FIRST DATE - Previews- Page 7

[broadwaybabe1234]

Posted: 7/17/13 at 3:01am

did anyone catch Erik Ankrim? How was he?

[uncageg]

Posted: 7/17/13 at 10:16am

Saw it last night. I have read here that Levi is good in the show. Hope he is giving as good as a performance as An rim because he was excellent. Great voice and perfect comic timing.

I really enjoyed the show. It is just long enough. The music is fine. A step above those 80's-90's off Broadway musicals that all kind of sounded the same. Smart lyrics and book. Good performances all around.

The biggest problem I found was the sound. I sat 1st row balcony and the music sounded canned most of the time. Some lyrics were lost, especially in the GOOGLE song which I was told by the lighting poepole is being cut from the show tonight.

This show really should be in a smaller house but I really enjoyed myself and would see it again.

Updated On: 7/18/13 at 10:16 AM

[holdyourbatboy]

Posted: 7/17/13 at 10:59am

Saw it this past weekend. I really wanted to like it.

It was painful - not sure this can be saved at all, even if they cut some of the bad songs. I feel bad for everyone involved.

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 7/17/13 at 11:01am

...SMART lyrics? Not to be rude, but really?

[newintown]

Posted: 7/17/13 at 11:09am

"Smart" is a relative term, I guess...

[ClydeBarrow]

Posted: 7/17/13 at 11:58am

You mean like only a relative of the lyricist would think they're smart?

[newintown]

Posted: 7/17/13 at 12:05pm

That's the definition I was thinking of.

[uncageg]

Posted: 7/17/13 at 12:26pm

To each his own regarding the lyrics. I liked them.

Also, they may want to close that gap in the scrim at the rear of the stage just off to the right. It is a bit distracting and you can see instruments.

[jnb9872]

Posted: 7/17/13 at 12:50pm

Worth pointing out, for the folks assuming this show would close immediately, that the first week gross was pretty good from that standpoint. It already has more than doubled THE PERFORMERS' weekly grosses at the Longacre last year and it has outgrossed SCANDALOUS' best week, in a theatre with 300 less seats, so it's entirely plausible this thing could run for a bit. We'll see.

[uncageg]

Posted: 7/17/13 at 12:54pm

It was pretty full last night. I was up in the balcony with a huge group around me and a lot of other people not with the group.

[broadwaybabe1234]

Posted: 7/18/13 at 4:16am

i mean Scandalous isn't exactly a good comparison..

[Libby1209]

Posted: 7/18/13 at 11:28am

I'm curious to see this show, given all of the opinions I've read. I have tickets (via TDF) for Sunday. I'm happy to hear the understudy is good (I haven't a clue who Zachary Levi is anyway), but am worried about sound issues (I'm assuming TDF tickets are in the balcony). My expectations aren't too high...am hoping to be pleasantly surprised.

[stevenycguy]

Posted: 7/18/13 at 10:52pm

I really liked this show a lot. It's running 95 minutes as of today and is a fun rock musical about a first date, that evolves in real time, with some fun flashbacks as well. We have all been there and we are all secretly rooting for the guy and the girl to get together. There's even a cute little gay romance towards the end (though that part wasn't too believable to me). But this is the kind of show I could see over and over again. The male understudy was great & I'd love to see it again with the full original cast next week or sometime soon after. Very talented Broadway cast. The stage door was mobbed last week when Zachary was in the cast.

[jetts7]

Posted: 7/18/13 at 11:10pm

^
@stevenycguy I agree, 100 percent!

[heytravistravis]

Posted: 7/18/13 at 11:32pm

Glad to hear from some people that the show is improving.
I've been thinking that it would be great if this show sticks around and can be marketed to the Rock of Ages audience. It may not be a masterpiece, but it's an original musical that's very accessible.

To me, if the previews go correctly, there could be a decent run, bringing new people to Broadway. And I'd be so happy to tell non theatre people that they would love to see this show, and have such a nice time.

[BeNice]

Posted: 7/19/13 at 12:26am

I just moved to NY from CA so I just started posting on these boards. I am not a shill or affiliated with the show. Ok now that that's out of the way...
I saw it tonight too and I really liked it. Laughed a lot. Maybe not for everyone but I would recommend it and see it again. Ok those are my two cents! See you around the boards.

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 7/20/13 at 10:11am

I went back to First Date last night to check out Eric Ankrim and see if they had made many changes. It was really good news on both fronts.

Ankrim was wonderful. He was very charming and funny, plus he had better chemistry with Rodriguez than Levi did. Ankrim is attractive, but he doesn't have the smoldering good looks that Levi has, and this works in the story's favor. His singing was more assured too; "In Love With You" still remains the best song and biggest crowd pleaser.

Rodriguez has softened her character some and was in better voice than the first preview.

I don't think I'll ever love the show itself, but they have made some good changes. It's running at 95 minutes, the dreadful Google song has be mercifully cut (although there is now a brief exchange of dialogue with "Google" when they search through their pasts), and there have been lots of other nips and tucks to get it running smoothly.

The gay BFF voicemail reprises have been shortened. The opening has changed: the conversations have been cut and now each ensemble member just tells a quick one-liner to the audience before the song starts, which is much improved. These little changes really add up, not only in the 15 minutes they took from the show, but they smooth out the story-telling. The creators are using the preview period well.

Now the show is perfectly harmless, save for Fruma Sarah, and I think if this had been at a New World Stages type place it could run for a long time.

[Libby1209]

Posted: 7/22/13 at 9:06am

I saw the show yesterday from the right orchestra (I had a partially obstructed view, which I didn't find to be a problem, as most of the "action" takes place center stage). After reading the comments on this thread, I went into the show with somewhat low expectations, but was pleasantly surprised. I found First Date to be funny (as did the audience) and charming. The cast was wonderful (Ankrim was adorable), but the songs were forgettable. I would recommend seeing this show, but only if you are able to get discounted tickets.

[kaylalydia]

Posted: 7/23/13 at 10:03pm

Does anyone know how many people were waiting for Zachary for the stage door?

[DeeKDee]

Posted: 7/24/13 at 9:55am

Judging by these photos, quite few people were at the door:

https://twitter.com/doj88/status/359877664758194176/photo/1

[uncageg]

Posted: 7/24/13 at 9:59am

Glad the gay BFF voicemails were shortened.

Updated On: 7/24/13 at 09:59 AM

[Magalamb]

Posted: 7/24/13 at 9:51pm

Saw it with Ankrim last week, and it was worth 95 minutes of my time. Don't know how much I'd be willing to pay for it, though.

Krista was in excellent voice, and Ankrim was incredibly adorkable. I hope Levi is as good. I don't know if it would work as well, actually, because Ankrim is average looking whereas Levi is TV-attractive.

[little__lotte]

Posted: 7/25/13 at 9:10am

I saw it last night.

I loved it, it was a super fun easy show. It was clever and funny, not an amazing score but it was certainly entertaining for sure. Loved Kyrsta and Zach's charectors.

I didn't really care much for the waiter though.

[newintown]

Posted: 7/25/13 at 9:12am

"Easy?"

[little__lotte]

Posted: 7/25/13 at 9:19am

Simple score, simple set, costumes