FIRST DATE - Previews- Page 3

[quizking101]

Posted: 7/9/13 at 10:39pm

What kind of merchandise are they selling?
(I might catch this the 24th matinee if it hasn't closed by then)

[ClydeBarrow]

Posted: 7/9/13 at 10:39pm

How long before it is on the site that shall not be named?

[meyerd584]

Posted: 7/9/13 at 10:41pm

Legit....JUST checked that very site. Just in case.

[songanddanceman2]

Posted: 7/9/13 at 10:47pm

Why do some people sound positively gleeful that the show could flop? It's a brand new musical, the ones who don't like the show that's fine, but the ones who have not seen it yet are rubbing their hands together hoping it will fail? I just find that sad, just my opinion.

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 7/9/13 at 10:48pm

Well, I survived! First Date is the first first preview of the 2013-14 season, and if this show sets the tone for the rest of the season we are all in for a wild ride!

It covered every type of "bad" in the book (so bad it's good, so bad you want it to end, so bad you're baffled, etc) that it was hard not to love on a certain level.

The strongest thing the show has going for it is Zachary Levi. He was charming, funny as one could be given the material, and had a pleasant voice. He also delivers the one genuinely winning number late in the show called, "In Love With You."

Krysta's character is more unpleasant, but she does her best to make her appealing. Still there is no way Mara Davi will be backstabbing to steal this part.

What's weird about the leads is that even though they carry 85-90% of the book they barely sing. The bulk of the score is left to the five supporting actors, all of whom play a multitude of characters.

To give you a flavor of the show let me hit some bullet points of things I remember:

-The show begins with little vignettes about the perils of dating. In one exchange the girl says to the guy, "I'm a Christian and I won't have sex until marriage. BUT, here's a list of what I will do." (hands him a list) He responds, "Wow, I don't know about number 4!" To which she says, "Don't worry, I always use a glove!" (I took this as a nod to another Longacre flop, when Henry Winkler said, "Who do you have to fist to get a drink in this town?" in The Performers.)

-There is an ULTIMATE camp number worthy of the wildest flops like Into the Light and the like. It's called "The Girl for You," in which Zachary finds out Krysta isn't Jewish. Like Fruma Sarah, Sara Chase becomes Levi's dead grandmother who comes back from the grave to warn him about dating a Shiksa. She has lyrics about how well endowed!?!? he is, and references his "matzah balls." THEN another actor comes out as a priest singing on Krysta's behalf, and THEN another actor comes out as their potential teenage son RAPPING about his confusing religious upbringing!! I could not make this up.

-Kate Loprest then gets to play Google- you know, the search engine personified!! As the two daters google each other she sings about being everywhere, like Starbucks, and owning their domains! The rest of the cast get to dance around with iPads.

-Kristoffer Cusick plays Krysta's stereotypical gay best friend, and he leaves her bitchy, high-pitched voicemails throughout the show. Lots of, "Later Bitch" and "Hate you skank."

The second half takes a turn for the serious, which translates into some drippy ballads.

Every set-up for a joke is seen a mile away, but a bigger problem is there is that there just aren't any stakes for the characters. The burning question is will they go on a second date or not. It's hard to invest too much in a prospect so insignificant. Also, do dates like this even happen anymore? I guess dating is a waste of time, in the gay world at least, when you have such wonderful inventions as Scruff and Craigslist, but even for straight people don't they use match.com and the like? Maybe I'm off base with this assumption, but for people addicted to google and their cell phones I'm shocked they agreed to go on this date without seeing a picture of each other first.

But, I should stop thinking so hard. It is a mess, but generally a fun one. Plus it was nice to see Zachary and Krysta on stage.

PS- For Chuck fans, Zachary's favorite show is Quantum Leap, which was referenced on the show when it was revealed that Scott Bakula was Chuck's father.

[ClydeBarrow]

Posted: 7/9/13 at 10:50pm

songanddanceman,

[meyerd584]

Posted: 7/9/13 at 10:50pm

I'm not happy to see a show flop..ever..
It's a sad waste and it means loss of employment.

That said...

The story sounds awful and for some reason it irks me. I've seen workshops of so many great ideas and THIS is produced?
But mostly, I collect flops. I like being a part of them. (We can thank Ken Mandelbaum for this)
If it truly is awful, I want to see it.

[dave1606]

Posted: 7/9/13 at 10:53pm

I was there tonight. I liked it in the way that I liked Wonderland. The show is mind numblingly dumb, and the score the worst I have heard in a long time, but it has its charms, mainly due to Krysta and Zach. I was especially was impressed with Zachary Levi. His comedic timing was great, and his voice held up better than I expected. Krysta was not in a great voice, but I enjoyed her acting , especially when she read the line I want to cut a b*tch.

The biggest issue with the score (and there are many) is the score. IT is atrocious. The songs stop the show cold, and almost every time a character started singing I was hoping they would stop.

The set is hideous and does not fit the stage at all. It looks like a set from New World stages was brought over and tried to fit the Longacre.

The side characters consistently undermine and stop the show, though I did enjoy Sara Chase. The waiter is particularly annoying as is the gay best friend who for some reason has three reprises of the same awful song.

Overall if you want to see a spectacular mess, it is worth a $35 ticket in the balcony (the view is fine.) but DO NOT pay more.

I mainly enjoyed because I liked the two leads a great deal even when they couldn't elevate the awful material.

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 7/9/13 at 10:56pm

YIKES! What was the set anyways?

[PlayItAgain]

Posted: 7/9/13 at 11:01pm

for those who went, how full was the theater?

[perfectlymarvelous]

Posted: 7/9/13 at 11:03pm

Whizzer, for some reason your reviews of bad shows always make me want to see them more. I cackled at the "matzah balls" bit.

