First Date

Such a great show. It really hits on all the awkward parts of a first date. So much so that you feel just that first date pit in your stomach & really get into the awfulness that is dating. LOVED IT! Zachery Levi is awesome!

This play was awesome! First Date was one of the hidden gems of Broadway and I’m sad that it’s closed. I’ve been a big fan of Zach Levi from his Chuck days and was so glad for the opportunity to see him perform on stage. This play hilariously summed up everything I’ve felt about going on a first date. I couldn’t stop laughing the whole time. This was basically watching Chuck all over again, just on an awkward first date like the rest of us.
Zach was so great about staying and making sure everybody got autographs and photos. He totally went above and beyond to make sure all the fans had a great experience.
Bummed this show closed, would have considered seeing it again!

Love!!! Such a great fun and upbeat musical! Ever had an awkward first date? This musical covers every thought you have during a first date. Ha! It couldn’t have been more spot on! Great cast! Zachary Levi and Krysta Rodriguez have amazing chemistry! If only they came and toured nationwide.

LOVE! LOVE! LOVE!
I laughed so hard and enjoy the entire show. They were right on the money with every scene! Great performance and songs! I saw the show Once and First Date on our NYE trip and to be honest, although Once was great,… I enjoyed First Date more!
I was able to relate to a lot of the first date awkwardness so this show was extra funny for me. LOVE Zachery Levi! He plays Chuck in a TV show. Didn’t realize how tall he is in real life and quite handsome! It’s hard not to fall in love with him. :)
Every supporting casts were fantastic! They help make the show!
I forgot where I read or heard this but I think this might be their last year… so if you haven’t seen this show yet… you better hurry! It’s very much worth it!
All four thumbs ups for me (including my toe thumbs) :)

Saw it last Friday. This was terrible. The story line was dragged out for an awful 90 minutes. The singing was bad, they were off key and ugh just no. There were a handful of parts that I did find humorous but it really just felt like a huge buzzkill. The best part about this was that I was able to purchase a huge glass of wine to take inside the theatre. I would not recommend anyone see this show.

I confess. I’m a musicals junkie. I have seen quite a few, but as for summer comedies (e.g., Mamma Mia, Sister Act, 9 to 5, Catch Me If You Can) I think this one is one of the few I would watch again. It’s not quite as life changing as the comedy «Avenue Q,» but it never pretends to want to be such a show pony. And so, you can enjoy this one.
Yes, I am a huge fan of Zachary Levi. Let’s just put that out there. His character is yet another incarnation of Chuck Bartowski. Let’s just say that the rest of the cast is hilarious. Krysta’s singing voice is beautiful and unexpectedly tender for all the moxie and sarcasm her character dishes.
The show accurately captures all the awkward-​much moments of dating. You will say to yourself (especially if you’ve ventured into online dating), «Did they bust into my profile or Google me?» Scene-​stealer award goes to Kris Cusick for his bail-​out songs.
The cast is especially generous about signing playbills outside and to the left of the front entrance after the show. They are also good about taking pictures. (Quick tip — stay to the left of the gates; Zac signs and then begins photo ops from those standing to the left-​most side of the scansions.)
Loved the Longacre Theatre; it reminds me of SF’s Golden Gate Theatre. It’s cute and intimate like where you’d see Spring Awakening, Jersey Boys, or Avenue Q. I don’t think there is a bad seat in the house. (Being front and center, I felt like I was looking up the cast’s noses. Not necessarily better to be that close.)
This fun musical closes on January 7, 2014 after a 6-​month run. If nothing else, take a first date here. I’m sure it will get the conversation going.

