The newest Peppermint Creek Theatre production is just like a chili recipe - the more ingredients put in, the more flavorful the soup.
"The Last Five Years" by Jason Robert Brown has all the necessary beans and tomatoes - it's just missing some of the spice.
Directed by Mason native Chad Badgero, the contemporary pop musical follows the story of Catherine Hiatt and Jamie Wellerstein as they fall in love, move in together, get married, struggle and soar with their careers and eventually split.
The drama is sung from separate viewpoints, making it so Cathy and Jamie are never on stage at the same time - except for their wedding.
The set is a myriad of props encircling a small, black stage in the middle. The audience can see a bed, beer table, Christmas tree, phone, set of stairs, car seat, dinner and book table, deck and desk, which make it so the actor is singing with his or her back to you at points.
The first song, "Still Hurting," sung by Jill Bennink, who plays Cathy, is a dragging heart-wrencher that instantly puts a damper on the audience because of the slow, sob-filled lyrics.
This is where some of the problems start.
Bennink has the voice for the part, but unfortunately, the public address system in the theater dulls her song and causes her voice to be soft. The system shouldn't even have been a part of this musical.
Justin Godley, who plays Jamie, shows this with the next song, "Shiksa Goddess."
Godley uses his strong vocal chords to project his lyrics over the audience. After battling back and forth with a few more numbers, it is definite that Bennink has a gorgeous voice, but needs to sing louder and drop the mic for good.
Halfway through the production, the actors seem as if they're only singing out of routine and not from the heart. This could be blamed on the lack of audience - not even one-quarter of the seats were filled - or the PA system, but really, this is where Emeril would say, "Let's kick it up a notch."
During "The Schmuel Song," Godley does a lot of standing around, which is common throughout the whole musical, and the audience is forced to watch the actor, who really isn't doing anything, sing about something no one really understands.
Fortunately, this is where the six-piece orchestra soars.
The fun, Tetris-sounding music of "The Schmuel Song" is upbeat and original, and the clever sounds save the song from the horrible, confusing lyrics.
From beginning to end, the orchestra demonstrates skill and technique as they play.
And that's why the most lovable aspect of the musical is the music.
