I saw First Date in previews just before it opened and received mixed reviews, which I expected. It’s an enjoyable show with some fine moments and a very winning performance by Zachary Levi (TV’s Chuck) in his Broadway debut.
Most Broadway shows share their gross receipts, and that list comes out on Tuesdays. It shows First Date at about 80 percent capacity (not great for a just-opened show) with a 3 percent drop from opening week (not good at all). (I wrote this a while ago. Capacity was down to 55 percent for the last week of September. Oy!)
So what’s the deal? The show has a great concept. A blind date in real time. The action stops and starts as the daters’ thoughts come to life, animated by restaurant patrons and workers. We get the back stories of our leads, why they behave the odd ways they do, why the don’t have a chance and why they ultimately might.
The reviews and sales aren’t particularly good news for the show’s producers, but the one upside for theater fans is there will likely be discounts. It’s worth seeing at the right price. A fun night at the theater. Flaws? Sure. But an enjoyable 90 minutes and some really fine performances from the leads and supports. (I’m no reviewer or critic. I can find something to like about almost any show, and I always learn something.)
A side note: Reviews don’t always tell the tale, and I’ll write longer on this later. But Wicked received very middling reviews, and I’d say things worked out OK for them. Motown received mostly negative reviews . . . it grossed over $1.3 million last week at 98 percent capacity.
OK. That's it, and that's enough.
Most Broadway shows share their gross receipts, and that list comes out on Tuesdays. It shows First Date at about 80 percent capacity (not great for a just-opened show) with a 3 percent drop from opening week (not good at all). (I wrote this a while ago. Capacity was down to 55 percent for the last week of September. Oy!)
So what’s the deal? The show has a great concept. A blind date in real time. The action stops and starts as the daters’ thoughts come to life, animated by restaurant patrons and workers. We get the back stories of our leads, why they behave the odd ways they do, why the don’t have a chance and why they ultimately might.
The reviews and sales aren’t particularly good news for the show’s producers, but the one upside for theater fans is there will likely be discounts. It’s worth seeing at the right price. A fun night at the theater. Flaws? Sure. But an enjoyable 90 minutes and some really fine performances from the leads and supports. (I’m no reviewer or critic. I can find something to like about almost any show, and I always learn something.)
A side note: Reviews don’t always tell the tale, and I’ll write longer on this later. But Wicked received very middling reviews, and I’d say things worked out OK for them. Motown received mostly negative reviews . . . it grossed over $1.3 million last week at 98 percent capacity.
OK. That's it, and that's enough.