Are you a New Yorker? Do you hate Time Square? Do you hate tourists? Do you especially hate it when tourists are walking in front of you and just stop for no apparent reason? Yeah I hate them too. Well, this play is the perfect reason to visit the theater district and suffer through the tourists.
In simple words, this play is hilarious. We bought tickets at TSKS in Time Square and got seats that we expected to be really good. To be truthful, any seat here is really good. The theater is small, so you can buy the cheaper seats and not have to worry about view.
I was at first skeptical, and didn’t get a great first impression in the opening seen. I thought it was going to very quirky. The first song was conveniently about first impressions not being always right. The play got so much better after that song, and I was laughing throughout the entire play.
The cast was amazingly good. The main actress is a sultry woman whose personality reminds me of Miley Kunis in I hate you Sarah Marshal. The main actor was like a softer, yet better actor version of Ryan Reynolds with all sarcasm.
Who is this play for? Well ask yourself these questions:
1.) Have you ever been on a date where you nicknamed the girl some code word to your friends, because of how bad the date was?
2.) Have you ever been on a date where the girl got the «call»?
3.) Have you ever violated any of the cardinal dating rules?
4.) Has a girl interviewed you on the first date?
Answering yes or no to any of these questions qualifies you for someone who would like this play. I highly recommend this play to anyone, and I suggest you go quickly. There last show is January 5^th.

I absolutely loved this show!
A few friends had gone to see it and kept coming back to me and telling, girl you gotta see it! Long story short – eh nevermind there is no long story – I bought tickets for my mom and I and it was totally worth it!
The users and staff were friendly, the lighting/​audio tech stuff for the actual show was spot on and well done, and the cast itself was full of so much energy that you couldn’t help but get sucked right in.
How would I summarize the play? Dating in New York – spot on! Definitely recommend! And they close January 5^th, so hurry before it’s gone!

This show was great! My friend saw it three times and after losing the Wicked lottery (ugh), she suggested we see this.
I love how the supporting cast plays every character. It was unexpected and super funny. Zachary Levi was great! He’s so funny and so handsome (duh). I feel like Krysta doesn’t have enough songs! Her voice is beautiful. I was like… but what about her?!?
I sat in the very front row in the partially obstructed seat. I couldn’t see a lot of the initial interactions between Krysta and Zachary but I didn’t care I was laughing my head off. It’s hard if you’re tall but I was ok! It was $ 30 I’m not mad at that.
It was really nice to meet the cast afterwards. Everyone was super nice! Go see this show!

Slow start to this performance… but once it did get going a few minutes into it, it is TONS of fun…
Should definitely go see it at least once

Hilarious show! Zac was just amazing with his comedic performance, down to his mannerisms and body language. So funny.
I didn’t love Krysta’s performance, but the rest of the cast was so good! Great singing, great comedic timing, just wonderful writing and performing.
The stage door experience afterward was wonderful. Zac is easily the most down-​to-​earth, kind celebrity I’ve ever met. He took his time signing for everyone and taking pictures.
Lots of fun! Highly recommend. :)

I got tickets to this show as a birthday gift from my in-​laws. My husband wasn’t pleased as he typically hates a Broadway show. I can safely say he was pleasantly surprised.
The show was hilarious. Lots of funny songs, great timing and the acting was great. Zachary Levi is a total cutie.
No intermission, but I don’t think I looked at my watch once.
Highly recommend.

