This Summer it's All About Jamie | Jens Jacobson Brings Him to Life

Jens Jacobson | Jamie Wellerstein | The Last Five Years

What’s one of your favorite songs to perform in The Last Five Years and why?

Weirdly enough, it is "Nobody Needs to Know". While the scenario isn't everyone's favorite, it does happen, and it's not always a sociopathic monster. I believe the song - filled with emotional manipulation, contradiction, fear, and desperation - is the most that we ever see Jamie with his walls not only down, but shattered. In that moment, he is just a human: lost, insecure, and failing at what seems like (and to many should be) simple loyalty to and consideration for his partner. I find allowing myself to dive into that kind of darkness almost freeing as a performer.

If your character had a playlist, what’s the first song on it?

I feel like Jamie sees himself a little bit like the nice frat guy who likes to have a good time (before revealing just how deep he is), so I’m going to go with a classic to play on the lawn - “Welcome to the Jungle” haha!

What’s the most surprising thing you’ve learned during rehearsals?

I discovered a lot of new moments of empathy for both characters. Looking retroactively at these characters requires a lot of forgetting lessons that you have learned - while also incorporating the knowledge of the "why" of your actions or the actions of others.