Oil Lamp Theater, currently presenting the highly recommended and sharp-witted play Poor Behavior through May 10, is proud to announce the cast and creative team for its next production of its 2026 season, The Last Five Years, written and composed by Jason Robert Brown and directed by Christina Ramirez, June 5 - July 5, at Oil Lamp Theater, 1723 Glenview Road. The schedule includes two preview performances Friday, June 5 at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday June 6 at 3 p.m., with an opening/press performance Saturday, June 6 at 7:30 p.m. The performance schedule is Thursdays and Fridays at 7:30 p.m.; Saturdays at 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m. with additional Wednesday performances Wednesday, June 10 at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.; Wednesday June 17 at 7:30 p.m.; Wednesday, June 24 at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.; and Wednesday July 1 at 7:30 p.m. There are no performances on Saturday July 4. Tickets are on sale now for $30 for previews and $55 for the run at OilLampTheater.org.
The Last Five Years debuted at Northlight Theatre in 2001 and returns to the North Shore after runs on Broadway, Off-Broadway, the West End and, most recently, a concert version at Radio City Music Hall with Tony, Grammy and Emmy Award winner Ben Platt and Golden Globe and NBR winner Rachel Zegler. Jason Robert Brown’s musical masterpiece The Last Five Years is a widely beloved show and the Drama Desk Award-winner for Outstanding Music, taking audiences on the romantic rollercoaster of Jamie and Cathy as they fall in… and out of love over the last five years. Told from each individual’s perspective – one chronologically and one backwards – audiences will be swept into the unique storytelling and find an anti-love story full of humor and heart.
The cast of The Last Five Years includes Abraham Deitz-Green (he/him, Jamie); Lili Galluzzo (she/they, Cathy); Eli Blanks (he/him, Jamie U/S) and Kaitie Bonds (she/her, Cathy U/S).
The production team includes Christina Ramirez (she/her, director); Connor Windle (she/her, production manager); Amy Branahl (she/her, music director); Brenden Delcorio (he/him, stage manager); Spencer Donovan (he/him, scenic designer); Ellen D. Markus (she/her; properties designer); Taylor Pfenning (she/her; costume designer); Rachel Hemm (she/her, lighting designer); Maya Reter (she/her, sound designer/engineer) and Andy Cahoon (he/him, technical director).
ABOUT JASON ROBERT BROWN, WRITER & COMPOSER
Jason Robert Brown (Music, Lyrics, Orchestrations and Arrangements) has written some of the most highly acclaimed scores for the stage in the last three decades, including Songs for a New World, Parade (1999 Tony for Best Score, 2023 Tony for Best Revival), The Last Five Years (also a feature film), The Bridges of Madison County (Tonys for Best Score and Orchestration), Honeymoon In Vegas, 13 (also a Netflix film), Mr. Saturday Night (with lyrics by Amanda Green), The Connector and Midnight In The Garden of Good and Evil. Upcoming: Less, written with Doug Wright and adapted from the novel by Andrew Sean Greer. As a solo artist, Brown has performed around the world - including his debut at Carnegie Hall in Autumn 2024 - and released several albums of his songs. His most recent release, “Jason Robert Brown & Stephen Sondheim Live In Concert” (on Concord Theatricals Recordings), documents a 2019 all-star performance at New York's Town Hall. Brown lives in Nyack, New York with his wife, composer Georgia Stitt, and their two daughters.
ABOUT CHRISTINA RAMIREZ, DIRECTOR
Christina Ramirez is so happy to be back at Oil Lamp Theater after directing Side by Side by Sondheim and First Date. Ramirez serves as managing director at the award-winning Actors Training Center in Wilmette, working with actors of all ages (youth through adult) and when not directing is known for her work as a teaching artist and coach. As a former actor, her credits include work at The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, Hope Repertory Theatre, The Muny, Insight Theatre Company, TYA productions on tour and off-Broadway, as well as many live cabaret performances. She holds a Masters in directing from Roosevelt University CCPA and a BFA in musical theatre from The Sargent Conservatory of Theatre Arts at Webster University.
MORE FROM FROM OIL LAMP THEATER
August 14 – September 13, 2026
Book and Lyrics by Ryan Cunningham
Music by Joshua Salzman
Directed by Scott Shallenbarger
Music Directed by Aaron Kahn
Preview Performances: Friday, Aug. 14 at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday Aug. 15 at 3 p.m .
