Weather 
Dating has never been easy. Back in the old days when parents and/or matchmakers set up the kids, the pressure to be liked was still there, but the voices in young people’s heads were few. Nowadays, when a swipe or a click reveals a blind date’s entire dating history – not to mention hearing internal, opinionated voices of friends and family – a first date can be sabotaged before it ever gets off the ground. Playwright Austin Winsberg, who wrote the book for the new(ish) Broadway musical, FIRST DATE, admits he based his highly recognizable scenarios on his own experience and those of his friends.
Music and lyrics by Alan Zachary and Michael Weiner feature various, mostly upbeat contemporary musical styles that you’ll recognize from klezmer to rock, showtunes to hip hop. Their songs add hilarious lyrical and visual punch to the inner misgivings of our two main characters – a mismatched pair uncomfortably out on a “first date.” We recognize their hesitation, their discomfort, the anxiety-prone voices in their heads. But as observers, we can’t help laughing at the traumas of today’s dating culture, while rooting for this set-up couple’s success, nonetheless. Not to mention, reminding us of all the magic and misgivings of our own, early attempts at finding “Mr. or Mrs. Right.”
This very funny, entertaining, and seldom-seen musical comedy marks one more outstanding production by ACM (Arts Center Management) Theatricals featuring the Pompano Players at the Pompano Beach Cultural Center. Where they’ve turned the entire front section of their theater into an expanded restaurant set by seating audience members at small tables just below the stage that mirror the three onstage tables where the action takes place. There’s also great stadium seating where we can all feel included while listening in on conversations of the featured blind-date couple: Aaron (Brendan Feingold) and Casey (Samara Shavrick). Meanwhile, scenic designer Kat Davis, with master carpenter Jeff Davis and properties head Elizabeth Guerra, provide just the right amount of set design to leave room for lots of action (even dance!), while lighting designer Lowell Richard projects his magic – especially a late Wall Street scene that perfectly replicates downtown skyscrapers.
The two leads on their “first date” – Brendan Feingold and Samara Shavrick – were perfectly cast, both in looks and talent, necessary as they were onstage for the duration, vacillating between anxiety and anger, vulnerability and defiance. They held us completely in thrall as they brought us along on their roller-coaster ride of missed- and made connections.
There were plenty of moving parts. This true ensemble piece showcased five additional, excellent and experienced actors in multiple roles (all under the smooth direction of Joseph Zettelmaier, assistant director Elizabeth Guerra, and stage manager Shana Goldman). These five company members share their over-the-top blind date disasters in the show’s opening number, recounting their search for “The One.” Then we zoom into specifics. Man #3 (Michael Scott Ross, as the bartender/waiter, also plays Casey’s father, Blaze and Twitter). He can tell when nervous Aaron enters the upscale Manhattan restaurant that he’s on a rare (it’s actually his first) blind date and tries to get the Wall Street banker to appear less uptight, ditching his tie and adjusting his collar.
Aaron and Casey’s renditions of “First Impressions” naturally follows. As does our first impression of the exuberant live band that sits at the corner, stage right, and plays perfectly throughout. A very welcome addition to this small-scale musical (and I admit a deciding factor in my decision to attend). The band features music director/keyboardist Elijah Gee, Aaron Stang on guitar 1, Mike Haddox on guitar 2, Michael Dorfman on drums, Andres Aybar on bass, and Maureen Amaral on tenor sax.
One might not expect dance numbers in a show that spotlights two diners at a table, but there are plenty! As the “voices” and memories in their heads often come to life as song-and-dance numbers by triple-threat ensemble members. Like an early Fiddler-style traditional Jewish dance featuring Jessica Perry as Woman #1 (Aaron’s Grandma Ida, who also plays his sister Lauren, Mother, and Facebook) along with the rest of the cast. Impressive work by choreographer Briley Crisafi and dance captain Addison Schuh.
In case you’re wondering, despite discovering they’d grown up in adjacent neighborhoods, attended the same camp and have many friends in common, Aaron is suddenly shocked to discover that Casey isn’t Jewish. Which leads to the guilt-inducing song headed by the religiously confused future son (Man #2 Quinn Doyle) of their imagined union. The kid goes so far as to wish he’d never been born with the company’s rendition of “The Girl for You.” Next Casey is subjected to imagined admonishments by her Christian family, especially her dad (Michael Scott Ross). But this setback is quickly overcome when they both agree they aren’t, personally, particularly religious (though Casey veers off, maybe too much, into today’s popular “but I’m spiritual” realm).
