ROCHELLE — A look at relationships is the focus for the upcoming VCCT musical, “The Last Five Years.”
The musical will be presented April 12, 13, 14, 19 and 20 in the Palmer Room at Salt 251, 531 S. 7th St.
The show has been described as, “An emotionally powerful and intimate musical about two New Yorkers in their twenties who fall in and out of love over the course of five years.”
John Whitaker and Becca Manning are co-directors for the show. Whitaker said he first became aware of the musical 10 years ago and fell in love with the music and the unconventional structure of the show.
The story centers around two characters, Jamie and Cathy. Jamie tells their story from the start of the five year period, while Cathy tells their story backward from the end of the five years. They meet briefly in the middle, at their wedding.
Whitaker and Manning opted to have two casts for the show.
Lindsey Lancaster will be Jamie and Kayla Bellows will play Cathy as one cast. Their performances are scheduled for April 12 and 13 at 8 p.m. and April 20 at 2 p.m.

Michael Hynek will play Jamie and Michele McClane will play Cathy in productions April 19 and 20 at 8 p.m. and April 14 at 2 p.m.
“I play Jamie Wellerstein,” noted Lancaster. “Jamie was written as the husband in the show but with two women being cast for my performances, I am the second wife. Jamie will not be played as a man from my perspective. She is definitely an interesting character, and I see many similarities between myself and Jamie.”  
Lancaster described Jamie as motivated, romantic and somewhat impulsive.
“I believe that she wants all that the world has to offer her. She loves deeply, but is torn between a love for many things in her life,” Lancaster said.
Lancaster has been in two prior VCCT shows, “The Christmas Carol” radio show and “Avenue Q.”
 “She is a struggling actress living in New York.  She is desperate to make her relationship with Jamie work,” Bellows, who plays Cathy, said of the character. “She is helpful and somewhat stubborn at the same time. I’ve been too hopeful in naive in relationships before, so I can understand her perspective.”
Bellows has not been in a VCCT show before, but has appeared in numerous plays with other groups.
Tickets for “The Last Five Years” are $20 and are available at vcctrochelle.org or at the door prior to the show.
Jason Robert Brown’s Drama Desk winner “The Last Five Years” was named one of TIME Magazine’s ten best shows of 2001.
Jenna  Mingus is the musical director and Abi Mogge will be the accompanist for all shows.