At the risk of sounding all fangirly, OMG, was this show fun!
I kind of hate myself for using «OMG» in a sentence like that.
So, we were able to get really good tickets to see the 8 pm showing on my actual birthday. I knew when we were making plans to come to New York for my birthday that I wanted to see First Date, but I also did a ton of research before-​hand, to ensure that my desire to see the show was based on more than a love for Zachary Levi.
Everything that I saw, read and heard assured me that it would be an evening well-​spent, so I went ahead and planned the entire evening around the show.
Let me just say, as much as I loved Zach and Krysta Rodriguez, I was more blown away by the «supporting cast». The diversity that each of those actors showed in the different characters they played still makes me smile three days after seeing the show.
I don’t want to be rude by pointing out one person in particular (I think they were all amazing, honestly), but I’d be remiss if I didn’t say how impressed I was by Mr. Kristoffer Cusick. I can’t say too much about his performance without giving things away, but he IS shown on a poster outside the theater as «Her BFF Reggie», and that was one of my favorite characters. His seamless transition between Reggie and the other characters kept me on my toes, and had me laughing all at the same time.
I was honestly surprised by how much I enjoyed the show. It was funny yet touching, it had some great songs that we found ourselves singing on the streets of New York, and the acting was spot-​on. To be fair, I didn’t love *all* of the songs («The Girl For You» went on way too long for my liking, but at least the acting during the weakest song in the show was entertaining…)
I wanted to have fun, and I had hoped my husband would be entertained, and this show and this cast delivered on that for us.
I was pulled in from the first song, but once I realized that I was feeling jittery and nervous *as a direct result* of Zach’s character’s nervousness, I was hooked. He really is a very good actor! ;)
There were a lot of good moments, but days later, I’m still laughing over Reggie’s antics; chuckling over Aaron singing (and dancing) to «In Love with You» and getting verklempt over Casey’s heartfelt singing of «Safer».
There is no intermission for this show, so if you have a small bladder, plan on doing your business before the show starts, or holding it until the end. You definitely do not want to get up in the middle and risk missing anything!
One last tip: the actors will all come out to a small gated area at the stage door after the show, and will take time out of their nights to autograph playbills, take pictures and chat with the crowd. If you’re interested in hanging out for a bit, try to get to the gates early. It gets crowded (I remarked to my husband that it was the nicest mosh pit I’ve ever been in!), and you’ll have people surging forward and holding their playbills over your head, but each of the actors will ensure that they’ve not missed anybody before leaving. They’re all so very friendly, and so appreciative of the fans. I like to see that.
So, here I am, fulfilling my promise to Zach. I loved the show, and I’m urging everyone out there — whether you’re a fan of Zach, Krysta, Broadway, musicals, comedies, or are just looking for a fun way to spend a couple of hours — get some tickets to see this show! Even if you haven’t had to date for a while, you’ll still be entertained by the comedy, the music and the acting!
Mr. Levi… you are welcome. ;)

Very cute show, only 1.5 hrs, no intermission. It’s very funny at parts with surprisingly good singing and dance moves by Zach Levy. The theater is small but comfortable.
Basically a show about a Jewish boy going on his first blind date with a non-​Jewish girl (Oye vay) who’s had a more colorful dating life with «bad boys» and first impressions. I wouldn’t pay full price for the show, but at ½ off via TKTS, it’s worth it.
A nice light hearted show which leaves you feeling good.

I first heard about this Broadway show via Zach Levi’s Tweet. So naturally, I did some more research on it and it sounded good. Unfortunately, it was only showing in New York. So guess what? Booked a flight, booked an apartment rental for the week and packed by bags cause baby, I was heading to New York. Well the real reason for New York was for my boyfriend’s one last vaca before he started his new job but regardless, we were going to NY and this was one of the shows that was on my MUST SEE OR DIE list. I purchased my tickets to the show through my work (I love work discounts) and we were all set.
The show was showing at the Longacre Theater and the best part about that was that it was only a 7 minute walk from our apartment. We stayed near the Theater District /​Times Square. The show was all of that and more. We loved it! Krista Rodriguez, Zach and the rest of the cast and band were amazing. It was funny, it was serious with funny moments, it was just overall a feel good show.
Be sure to stick around after the show cause some of the performers come out to sign autographs and take pictures. They’re very sweet people.
I’m so happy that we got to watch this. Checking off my list.

I LOVED LOVED LOVED this show. I haven’t laughed this hard in a LONG time! Great for couples, singles and everyone in between. 90 minutes long so very easy to swallow. Even my musical hating husband couldn’t stop laughing
Don’t even think about it. GOOOOO. Go with girlfriends, boyfriends, your husband, wife… everyone will enjoy it.
Cheapest tickets are $ 35. Its a small theatre so there are no bad seats.
Cast was great. Fantastic writing. I may even go twice!

