Toronto's Meridian Hall in A Charlie Brown Christmas - Live! Most recently he worked on the Toronto premier of The Wounds of Love (Toronto Fringe) with Canadian theatre artist Bruce Dow and choreographer Jeff Dmitriou. Previous credits include: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (YPT), Falsettos (Bowtie Productions), and Merrily We Roll Along (Shifting Ground Collective). 

Max Kane

Lighting Designer / Technical Supervisor
Max Kane - Lighting Designer / Technical Supervisor

Kit Bauldry

Stage Manager
Kit Bauldry - Stage Manager

As the resident stage manager, with Mansfield Entertainment Kit has had the honour to work on all their Christmas pantos, major musicals, dramatic productions. Kit is excited to work on this production of Tuesdays with Morrie again, and to be a part of bringing its message to all who hear and feel it.  

When not in the theatre she enjoys hiking, reading, knitting, playing with her grandchildren and spending time with family and friends. 

Susan Robinson

Assistant Stage Manager
Susan Robinson - Assistant Stage Manager

Susan has years of experience creating theatre magic. As a multi disciplinary visual artist and graduate of the Ontario College of Art and Design, she has made props, painted projected backdrops, costumes and puppets for several professional and Fringe productions. 

Susan is the Co-founder and Producer of the award winning theatre company Chasing Shadows Productions and has “worn many hats and wrangled many cats.” She is always expanding her skill set and welcomes new challenges. 

Currently, she is a member of the Board of Directors for Scugog based Theatre on the Ridge and on the Events Committee for the Oshawa Art Association.

Gemma Donn

Violin

Austin Chao

Cello

Michael Wong

Cello

Kim Ratcliffe

Guitar

Mike Ippolito

Bass

Emily Martin

Theatre Manager

Claude Labrecque

Technical Director

Jon Hutchinson

Audio Technician

Emma Ross

Client Services Coordinator

Nicole McMurdy

Audience Services Coordinator

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September 17 to 19, 2026 | 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. showtimes

On December 4, 1956, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins and Elvis Presley assemble at the Sun Record recording studio in Memphis, Tennessee. Established performer Carl Perkins is there to record songs with a new performer, Jerry Lee Lewis. Elvis Presley stops by the studio along with his girlfriend, a singer named Dyanne. Johnny Cash has stopped by to talk to recording impresario Sam Philips. They soon have a jam session together. The rest is history - but there's more to it than you think! 

Relive the era with the smash-hit sensation featuring an incredible score of rock n' roll, gospel, R&B and country hits, performed live onstage by world-class actors and musicians. Showcased hit songs include "Blue Suede Shoes", "Fever", "Walk the Line", "Sixteen Tons", "Who Do You Love?", "Great Balls of Fire", "Folsom Prison Blues", "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On", "Hound Dog", and more. 

Don't miss what is sure to be the entertainment highlight of the season - MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET! This production is directed by Phil Nero (Mirvish, West End, Stage West, Drayton), and features an all star cast that sing and play all of the instruments live on stage! Come see why this show has sold out performances around the world, and continues to be one of the most sought after summer musicals across North America. 

Adults: $50 | Seniors: $47 | Youth 18 and under: $47

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