Blake Hammond News

Tony Award-winning producer Junkyard Dog Productions (Memphis) has just announced that leading man Zachary Levi, star of TV's "Chuck," Disney's feature film Tangled and the upcoming Thor: The Dark World, will make his Broadway debut starring opposite Broadway and television ingenue Krysta Rodriguez ("Smash," The Addams Family) in FIRST DATE, Broadway's new romantic musical comedy. With a book by Austin Winsberg ("Gossip Girl"), music and lyrics byAlan Zachary and Michael Weiner (Secondhand Lions, Twice Charmed) and musical staging by Josh Rhodes (Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella) FIRST DATE is directed by Bill Berry (Producing Director of The 5th Avenue Theatre). Featuring Sara Chase ("Arrested Development," The Toxic Avenger), Kristoffer Cusick (Wicked, Rent), Blake Hammond (Sister Act, Billy Elliot) and Kate Loprest ("Boardwalk Empire," Hairspray), the cast of FIRST DATE also includes Vicki Noon (Wicked, Mamma Mia!). FIRST DATE begins performances Tuesday, July 9, 2013, and opens Today, August 8, 2013, at Broadway's Longacre Theatre (220 West 48th Street). Additional casting to be announced shortly.

Hottest Articles on BroadwayWorld.com from this weekend Sunday, August 4, 2013 - Sunday, August 4, 2013.

In this week's edition, we caught up with Blake Hammond, who is starring as 'Waiter/Casey's Father/Blaze/Friendly Therapist' in First Date- currently in previews at the Longacre Theatre; opening August 8.

Featured this week were the casts of SPIDER-MAN: Turn Off The Dark, Big Fish (Norbert Leo Butz, Kate Baldwin and Zachary Unger), FIRST DATE (Zachary Levi, Krysta Rodriguez, Sara Chase, Kristoffer Cusick, Blake Hammond, Kate Loprest and Bryce Ryness) and Kinky Boots (Timothy Ware, Andy Kelso, Paul Canaan, Kevin Smith Kirkwood, Kyle Taylor Parker, Kyle Post, Nathan Peck and Joey Taranto). Check out photos below!

Featured this week was the cast of FIRST DATE (Zachary Levi, Krysta Rodriguez, Sara Chase,Kristoffer Cusick, Blake Hammond, Kate Loprest andBryce Ryness) and Kinky Boots (Timothy Ware, Andy Kelso, Paul Canaan, Kevin Smith Kirkwood, Kyle TaylorParker, Kyle Post, Nathan Peck and Joey Taranto). Check out highlights below!

This Thursday, August 1, Michael Urie, star of Buyer and Cellar (and formerly on "Ugly Betty" & "Partners"), will be co-hosting the fourth week of 106.7 LITE FM's Broadway in Bryant Park. The event will also feature perfermances from the casts of LET IT BE, SPIDER-MAN: Turn Off The Dark, Big Fish (Norbert Leo Butz, Kate Baldwin and Zachary Unger), FIRST DATE (Zachary Levi, Krysta Rodriguez, Sara Chase, Kristoffer Cusick, Blake Hammond, Kate Loprest and Bryce Ryness) and Kinky Boots (Timothy Ware, Andy Kelso, Paul Canaan, Kevin Smith Kirkwood, Kyle Taylor Parker, Kyle Post, Nathan Peck and Joey Taranto).

Zachary Levi, star of TV's 'Chuck,' Disney's feature film Tangled and the upcoming Thor: The Dark World, will make his Broadway debut starring opposite Broadway and television ingenue Krysta Rodriguez ('Smash,' The Addams Family) in First Date, currently in previews at the Longacre Theatre. Rodriguez just celebrated her birthday with her FIRST DATE castmates after last night's show, and BroadwayWorld brings you exclusive photo coverage below!

Zachary Levi stopped by THE TONIGHT SHOW WITH JAY LENO last night to chat about his starring role in the new Broadway musical 'First Date.' Check out his appearance below!

Zachary Levi, star of TV's 'Chuck,' Disney's feature film Tangled and the upcoming Thor: The Dark World, will make his Broadway debut starring opposite Broadway and television ingenue Krysta Rodriguez ('Smash,' The Addams Family) in First Date, currently in previews at the Longacre Theatre. With a book by Austin Winsberg ('Gossip Girl'), music and lyrics byAlan Zachary and Michael Weiner (Secondhand Lions, Twice Charmed) and musical staging by Josh Rhodes (Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella) First Date is directed by Bill Berry (Producing Director of The 5th Avenue Theatre). BroadwayWorld is excited to debut production shots for the new musical below!

In the video below, standby Eric Ankrim teams with Krysta Rodriquez, Zachary Levi and the rest of the cast to rap about filling in for Levi, who will be out of the show to attend Comic-Con in San Diego.