3.5 stars
I really enjoyed this play. It is lighthearted, funny and fun! The cast was very good, especially Zachary Levi.
The show hits on all of the hilarity that is dating in this day and age. I think anyone who has dated in NY in this day and age will find it relatable. The song «Bailout» was hysterical.
I was sad to see that there were a lot of empty seats in the theater. The tickets aren’t too expensive, so I recommend getting tickets and seeing this musical before it (prematurely) closes.

First Date was one of the best shows I’ve seen in a long time, and I’ve seen a helluva lot of shows in my life. It was just so fresh and contemporary and totally what the theatre industry is needing at the moment.
Krysta Rodriguez and Zachary Levi were both hilarious and incredibly talented, and really made the show great. The 5 supporting cast members who play various roles were hilarious and helped tie the show together.
It’s definitely a must see show whilst in New York at the moment, and I hope it runs for a long time. It’s not anywhere near as long as the other shows, with no intermission and the running time only coming to around an hour and a half, but I think that works perfectly for the type of show that it is. I’d totally recommend this show to anyone not sure what to see whilst in the city — you’ll love it!

It was fun and entertaining show. Not like the typical major broadway shows where there’s an intermission and a lot of songs. In First Date, it was like a unique TV sitcom about a first date that was going bad at first but had a happy ending.
Zachary Levi killed it! He was so funny just like the good ol’ Chuck days. I recommend watching this show as long as he is doing the lead. He can definitely act and sing and makes the crowd go wild at one point. His voice got better from Tangled and it’s better live. I’m not sure if I would see it if it was any other person.
Krysta Rodriguez wasn’t bad either. I didn’t really see Smash but she played a believable part. I didn’t really like her character but she did a pretty good job. She had one solo which she did an amazing job.
I like how they tie in the other characters and that how they played a role in the story. It was a small cast compared to the major broadway shows. The songs were decent but not enough for me to go out and buy the soundtrack. There were some WTF random moments, some parts stood out more than others, but half way through I knew how the ending was going to be.
It doesn’t drag too long since it was only an hour and a half to forty five minute show. It was packed with entertainment and played with my emotions very well.

It pains me to give «First Date» 3 stars. I REALLY wanted to love it, as I can watch Zachary Levi doing nothing any day. There are some standout songs and scenes but I found the overall story and song numbers to be cheesy, cliché, and formulaic, which, to be fair, isn’t the actors’ fault. How much did I dislike «The Girl For you»? So much.
This aside, I do think if you’re a fan of Zachary Levi’s, you should DEFINITELY go see the show. Not only does he do the best with what he’s given but he elevates it. Zac brings so much heart, humor, and charm to the show, and the man can dance (if you watched «Tangled,» you already knew he could sing)!
There’s no question that Krysta is talented but, sometimes, I felt like she was phoning it in and some of her deliveries felt rehearsed, scripted, and flat. On the one hand, you can argue that her character is a serial dater so she’s probably regurgitated these answers to numerous dates (although I don’t think that was the delivery intention). On the other hand, it’s distracting and detracts from the moment. I didn’t really connect with her character until «Safer.»
The supporting cast, whose actors juggle multiple roles, was entertaining. i especially enjoyed Bryce Ryness as Gabe and Blake Hammon as the waiter. Didn’t care for Sara Chase’s take on Casey’s sister, Lauren. Everyone got a big laugh out of the «Bailout» numbers, as did I, but was Kristopher Cusick autotuned for that song? Bad choice.
Despite all the flaws, Zachary Levi makes it worth seeing. Even if you aren’t familiar with him, you should go see the show so you can fall in love with him. I mean … appreciate his talent.
Sidebar — if you stage door, stay away from the redheaded security guard. He was an asshole to my friend’s sister and mother who were waiting halfway down the block for us because the guard had knocked into my friend’s sister with the barricade, basically pushing her and her mom out of the crowd. They ended up halfway down the block because the guy kept harassing them to move back. They were on a public sidewalk and weren’t even close to the barricade to begin. What a way to ruin someone’s night.