Eric Ankrim News

Coming up this week, 54 BELOW, the performance venue located just below the legendary Studio 54 at 254 West 54th Street, presents some of the brightest stars from Broadway, cabaret, jazz and beyond:

Musicals Tonight! continues its ongoing salute to Broadway and Off-Broadway Standbys, Understudies and Alternates with its next edition of At This Performance... tonight, Monday, October 14th at The Lion Theatre, 410 West 42nd Street at 7 PM.

Musicals Tonight! continues its ongoing salute to Broadway and Off-Broadway Standbys, Understudies and Alternates with its next edition of At This Performance... to be held on Monday, October 14th at The Lion Theatre, 410 West 42nd Street at 7 PM.

The cast of Broadway's FIRST DATE, the critically acclaimed new musical comedy starring Zachary Levi and Krysta Rodriguez, will celebrate the release of their Original Broadway Cast Album one week from today with a one night only cabaret at Broadway's nightclub, 54 BELOW. All proceeds from ticket sales will be donated to Operation Smile. Zachary Levi is a longtime supporter and Smile Ambassador for the organization, which provides free surgeries to repair cleft lip, cleft palate and other facial deformities for children around the globe. Though the cabaret is nearly sold out, tickets are $35 each and can be purchased at 54BELOW.com.

The original Broadway cast recording of FIRST DATE, the critically acclaimed new musical comedy starring Zachary Levi and Krysta Rodriguez, with music and lyrics by Alan Zachary and Michael Weiner, will be released digitally and exclusively available at the Longacre Theatre today, September 24, 2013. Executive produced by Altar Identity Studios the CD, released by Yellow Sound Label, will be available in stores and everywhere music is sold Tuesday, October 15, 2013. With a book by Austin Winsberg, FIRST DATE is directed by Bill Berry, has a musical staging by Josh Rhodes, with orchestrations by August Eriksmoen and musical supervision, vocal and incidental arrangements by Dominick Amendum. The album debuted at number 1 on the iTunes soundtrack chart.

The original Broadway cast recording of First Date, the critically acclaimed new musical comedy starring Zachary Levi and Krysta Rodriguez, with music and lyrics by Alan Zachary and Michael Weiner, will be released digitally and exclusively available at the Longacre Theatre Tuesday, September 24, 2013. Executive produced by Altar Identity Studios the CD, released by Yellow Sound Label, will be available in stores and everywhere music is sold Tuesday, October 15, 2013. With a book by Austin Winsberg, First Datei s directed by Bill Berry, has a musical staging by Josh Rhodes, with orchestrations byAugust Eriksmoen and musical supervision, vocal and incidental arrangements by Dominick Amendum. Click here to pre-order. Below, go inside the recording studio with the cast as they record the show's opener- 'The One.'

The cast of Broadway's FIRST DATE, the critically acclaimed new musical comedy starring Zachary Levi and Krysta Rodriguez, will celebrate the release of their Original Broadway Cast Album with a one night only cabaret at Broadway's nightclub, 54 BELOW, on Tuesday, October 15, 2013 at 9:30 PM. All proceeds from ticket sales will be donated to Operation Smile. Zachary Levi is a longtime supporter and Smile Ambassador for the organization, which provides free surgeries to repair cleft lip, cleft palate and other facial deformities for children around the globe.

FIRST DATE has just annnounced a new performance schedule, beginning Tuesday, October 8, 2013: Tuesday and Wednesday at 7pm, Thursday-Saturday at 8pm, Saturday at 2pm, Sunday at 3pm and 7.30pm. Tickets for FIRST DATE range from $35 to $137, and can be purchased at the Longacre Theatre box office or at Telecharge.com (212.239.6200). Please note that $30 rush tickets may be available the day of the performance. The current performance schedule is as follows: Tuesday at 7pm,Wednesday-Saturday at 8pm, Saturday at 2pm and Sunday at 3pm and 7pm. Starting October 8, 2013 the performance schedule will be: Tuesdayand Wednesday at 7pm, Thursday-Saturday at 8pm, Saturday at 2pm, and Sunday at 3pm and 7pm.

The original Broadway cast recording of FIRST DATE, the critically acclaimed new musical comedy starring Zachary Levi and Krysta Rodriguez, with music and lyrics by Alan Zachary and Michael Weiner, will be released digitally and exclusively available at the Longacre Theatre Tuesday, September 24, 2013, with digital pre-sale beginning today at Amazon.com. Executive produced by Altar Identity Studios the CD, released by Yellow Sound Label, will be available in stores and everywhere music is sold Tuesday, October 15, 2013. With a book by Austin Winsberg, FIRST DATEi s directed by Bill Berry, has a musical staging by Josh Rhodes, with orchestrations by August Eriksmoen and musical supervision, vocal and incidental arrangements by Dominick Amendum.

Just last night, composer Alan Menken stopped by First Date on Broadway to support Zachary Levi, who worked with him on the 2010 animated film 'Tangled.' Below, check out an exclusive photo of Menken with the cast backstage!

The original Broadway cast recording of FIRST DATE, the critically acclaimed new musical comedy starring Zachary Levi and Krysta Rodriguez, with music and lyrics by Alan Zachary and Michael Weiner, will be released digitally and exclusively available at the Longacre Theatre Tuesday, September 24, 2013, with digital pre-sale beginning today at Amazon.com. Executive produced by Altar Identity Studios the CD, released by Yellow Sound Label, will be available in stores and everywhere music is sold Tuesday, October 15, 2013. With a book by Austin Winsberg, FIRST DATEi s directed by Bill Berry, has a musical staging by Josh Rhodes, with orchestrations by August Eriksmoen and musical supervision, vocal and incidental arrangements by Dominick Amendum. Check out a brief, first look at the cast in the recording studio below!

Just yesterday it was announced that the original Broadway cast of First Date, the critically acclaimed new romantic musical comedy starring Zachary Levi and Krysta Rodriguez, with music and lyrics by Alan Zachary and Michael Weiner, will be recorded. Executive produced by Altar Identity Studios, the album will be recorded and released by Yellow Sound Label, produced by Michael Croiter and Dominick Amendum and will be available through Amazon, iTunes and everywhere music is sold in the fall of 2013. The cast was in the recording studio yesterday and you can check out photos below!

Monday, August 12, 2013, the original Broadway cast recording of FIRST DATE, the critically acclaimed new romantic musical comedy starring Zachary Levi and Krysta Rodriguez, with music and lyrics by Alan Zachary and Michael Weiner, will be recorded. Executive produced by Altar Identity Studios, the album will be recorded and released by Yellow Sound Label, produced by Michael Croiter and Dominick Amendum and will be available through Amazon, iTunes and everywhere music is sold in the fall of 2013. Directed by Bill Berry,FIRST DATE has a book by Austin Winsberg, musical staging by Josh Rhodes, with orchestrations by August Eriksmoen and musical supervision, vocal and incidental arrangements by Dominick Amendum.

FIRST DATE opened last night on Broadway and after the curtain came down, we celebrated with the cast, crew and creative team of the fun, new show. What are you waiting for? Scroll down to check them out!

A Contemporary Theatre and The 5th Avenue Theatre are excited to announce that the new comedy First Date opens tonight at the Longacre Theatre as the first musical of the 2013-14 Broadway season, starring Zachary Levi and Krysta Rodriguez. First Date received its world premiere in Seattle onstage at ACT Theatre and was co-produced by ACT and The 5th Avenue Theatre in 2012. Watch a scene from the Seattle premiere and check out photos in the flashback 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.

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 ('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).