Zachary Levi, star of TV's 'Chuck,' Disney's feature film Tangled and the upcoming Thor: The Dark World, will make his Broadway debut starring opposite Broadway and television ingenue Krysta Rodriguez ('Smash,' The Addams Family) in First Date, Broadway's new romantic musical comedy. Featuring Sara Chase ('Arrested Development,' The Toxic Avenger), Kristoffer Cusick (Wicked, Rent), Blake Hammond (Sister Act, Billy Elliot) and Kate Loprest('Boardwalk Empire,' Hairspray), the cast of First Date also includes Vicki Noon(Wicked, Mamma Mia!). First Date opens Thursday, August 8, 2013, at Broadway's Longacre Theatre (220 West 48th Street). The check out the full marquee at the Longacre Theatre below!

Leading man Zachary Levi, star of TV's 'Chuck,' Disney's feature film Tangled and the upcoming Thor: The Dark World, makes his Broadway debut starring opposite Broadway and television ingenue Krysta Rodriguez ('Smash,' The Addams Family) in First Date, Broadway's new romantic musical comedy. With a book by Austin Winsberg ('Gossip Girl'), music and lyrics by Alan Zachary and Michael Weiner (Secondhand Lions, Twice Charmed) and musical staging by Josh Rhodes (Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella) First Date is directed by Bill Berry (Producing Director of The 5th Avenue Theatre). Featuring Sara Chase ('Arrested Development,' The Toxic Avenger), Kristoffer Cusick (Wicked, Rent), Blake Hammond (Sister Act, Billy Elliot) and Kate Loprest ('Boardwalk Empire,' Hairspray), the cast of First Date also includes Vicki Noon (Wicked, Mamma Mia!). First Date begins performances tonight, July 9, 2013, and opens Thursday, August 8, 2013, at Broadway's Longacre Theatre (220 West 48th Street).

To make Broadway an experience affordable for all, FIRST DATE has instituted $25 student rush tickets and $35 balcony seats. A limited number of student rush tickets priced at an inexpensive $25 can be purchased with a valid student ID at the box office (one ticket per ID) on the date of the performance. In addition $35 balcony level seats are available in advance for all performances at the Longacre Theatre box office or at www.Telecharge.com (212.239.6200). FIRST DATE,Broadway's new romantic musical comedy, begins performances Tuesday, July 9, 2013, and opens Thursday, August 8, 2013, at Broadway's Longacre Theatre (220 West 48th Street).

Zachary Levi, star of TV's 'Chuck,' Disney's feature film Tangled and the upcoming Thor: The Dark World, will make his Broadway debut starring opposite Broadway and television ingenue Krysta Rodriguez ('Smash,' The Addams Family) in First Date, Broadway's new romantic musical comedy. Click HERE to listen to the pair talk about the musical on NPR's 'All Things Considered' this weekend with Rebecca Sheir!

Zachary Levi ('Chuck,' Tangled, Thor: The Dark World) will be interview about making his Broadway debut in First Date live during NBC's broadcast of 'Macy's Fourth of July Fireworks Spectacular' airing tonight, July 4, at 8pm EST. First Date,Broadway's new romantic musical comedy, begins performances Tuesday, July 9, 2013, and opens Thursday, August 8, 2013, at Broadway's LongacreTheatre (220 West 48th Street).

Zachary Levi, star of TV's 'Chuck,' Disney's feature film Tangled and the upcoming Thor: The Dark World, will make his Broadway debut starring opposite Broadway and television ingenue Krysta Rodriguez('Smash,' The Addams Family) in First Date, Broadway's new romantic musicalcomedy. With a book by Austin Winsberg ('Gossip Girl'), music and lyrics byAlan Zachary and Michael Weiner (Secondhand Lions, Twice Charmed) and musical staging by Josh Rhodes (Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella) First Dateis directed by Bill Berry (Producing Director of The 5th Avenue Theatre). BroadwayWorld brings you clips of the cast in action below!

Zachary Levi, star of TV's 'Chuck,' Disney's feature film Tangled and the upcoming Thor: The Dark World, will make his Broadway debut starring opposite Broadway and television ingenue Krysta Rodriguez('Smash,' The Addams Family) in First Date, Broadway's new romantic musicalcomedy. With a book by Austin Winsberg ('Gossip Girl'), music and lyrics byAlan Zachary and Michael Weiner (Secondhand Lions, Twice Charmed) and musical staging by Josh Rhodes (Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella) First Dateis directed by Bill Berry (Producing Director of The 5th Avenue Theatre). In the video below, meet the cast of the Broadway-bound show and go behind the scenes of their Broadway photo shoot!

Tony Award-winning producer Junkyard Dog Productions (Memphis) is proud to announce that Bryce Ryness, Eric Ankrim, Kevin Kern and Sydney Shepherd will join stars Zachary Levi ('Chuck,' Tangled,Thor: The Dark World) and Krysta Rodriguez ('Smash,' The Addams Family) in FIRST DATE, Broadway's new romantic musical comedy. FIRST DATE begins performances Tuesday, July 9, 2013, and opens Thursday, August 8, 2013, at Broadway's LongacreTheatre (220 West 48th Street).