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 7/9/13 at 11:14pm

Ha, well writing it made me want to go back (and I'm planning return dates with my friends right now!).

Trust me, the matzah ball lyric was the tip of the iceberg in that number. When the son started rapping it reminded me of the wannabe-ghetto-rapping son in The Last Smoker in America.

First Date is like a bad version of the musical Lucky Guy. The latter was the creme de la creme of camp. First Date is the bottom of the toilet bowl.

[jawjuhh]

Posted: 7/9/13 at 11:14pm

In terms of merchandise, I saw a few shirts "First Date" "Relationship Assassin" and some cute shot glasses. Didn't pay that much attention though. The audience actually seemed pretty full! I couldn't see an empty seat anywhere around me. I was sitting in the side orchestra row C and my view was occasionally obscured, but it definitely wasn't that bad.

In general though...wow, haha, this is probably one of my least favorite things I have ever seen! I didn't sit there actively hating it (when I left the theater, someone passing by loudly declared, "This is the worst musical I have ever seen! SH*T!") , but there were many moments when my jaw dropped from how shocked I was that some scenes were taking place before my very eyes. I felt like there were a lot of cheap and generally unfunny laughs. The whole 'The Girl for You' scene that Whizzer mentioned, as well as the google one, and when the waiter had his solo....just wow. So awful! Yet they generated a lot of laughs among the audience. Krysta was definitely not on her game vocally, and I saw her at the stage door afterwards and it seems she is taking a vocal rest. Her acting did not do it for me and her voice definitely did not shine.

I think my ticket was worth it for Zachary Levi alone though. I've never really seen anything of his before (except Tangled) and he was so so great in the role (also so handsome. I think i would take him over Brad Pitt). Funny, charming, pretty great voice. I agree that his "In Love With You" was very beautiful and was the best part of the show. He was also very friendly at the stage door, and there were tons and tons of fans waiting for him. I also quite enjoyed Bryce Ryness as the best friend (every other part he played was rather awful), he had great comedic timing and delivery.

Generally...I thank god I only paid $27 for this. Levi was great, but everything else was so so meh.

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 7/9/13 at 11:20pm

jawjuhh- You bring up a good point about Zachary's hotness. Krysta's sister is the one who sets up the date, and she tells her that the guy will look like Brad Pitt. When Krysta finally meets him she becomes upset like she got paired with some toad, when in fact he is so doable, and really the perfect date.

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 7/9/13 at 11:23pm

Here's a fun blog covering the first preview: http://ottotitsling.wordpress.com/2013/07/09/last-date/

[loliveve]

Posted: 7/9/13 at 11:31pm

Hmm, I wonder if the cast will get to keep the ipads...

[Gmerchant123]

Posted: 7/9/13 at 11:33pm

What does the set look like?

[somethingwicked]

Posted: 7/9/13 at 11:36pm

iluvtheatertrash, by a "fun" blog, you mean "your" blog?

FIRST DATE doesn't seem the least bit appealing to me, but for someone who runs their own theater company and whose work has been fairly heavily criticized on this board, the joy you seem to take in bashing things relentlessly is astounding to me.

You should use a bit more tact in openly condemning the work of others when your "position" in the community is a completely public one to everyone who reads this board.

Updated On: 7/9/13 at 11:36 PM

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 7/9/13 at 11:38pm

Why, YES, somethingwicked. You caught me. And I would've copied and pasted the entire review into here if it were't for the gifs. So wompity womp. If you want to read my full review, there it is.

And I very rarely blog. So, just this once, pardon the shill.

[meyerd584]

Posted: 7/9/13 at 11:41pm

Shill or no shill, I thought it was a funny post.

somethingwicked, Perhaps you shouldn't go on a board where users critique and speak their mind on works if you don't want to hear others opinions?

Just a thought...

And for the record, First Date sounds like an awful idea and he/she has every right to hate it as much as they want, even if it includes glee or gloating.

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 7/9/13 at 11:44pm

Thanks, meyered. Glad you liked the post. I could care less about how many hits my blog gets - in fact, I don't even know how to check it. But every now and then I feel like blogging and thought you guys might enjoy the review.

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 7/9/13 at 11:44pm

The set is not attractive; if I dined there in real life I would guess it to be a Mexican restaurant judging by the decor/blue tiled floor. The food ordered is American though.

The other actors never get to leave the stage. They sit frozen at tables until they are called upon by the imaginations of the two leads. Costume changes and props are hidden all over the stage, and they did a nice job keeping those elements moving smoothly.

There are four rectangular projection screen above the restaurant; the projections are basic and thankfully not very distracting because of their high placement.

[somethingwicked]

Posted: 7/9/13 at 11:45pm

meyerd584, I have no problem with people expressing their opinions about shows on this board. I have said my fair share of bad things about shows I haven't enjoyed and I think everyone here has the right to do just that.

My issue is that someone who constantly posts promoting their own shows asking for understanding of the limitations faced by the production or the process, etc. is so quick to openly bash other work with such vitriol. I find it hypocritical, and I think it's especially disheartening when the whole point of that person's theater company is essentially to present flawed work simply for the love of doing it.

You are perfectly entitled to disagree.

Updated On: 7/9/13 at 11:45 PM

[ClydeBarrow]

Posted: 7/9/13 at 11:48pm

"I will not waste my time writing a review of such a juvenile, amateur, pathetic musical."

I enjoyed reading your blog post too but it seems as though you did waste your time reviewing it.

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 7/9/13 at 11:49pm

The above use of the word "glee" reminded me of a lyric tonight. During a series of awkward pauses the ensemble sings that this is worse than getting an STD/worse than watching an episode of Glee!