First Date to close on 05 Jan 2014

The Broadway premiere of the musical comedy First Date will play its final performance at the Longacre Theatre on 05 Jan 2014. When the show closes it will have played 34 previews and 174 regular performances.

First Date opened at the Longacre Theatre on 08 Aug 2013, following previews from 09 Jul 2013. The musical had been selling tickets through to 29 Jun 2014.

The show opened on Broadway to mixed reviews: A family friendly show about never giving up on love. That is the nicest thing that can be said about it (newyorktheatreguide.com); A more appropriate title would be 'Last Rites.' (NY Times); Isn't first-rate. Third-tier is more like it. (NY Daily News); A very pleasant show (NY Post); This is one 'First Date' you don't want to end (NY1).

The musical had also been struggling at the box office over recent weeks, and last week its house capacity was at only 54%.

First Date is about the most dangerous human endeavor in existence, the dreaded blind date. Soho artist Casey (Krysta Rodriguez) and Wall Street trader Aaron (Zachary Levi) are on that all-important first date - a quick drink turns into a dinner served with sides of Google background checks, fake emergency phone calls, a slew of bad boy and uptown girl exes, and some seriously saucy chemistry. Can this mismatched pair turn what could be a dining disaster into something special before the check arrives, or end up at another table for one?

The musical has a book by Austin Winsberg ("Gossip Girl"), music and lyrics by Alan Zachary and Michael Weiner. The show will is directed by Bill Berry and choreographed by Josh Rhodes (Rodgers & Hammerstein's 'Cinderella').

The show stars Zachary Levi, of TV's "Chuck," Disney's feature film "Tangled" and the upcoming "Thor: The Dark World," in his Broadway debut, and Krysta Rodriguez ("Smash," 'The Addams Family'). They are joined by Sara Chase, Kristoffer Cusick, Blake Hammond, Kate Loprest and Bryce Ryness.

The creative team features scenic design is by David Gallo, costume design by David Woolard, lighting design by Mike Baldassari, and sound design by Kai Harada. Musical supervision, vocal and incidental arrangements are by Dominick Amendum, and August Eriksmoen will orchestrate.

First Date is produced on Broadway by Junkyard Dog Productions, in association with Stem Productions, Susan W. and James C. Blair Family LP, Alex and Katya Lukianov and Linda and Bill Potter.

Zachary Levi (Aaron) and Krysta Rodriguez (Casey) More production photos

Originally published on

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