Opening Night: Saturday, Aug. 15 at 7:30 p.m.
Performance schedule: Thursdays and Fridays at 7:30 p.m.; Saturdays at 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m. with additional Wednesday performances Wednesday Aug. 19 at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.; Wednesday, Aug. 26 at 7:30 p.m.; Wednesday September 2 at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.; and Wednesday September 9 at 7:30 p.m.
Modern dating is a mess. Sometimes to find Mr. Right you need to find Mr. Wrong even if that means seeing someone stuck on their ex, awkward encounters of the intimate kind and lots of horrible coffee dates. Opposites attract in this feel-good musical that will transport audiences into the heart of your favorite guilty pleasure rom-com. Created by acclaimed musical team Ryan Cunningham and Joshua Salzman and inspired by Jane Austen’s gold-standard romance novel “Pride and Prejudice,” this delightful musical will make you fall head over heels.
October 2 – November 1, 2026
Adapted by Jeffrey Hatcher from the original play by Frederick Knott
Directed by Daniel King
Preview Performances: Friday, Oct. 2 at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday Oct. 3 at 3 p.m.
Opening Night: Saturday, Oct. 3 at 7:30 p.m.
Performance schedule: Thursdays and Fridays at 7:30 p.m.; Saturdays at 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m. with additional Wednesday performances Wednesday, Oct. 7 at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.; Wednesday Oct. 14 at 7:30 p.m.; Wednesday Oct. 21 at 11:00 a.m. and 3 p.m. and Wednesday, Oct. 28 at 7:30 p.m.
Alfred Hitchcock’s adored, chilling thriller gets a modern twist that no one will see coming. A murderous misstep begins a high-stakes hunt for the real criminal as time is quickly running out. This captivating, heart-racing play leaves audiences on the edge of their seats while the mystery of the year unravels before their eyes. Will the clues unlock the right person, or will an innocent victim pay the price? The suspense is to die for…
*All productions, dates, creatives, etc. are subject to change.
ABOUT OIL LAMP THEATER
Oil Lamp Theater is a professional nonprofit performing arts organization in Glenview, Illinois, welcoming over 10,000 patrons annually from more than 225 communities—41% from Glenview and others from across the North Shore and Chicago. Since establishing its intimate 60-seat home in downtown Glenview in 2012, Oil Lamp has grown into a cultural beacon, earning recognition as “Best Live Theatre in the North Shore” for four consecutive years.
With more than 70 productions to date, Oil Lamp is known for its dynamic Mainstage season, special events and its resilience during the pandemic, when it innovated with drive-in performances and outdoor productions. Today, the theatre continues to foster connection, broaden horizons and illuminate the human condition through professional theater and year-round programming.
In addition to its productions, Oil Lamp Theater operates Oil Lamp Academy, its education branch dedicated to “Training for Life Through the Performing Arts.” In 2025 alone, the program served more than 230 students ages three to 97 years old, offering classes that use theater as a pathway to build confidence, creativity and lifelong skills.
This past September, Oil Lamp launched Light The Way, a transformative fundraising campaign designed to expand arts education, strengthen essential staff and establish a larger performance venue with the goal of staying in downtown Glenview. Building on its roots as a scrappy storefront, Oil Lamp is evolving into a more robust organization—without losing the intimacy and warmth that define its theater experience. Oil Lamp Theater hopes this announcement inspires excitement throughout the community. Stay tuned as additional news is shared in the near future. For information or to support the campaign go to OilLampTheater.org/Light-the-Way or reach out to Oil Lamp at light-the-way@oillamptheater.org.
Oil Lamp Theater, currently presenting the highly recommended and sharp-witted play Poor Behavior through May 10, is proud to announce the cast and creative team for its next production of its 2026 season, The Last Five Years, written and composed by Jason Robert Brown and directed by Christina Ramirez, June 5 - July 5, at Oil Lamp Theater, 1723 Glenview Road. The schedule includes two preview performances Friday, June 5 at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday June 6 at 3 p.m., with an opening/press performance Saturday, June 6 at 7:30 p.m. The performance schedule is Thursdays and Fridays at 7:30 p.m.; Saturdays at 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m. with additional Wednesday performances Wednesday, June 10 at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.; Wednesday June 17 at 7:30 p.m.; Wednesday, June 24 at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.; and Wednesday July 1 at 7:30 p.m. There are no performances on Saturday July 4. Tickets are on sale now for $30 for previews and $55 for the run at OilLampTheater.org.
