Rachel Zegler and Ben Platt will headline a concert staging of Jason Robert Brown’s musical The Last Five Years in the United States, scheduled for 2026. These performances are part of the musical’s 25th-anniversary celebration and will take place at the Hollywood Bowl on April 3, followed by shows at Radio City Music Hall on April 6 and 7.
The concerts will be directed and conducted live by the show’s creator, Tony Award winner Jason Robert Brown. Tickets for the U.S. concerts will become available for purchase on February 6, following a brief run in London.
International Performances and Historical Background of the Musical
Before arriving in the U.S., Zegler and Platt will lead a concert production of The Last Five Years at the London Palladium from March 24 through March 29, also under Brown’s direction and conduction. The musical, which debuted in 2001 at Chicago’s Northlight Theatre and moved Off-Broadway the next year, explores a complex five-year relationship between actress Cathy Hiatt and novelist Jamie Wellerstein. The storytelling is unique, as Jamie’s narrative unfolds chronologically while Cathy’s is told in reverse.
The original cast featured Norbert Leo Butz and Sherie Rene Scott, with the show’s soundtrack becoming a staple in musical theater through songs such as “Nobody Needs to Know,” “Still Hurting,”
“If I Didn’t Believe in You,”
and “The Next Ten Minutes.”
Legacy and Previous Revivals of The Last Five Years
Since its premiere, The Last Five Years has inspired several notable revivals and adaptations. Among them are a 2014 film starring Jeremy Jordan and Anna Kendrick, a 2013 Off-Broadway revival with Adam Kantor and Betsy Wolfe, and an upcoming 2025 Broadway production featuring Nick Jonas and Adrienne Warren. One special concert performance was held at New York City’s Town Hall in 2016 starring Joshua Henry and Cynthia Erivo.
London also saw a production that same year led by Jonathan Bailey, known for his role in Wicked, alongside Samantha Barks, a prominent figure from the 2012 Les Misérables film adaptation.
Rachel Zegler and Ben Platt: Career Highlights and Connection
Rachel Zegler, 24, and Ben Platt, 32, have closely collaborated before, sharing a friendship that goes back several years. Their past performances together include a tribute to Stephen Sondheim at the 2022 Grammy Awards, alongside Cynthia Erivo and Leslie Odom Jr. Zegler first rose to international fame as María in Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story, earning a Golden Globe for her portrayal. She has since appeared in major films like The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes and Snow White, and she made her Broadway debut in 2024 playing Juliet in Romeo and Juliet. The following year, she debuted in London’s West End as Eva Perón in Evita.
Ben Platt is widely recognized for originating the role in Dear Evan Hansen, a performance that garnered him Tony, Grammy, and Daytime Emmy Awards. His recent stage work includes the Broadway revival of Parade, while his screen appearances cover the Pitch Perfect film series and Netflix’s The Politician. He also pursues a career as a recording artist, actively releasing new music and touring.
What The Last Five Years’ U.S. Return Means for Fans and Theater
This upcoming tour brings together two of today’s most compelling young talents in Rachel Zegler and Ben Platt, under the direction of the musical’s original creator Jason Robert Brown, which heightens anticipation. Their involvement, combined with the concert format’s intimacy, is expected to reinvigorate interest in this emotionally complex story about love and loss. Given the musical’s history of standout revivals and adaptations, the crossover from concert staging to prominent venues like the Hollywood Bowl and Radio City Music Hall suggests a renewed cultural impact for The Last Five Years in 2026 and beyond.
