Contemporary musical playing at the Foulds

Robin Harris-Jones Synergy Productions, Southwest Florida's professional musical theater company, in association with the Theater Guild of Southwest Florida, is showing the award-winning musical, "The Last Five Years," written by Tony-Award winning composer Jason Robert Brown through Jan. 27.

A fresh and contemporary musical, "The Last Five Years" chronicles a young couple's romance in a new and exciting way: her story starts at the end of the relationship; his begins on the day they met. Funny and uplifting, the show captures some of the most heartbreaking and universally felt moments of modern romance. Critics have praised the music as creative and groundbreaking. The lyrics evoke Stephen Sondheim. The musical style draws from pop, jazz, folk, Rock and classical.

The production opened in Chicago in 2001 and was followed by its New York opening in 2002. It won the Drama Desk awards for outstanding music and lyrics. The New York Times hailed it as "trim & elegant" and Time Magazine named it one of the "Ten Best of 2001."

The show features actors Robin Harris Jones as Cathy and Stephen Lyons as Jamie. Harris-Jones recently had the pleasure of working with Bill C. Davis (Mass Appeal) and Brett Boles on the World Premiere of their musical Austin's Bridge at the Firehouse Theatre Project, Richmond, VA. Also in Richmond, she worked for Theatre IV and Barksdale Theatre on a number of wonderful productions. Favorites include Sing Down the Moon: Appalachian Wonder Tales, James Joyce's The Dead, Disney's Beauty and the Beast, Seussical the Musical, Anything Goes, Bunnicula, and The Full Monty. Lyons is a Philadelphia-based actor, singer and songwriter.

Stephen Lyons

The intimate Foulds Theatre is located at the Lee County Alliance for the Arts (10091 McGregor Boulevard. Tickets are $30. Performances are Wednesday through Saturday at 8 p.m.; and Sunday at 2 p.m.

For tickets call (239) 236-1645 or visit the Foulds Theater Box Office. www. synergyproductions.org

Theater Guild & Synergy Productions Office Number: (239) 236 1645.