Broadway musical First Date, which began as a co-production between the 5th Avenue Theatre and ACT Theatre in 2012, will end its six-month rialto run on January 5, according to Broadway.com. The show will have played 34 previews and 174 regular performances at the time of its closing.
First Date tells the story of tightly wound Aaron (Zachary Levi), who is set up with serial-dater Casey (Krysta Rodriguez). The pair’s eventful first date, which unfolds in real time, is an evening fraught with Google background checks, fake emergency phone calls, supportive best friends, manipulative exes and protective parents, who sing and dance them through ice-breakers, appetizers and potential conversational land mines.
Kelly Karbacz originated the role of Casey in the Seattle production, while Eric Ankrim originated the role of Aaron. Seattle stage favorite Ankrim went on to understudy the role of Aaron on Broadway.
First Date was directed by 5th Avenue’s producing director Bill Berry, and features a book by Austin Winsberg, with music and lyrics by Alan Zachary and Michael Weiner, who also composed 5th Avenue’s recent world premiere musical, Secondhand Lions.
Despite its earlier-than-hoped-for shuttering, First Date still has plenty to celebrate. An original cast recording of the musical hit stores in October, and the cast will soon perform in the beloved Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.