FIRST DATE - Previews

[jacobsnchz14]

"Smash" and The Addams Family actress Krysta Rodriguez is set up with "Chuck" star Zachary Levi on a First Date in the new Broadway musical comedy that begins performances July 9 at the Longacre Theatre.

The work, which received a Seattle premiere co-produced by A.C.T. and the 5th Avenue Theatre, features a book by Austin Winsberg ("Gossip Girl"), with music and lyrics by Alan Zachary and Michael Weiner (Secondhand Lions, Twice Charmed), who began writing songs together in high school.

Will anyone be there? I'm sure Whizzer will be...

[aasjb4ever]

Blech. I've only heard awful things about this show. If it's even slightly successful, good for them.

[ClydeBarrow]

It seems unlikely that the ONE person in the audience will come on here and tell us about it.

[jdrye222]

Yeah, I don't remember a more "dead-on-arrival" word of mouth in a long time... Even SCANDALOUS seemed to have more going for it than this...
I haven't seen it, so not giving an opinion... Just seems in the dead of summer, to open a show such as this, and not really do much marketing beyond some signs on taxis, and have this word of mouth..... In the old days I'd say it'll close in previews, but everything opens these days, so I give it 3-4 weeks beyond opening.

[jdrye222]

Look for the Tupac show to take the Longacre in late 2013 or early 2014

[willep]

As a Zac Levi fan, I am really excited for this one. I wish them well!

[blisseau]

...I'll be there. I'm fully prepared for it to be horrible, but I secretly hope it's surprisingly decent. But it will probably be horrible.

My main reason for seeing the show is the cast. So it's got that going for it, at least.

[WhizzerMarvin]

I will be there.

I loved all but the last three episodes of Chuck and am excited to see Zachary Levi on stage. His small screen co-star already set the bar pretty high with her Broadway debut last season, although she obviously had some pretty amazing material to work with. I hope the easy charm and goofball humor that he excelled at on TV will be on display at the Longacre this evening.

[newintown]

It does put off a preliminary odor of Glory Days, doesn't it? Which I hope, for their sakes, is illusory...

[jnb9872]

I'm probably gonna go sometime this week, I'm kind of quietly optimistic about the show itself. I do think the concept can be a rich one to work with, but it all depends on execution. My friend in Seattle said she'd heard good things about the run out there, but she hadn't seen it herself.

As for the business end, I don't see many ways this becomes a hit at all, but I also personally don't think it'll be as D.O.A. as SOUL DOCTOR. But that's not a stance I'm likely to defend with anything remotely approaching vigor.

[Younger Brother]

"His small screen co-star already set the bar pretty high with her Broadway debut last season.."

I'm racking my brain trying to think who..?

[willep]

Yvonne Strahovski. She was in "Golden Boy" last season.

[WhizzerMarvin]

Strahovski was a revelation in Golden Boy; it was my favorite show last season. I've only seen clips thus far of First Date, but Golden Boy it ain't!

[dramamama611]

Let's not forget that people said the same things about the possibility of success for:
N2N
Once
Pippin
Peter & the Starcatcher
Rock of Ages
And who knows what other shows.

That being said, it sounds like a dud, but perhaps we will be surprised. We can hope.

[ClydeBarrow]

Even if people said the same things about those shows (which I don't recall) the factors weren't the same. This one is DOA with its opening date, increased competition during an already successful season and Off-Broadway premise at Broadway prices.

[quizking101]

[heyiam]

I saw the show out in Seattle and really enjoyed it. I also saw the recent reading they did and the changes they made were very smart.

I'm very excited for it. Sometimes Broadway needs something light and fun! Everyone thought XANADU was going to be a dud because who would ever think a stage musical of XANADU would be a good idea.

[quizking101]

Lets not forget the starry Broadway premiere of THE MOTHERF*CKER WOTH THE HAT, that almost capsized in previews until Oprah's blessing

[newintown]

Good to also point out that people said the same things about the possibility of success for:
Hands On A Hardbody
Chaplin
Bring It On
Lysistrata Jones
Scandalous
Leap of Faith
Ghost
On A Clear Day you Can See Harry Connick
Bonnie and Clyde
Wonderland
Jeckyl & Hyde
The People In The Picture
Baby It's You
Catch Me If You Can
Women On The Verge of Closing Early
Bloody Bloody Early Closing Notice
Come Fly Away
9 to 5
The Story of My Life
13
A Tale of Two Cities

And so many more...

[jawjuhh]

I just bought a rush ticket for this (it also seems you can buy more than one) so I will be seeing it tonight! I've been in the mood for a light and fun show so I'm pretty optimistic about this.

[AC126748]

Lets not forget the starry Broadway premiere of THE MOTHERF*CKER WOTH THE HAT, that almost capsized in previews until Oprah's blessing

More like Ben Brantley's rave, followed by about a dozen articles in the Times promoting the show. (It was also one of those rare instances where a show used the preview period to make necessary changes and actually got better.)

[iluvtheatertrash]

FYI - I nabbed two rush seats at 1:00 this afternoon in Orchestra, Row P. Box Office attendant had said he'd sold a lot, and had more to sell. So get thee to the theater!

[FlowerChild67]

I'm glad I'm not the only one who thought it's going to close early. The one song that's up on YouTube I love (Safer), and I adore Krysta Rodriguez and Zachary Levi. But I'm pretty sure it's going to be a flop. For one thing, it's opening during the summer. Why, oh, why would they do that, unless they're hoping that it will become a tourist show. And I'm pretty sure that's not what they're going for. Who knows, though?

[newintown]

Wondering why the idea of a summer opening seems to equate a flop, I looked at past summer openers:

Anna Karenina, Aug 26, 1992 – 46 perf
Camelot (revival), Jun 21, 1993 – 56 perf
She Loves Me (revival), Jun 10, 1993 – 354 perf
Chronicle of a Death Foretold, Jun 15, 1995 – 37
1776, (revival), Aug 14, 1997 – 333 perf
An Evening with Jerry Herman, Jul 28, 1998 – 28 perf
Kat and the Kings, Aug 19, 1999 – 157 perf
Hairspray, Aug 15, 2002 – 2642 perf
The Boys from Syracuse (revival), Aug 18, 2002 – 73 perf
Avenue Q, Jul 31, 2003 – 2534 perf
Big River (revival), Jul 24, 2003 – 67 perf
Dracula, the Musical, Aug 19, 2004 – 157 perf
The Frogs, Jul 22, 2004 – 92 perf
Lennon, Aug 14, 2005 – 49 perf
Kiki & Herb: Alive on Broadway (limited run, yes?), Aug 15, 2006 - 27 perf
Martin Short: Fame Becomes Me, Aug 17, 2006 – 165 perf
Grease, Aug 19, 2007 – 554 perf
Xanadu, Jul 10, 2007 – 512 perf
[title of show] , Jul 17, 2008 – 102 perf
Hair (return of a revival), Jul 13, 2011 – 67 perf
Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark (running for 7? 8? Months), Jun 14, 2011 – 859 perf
Bring It On The Musical, Aug 1, 2012 - 171 perf
Fela! (return engagement), Jul 12, 2012 – 28 perf

Two-three genuine hits in there (in the past 21 years, out of 23 shows), at least 13 real flops, and a few in between.

Like any time in the year, it's a risky business, but maybe more so in summer.

[KirbyCat]

So, rush tickets are sold based on availability?
I'm looking to go tomorrow morning.