Zachary Levi + Krysta Rodriguez = FIRST DATE leads — Page 3

In all fairness the tunes were pretty catchy, if slightly generic.

The songs all sounded like anything you would hear at the likes of a Scott Alan cabaret: pleasant JRB-lite melodies with sappy lyrics.

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Sorry, sorry...I just have to say it.

"Once" is a movie people love. Sure, there was a lot of skepticism about whether it would work on Broadway, but it was very well liked as a property before it became a musical.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but "Drowsy Chaperone" did not, in fact, win Best Musical. Wasn't that the year of "Jersey Boys?"

And as for "Book of Mormon," MONTHS before it opened, press reports from industry readings had people like Stephen Sondheim falling out of their chairs and laughing so hard that they were likely to wet their pants.

Your larger point is true: plenty of good/successful shows seem ridiculous when condensed into a brief plot summary.

Here's where we may disagree, though: "First Date," at least on the page, is weak material. Lots of talented, well-known Broadway names simply passed on it.

BUT the best part of the OOT reviews were the nods to the cast, who apparently managed to make it work anyway. So I'm hoping this might be one of those shows that can fly with creative, charismatic actors--which both of these leads certainly are.

I'm not incredibly optimistic, but I wish them the best!

It is easy to make any show sound bad or silly when one describes the plot in a sentence or two, but these plot descriptions weren't taken from BWW posters or Seattle reviewers. These are the carefully crafted (one would hope) plot descriptions by the PR team of First Date. They should be making the show sound as good as humanly possibly.

The PR team should be making the case for why we should go see this show. What is different about this show from all the other "date" shows we've seen before it? (I mentioned "I Love You Because," but even "I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change" and the like.) The orchestra is selling for $137. Why is this show worth $137. That's their job.

I do agree that a description of the plot can't replace the experience of actually going to the show, but no one was suggesting that.

For the record Meyerschultz, your description of Drowsy sounds absolutely delightful to me, and although it could have been a bad show, the premise alone is intriguing enough for any lover of Broadway musicals because we've all been the Man in the Chair at some point.

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Aww man, I was kind of excited for this until I read those lyrics.

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You are doing an outstanding job, Clara. Congrats. I am calling Junkyard Dog Productions tomorrow to tell them to give you a raise.

If the Awkward Pause video isn't a good representation of the show I can't imagine why the team would have it put on YouTube.

No one is "gleefully" trashing a show, as is erroneously stated above. If the characters in First Date are allowed to sing about their first impressions of each other, why shouldn't we be allowed to give our first impressions of the show? (We are gathering our first impressions from press and video released by the producers too.)

It's almost impossible to walk into a show with a blank slate. Inevitablely one has heard some buzz, is familiar with an actor/director/creative member of the production or otherwise. Can a show surprise you and alter your first impressions? Of course.

I was thrilled to be seeing The Addams Family, even with some troubled word of mouth coming out of Chicago. Nathan and Bebe seemed a perfect fit on paper and I couldn't have had higher hopes. On the flip side I was dreading Passing Strange. Two of my best friends HATED it, but with trepidation I went and it remains one of my favorite Broadway shows (one that I saw 7 times). Is my mind made up about First Date? Absolutely not. After listening to three songs and gleaning what I can about the show do I have some misgivings? Sure, but I'll go and see the production myself before making any final judgements as I know I've been surprised my times in the past.

Many of the examples listed above of shows that succeeded without buzz are not great examples, because none of them opened on Broadway in our current economic climate.

The Fantasticks barely survived its first weeks (Rita Gardner has stated that there were performances with 10 people in the audience!) A producer believed in them and let the show run, but it was also playing downtown at The Sullivan Street Theatre. If it had opened on Broadway and played to 10 people it would have closed opening weekend.

Likewise Little Mary Sunshine, I Love You, You're Perfect..., and Perfect Crime all opened off-Broadway.

Never Too Late was directed by George Abbott, and had names like Maureen O'Sullivan in the cast. The Magic Show was coming on the heels of Schwartz' huge success with Pippin, and Doug Henning was something of a name. Sandy Dennis had won a Tony the season before Any Wednesday.

Maybe a better example of a show that succeeded despite any buzz would be Memphis, but for every Memphis there are 10 Chaplin, Scandalous, Hands On a Hardbody-types waiting in the wings.

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Updated On: 5/24/13 at 08:21 AM

Funny how people who have no knowledge, first-hand or otherwise, of a time and its cultural output and mindset contradict those who do. Effrontery, stupidity, arrogance--- call it what you will-- it's pitiful. One of these know-nothing know-it-alls looks up the titles of plays he has not seen and knows nothing about on IBDB, finds some credits, then trumpets erroneous conclusions derived therefrom as if he's the world's preeminent authority on the subject. Laughable? Of course. Asinine? No question. But there you have it.

The great philosopher Montaigne, who knew a great deal indeed, uttered the famous phrase "Que sais-je?" (What do I know?). On the other hand, a nincompoop who spouts rubbish fancies himself omniscient, a Mr. "Que ne sais-je pas?"

Too bad the IBDB doesn't tell us what shows were sleeper hits. Luckily, there are people who lived through the era who can provide said information, as in all the shows listed above.

I would also love dearly to learn from the omniscient one about the texts, acting and design of plays like Any Wednesday and Never Too Late. After all, what do I know? I only saw them.

Updated On: 5/25/13 at 12:14 AM

Wow, After Eight is always able to take his condescending, sneering, smug superiority to another level, every time. For that he does deserve credit.

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Thanks Matt! Please give them a call and see if you can arrange an internship for me since they'll have absolutely no idea who I am. Really. If you know them, give them a call, please. I'd love to be working on Broadway this summer.