At Broadway Rocks Times Square, a benefit concert for St. Mary’s Kids, Rodriguez took to Times Square to perform "Safer" from the musical by Alan Zachary and Michael Weiner (Secondhand Lions, Twice Charmed).
First Date, which received a Seattle premiere co-produced by A.C.T. and the 5th Avenue Theatre, features a book by Austin Winsberg ("Gossip Girl"), with music and lyrics by Zachary and Weiner. Previews are scheduled to begin July 9 at The Longacre Theatre.
Bill Berry (producing director of The 5th Avenue Theatre), who helmed the world premiere, will direct the Broadway production, and Josh Rhodes (Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella) will provide musical staging. Opening night is set for Aug. 8.
The cast also includes Sara Chase ("Arrested Development," The Toxic Avenger), Kristoffer Cusick (Wicked, Rent), Blake Hammond (Sister Act, Billy Elliot), Kate Loprest ("Boardwalk Empire," Hairspray) and Vicki Noon (Wicked, Mamma Mia!).
Here's how the new Broadway musical is billed: "When tightly wound Aaron (Levi) is set up with serial-dater Casey (Rodriguez) a quick drink at a busy New York restaurant turns into a hilarious, high-stakes dinner. As the date unfolds in real time, the couple quickly finds they are not alone on this date as Casey and Aaron's inner critics take on a life of their own when other restaurant patrons and the wait staff get into the act. Dinner is served with sides of 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. First Date is Broadway's new hysterical and hopeful new musical about the chances we take to find love." Visit FirstDateTheMusical.com.