There were grins on many faces at watching the ongoing (three incidents!) “Bailout Song” whenever Casey’s phone rang and she chose to ignore it. For she’d instructed her good friend, Reggie (Quinn Doyle again, who also appears as Instagram and British Artist) to call her at intervals during the date with an imaginary “emergency,” so she’ll have an excuse to bail. Doyle’s increasingly, highly physical panicked reactions when she doesn’t answer – to the point of fearing her murdered by her unknown suitor, is one more mad, laugh-inducing motif. We also recognize the Company’s rendition of “The Awkward Pause” in the couple’s conversation.
Aaron’s date was set up by his sister Lauren (Jessica Perry) who’s happily married to Aaron’s co-worker. Gabe (Man #1 Michael Materdomini, who also plays YouTube and Stoner Guy) is Aaron’s best friend since childhood. He frequently appears in Aaron’s head as he insists Aaron needs to let go of his fantasies about his ex. If there’s one thing Gabe had repeatedly advised him, it’s to never bring up an ex-girlfriend on a first date. But Aaron can’t help himself (it’s why this is his first date in over a year since their breakup; and he can point to the exact number of days!) as he fantasizes about Allison as the ideal woman (Woman #2 Addison Schuh also stars as Google Girl).
The truth about Allison isn’t completely revealed until the end of Act 2. Suffice it to say, Schuh is a constant presence in Aaron’s head (and, for us, onstage), ranging from fantasy object of desire to demon. In Act 1, we enjoy her sexually alluring rendition of “Allison’s Theme #1,” while Aaron gifts us with “Allison’s Theme #2” in Act 2. I must reiterate here that in addition great acting chops by the entire company, each and every one of them was a highly skilled vocalists who gave outstanding renditions of Zachary and Weiner’s mostly comical – but also lyrically and musically impressive – original numbers.
Speaking about their jobs, Aaron says he just likes the money he makes on Wall Street while artistic photographer Casey enjoys the creative benefits of her gallery position. When Casey realizes Aaron had googled her earlier, they both actively look each other up on their phones. Leading to Company number, “The World Wide Web is Forever.” Happily, there’s nothing awful to find, and they bond by sharing embarrassing moments of their youth. Frankly, I count myself lucky to have been dating before everything one ever did (and we all did stupid things as teenagers and young adults) was documented somewhere online. And breaking up with someone could mean I never heard anything about them ever again!
Act 2 standouts are a touching song between Aaron and his Mother titled “The Things I Never Said” that has Casey seeing “good guy” Aaron in a more sympathetic light. Especially after she’d almost succumbed to her earlier dating standard of only dating bad boys as “Safer” because she can’t get hurt when there are no expectations! For us, despite the sudden change in attitude where she’d placed majorly disappointed Aaron into the “friend zone,” we can’t help but enjoy the dynamic song-and-dance number of “Can’t Help But Love Me (Slow Jam)” featuring appropriately dressed and attitude-driven Bad Boys which opens Act 2. Here would be a good time to credit costume designer Penelope Williams and Amalia Phend for wigs.
Michael Scott Ross as the romantically inclined Waiter also gets a cool solo (like many NYC waiters, he’s an aspiring actor as well as singer/songwriter who’d written this one himself) in “I’d Order Love.” His poetic serenade is a last-ditch attempt to get Aaron and Casey to connect in a slow dance alongside the other couples at the restaurant. There remains one final, first date issue, namely who pays “The Check,” mused upon in song by the entire Company. We get a few more anxious moments of “Will they or won’t they make it as a couple?” I’ll leave you in suspense, like we were, till the very end….
And invite you to discover the answer for yourself by attending this delightfully amusing, at times nostalgic, but primarily contemporary commentary on today’s dating scene. First Date’s highly relatable and captivating storyline is backed by a musically varied collection of energetic, often comedic, musical numbers that will have you laughing in recognition while sitting at the edge of your seat to see what comes next!
Pompano Players’ presentation of fast-paced Broadway musical comedy, FIRST DATE, is playing now through February 15 at the Pompano Beach Cultural Center, 50 W Atlantic Blvd, Pompano Beach 33060. For tickets head to https://pompanotheater.com, [email protected], or call 954-501-1910.
The post Still looking for love? Would you settle for laughs? Pompano Players’ ‘FIRST DATE: Broadway’s Musical Comedy’ presents a hilarious, fast-paced, spot-on look at today’s angst-ridden dating scene appeared on South Florida Theater.
