Kurt Beattie News

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 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. Check out a brief, first look at the cast in the recording studio below!

ACT - A Contemporary Theatre under the direction of Artistic Director Kurt Beattie officially announces the 2014 mainstage season. Next year, ACT has a balance of plays that are smart and beautiful, hilarious and zany, as well as thrilling and suspenseful. Fresh from Broadway is the Seattle premiere of the Tony Award Winner for Best Play, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, by Christopher Durang. Also on deck for 2014 is the off-Broadway hit, Bethany by Laura Marks. Back from directing the Broadway opening of First Date, director Bill Berry will mount the infamous cult musical hitLittle Shop of Horrors for the intimate Falls Theatre. Heavy hitters and famous authors Sam Shepard, Steve Martin, and Woody Allen will have their one-act plays combine for a summer triple bill, and Arthur Miller's The Price will offer a look at an expertly crafted drama that remains timeless. ACT is honored to work with writer/actor Ayad Akhtar, winner of this year's Pulitzer Prize for Disgraced, on his recent play, a revised version of The Invisible Hand.

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.

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!

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.

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 ('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).

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).

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 ingénue 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 Thursday, August 8, 2013, at Broadway's Longacre Theatre (220 West 48th Street). Additional casting to be announced shortly.

A few days ago I posted a review for another comedy in town where I commented on the fact that they just don't write farces like they used to. And last night the current production at ACT, "Assisted Living" only served to support that statement. That's assuming this World Premiere play from local playwright Katie Forgette was even trying to be a farce. The show, aside from containing a very thin plot and some highly cliche jokes, suffers from an identity crisis as it's not sure what kind of show it wants to be; farce, political commentary, nostalgia piece, etc. But the show does manage some decent moments largely due to the superb cast not to mention borrowing scenes from good plays.

Conservative parents and their Liberal children square off in Jon Robin Baitz's thrilling drama, Other Desert Cities.

GREY GARDENS, a co-production with The 5th Avenue Theatre and ACT is now playing on the mainstage through May 26. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the production shots below.

You know when you go on vacation and come across that amazing restaurant that serves one of the most surprising dishes you've ever had that you pine over for years and then you find a restaurant back home that makes the same recipe? And maybe they don't have all the best ingredients or maybe the chef isn't quite as good but it just doesn't live up to the original? Well, unfortunately that's the equivalent of what I witnessed last night at "Grey Gardens" currently at ACT. It's still the same amazing show by Doug Wright, Scott Frankel, and Michael Korie and definitely had some outstanding moments but the whole just didn't quite compare to when I saw it on Broadway with the incredible Christine Ebersole.

GREY GARDENS, a co-production with The 5th Avenue Theatre and ACT will play on the mainstage tonight, March 16-May 26 with a press opening of March 21.

Click below to watch Megan Hilty sing 'Take a Chance' and 'First Impressions' as performed at the Kennedy Center's Broadway Today & Tomorrow series!