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Cynthia Erivo and Joshua Henry Celebrate Jason Robert Brown's The Last Five Years

The pair starred in a sold-out concert of Brown’s musical on September 12.

New York City
Joshua Henry and Cynthia Erivo toast their sold-out concert of The Last Five Years.
Joshua Henry and Cynthia Erivo toast their sold-out concert of The Last Five Years.
(© David Gordon)

Tony Award winner Cynthia Erivo (The Color Purple) and two-time Tony nominee Joshua Henry (Shuffle Along) starred in a one-night benefit performance of Tony-winning composer Jason Robert Brown's The Last Five Years on September 12. Produced by SubCulture and Brown, the concert was held at Town Hall with Brown leading the orchestra.

Joshua Henry, Jason Robert Brown, and Cynthia Erivo celebrate their one-night-only event.
Joshua Henry, Jason Robert Brown, and Cynthia Erivo celebrate their one-night-only event.
(© David Gordon)

All the proceeds from the sold-out show benefited the Brady Center, the national organization determined to create a safer America by cutting gun deaths in half by 2025.

Joshua Henry, Jason Robert Brown, and Cynthia Erivo take their bows after The Last Five Years at Town Hall.
Joshua Henry, Jason Robert Brown, and Cynthia Erivo take their bows after The Last Five Years at Town Hall.
(© David Gordon)

Erivo currently stars as Celie in the Broadway revival of The Color Purple, a role that earned her a 2016 Tony Award. Henry recently concluded his run in George C. Wolfe's Shuffle Along at the Music Box Theatre. He earned Tony nominations for his previous roles in The Scottsboro Boys (2011) and Violet (2014) and will soon take on the role of Aaron Burr in the Chicago company of Hamilton.

Joshua Henry, Jason Robert Brown, and Cynthia Erivo are joined by Dan Gross, President of The Brady Center.
Brady Center president Dan Gross (second from left) joins Joshua Henry, Jason Robert Brown, and Cynthia Erivo.
(© David Gordon)

The Last Five Years received its first off-Broadway production in 2002, starring Norbert Leo Butz and Sherie Rene Scott as the show's central couple Jamie and Cathy. The musical was revived in 2013 at Second Stage Theatre with Betsy Wolfe and Adam Kantor and went on to receive a film adaptation in 2014 starring Jeremy Jordan and Anna Kendrick. The story follows the couple through their five-year relationship, with each character moving through time in opposite directions.

Cynthia Erivo gets a hug from fellow Tony winner LaChanze, who originated Ervio's current role, Celie, in The Color Purple.
LaChanze, who originated the role of Celie in The Color Purple on Broadway, gives fellow Tony winner Cynthia Erivo a hug.
(© David Gordon)