FIRST KISS ... OR LAST? The Last Five Years is about a couple falling in and out of love, but one lover’s story is told backwards while the other is told forwards. South of the River Theatre previously staged the musical at the Mabel Tainter Center for the Arts (shown above), and they are now producing it at Fanny Hill.

Remember when you could go to Fanny Hill and get brunch or dinner with your significant other, then finish the evening off with an enjoyable show? Well, beginning this month, dinner theater will return to Fanny Hill in the form of The Last Five Years. The emotional musical will be performed by South of the River Theatre, a Menomonie-based group directed by Amy Reise. The show will feature Seth Berrier and Kiara Carlson as the two main characters under the musical direction of Dr. Mark Pruett. The troupe previously staged the show at the Mabel Tainter Center for the Arts in Menomonie.

The musical, as you might have guessed, covers the span of five years and follows the story of two New Yorkers who fall in and out of love. The story involves both characters telling their story, but uses a unique structure to accomplish this. The woman, Cathy, starts her story at the end and moves backwards toward the beginning, while the man, Jamie, tells his in chronological order. Despite being a story about them falling in and out of love the two only meet once, in the middle of the play. (Take note: The show contains adult situations and language, so leave the kids at home.)

The Last Five Years was written by James Robert Brown, who is currently making quite the name for himself on Broadway. Since it premiered in 2001, the musical has been produced all over the world and has received an abundant amount of acclaim. Given the popularity of the musical, the unique structure of the story, and the fact that this marks the return of theatrical performance to Fanny Hill, this is a production folks won’t want to miss.

The Last Five Years • Feb. 6-7, 20-21, 8pm, and Feb. 8, 1:30pm • Fanny Hill, 3919 Crescent Ave., Eau Claire • $20, $37.50 dinner/brunch with show • www.fannyhill.com • 715-836-8184