Rachel Yoffe and Troy Dailey (Photo by James Esposito)
Reviewed by Julia Lloyd George
Zephyr Theatre
Through December 1st
RECOMMENDED
Even the most hardened cynic may find it difficult to resist the charms of Chromolume Theatre’s romantic musical comedy, First Date. Originally staged on Broadway in 2013, this earnest show has found a new home with director James Esposito in the cozy Zephyr Theatre.
The premise and plot are as simple as you can imagine: Two very different young people are set up on blind date at a New York bar, where they overcome a lot of awkwardness to find a connection they didn’t expect. While every character is essentially an archetype with foreseeable psychological hang-ups, that seems/pretty much inconsequential when the songs are so endearingly silly and all the actors seem to be having such a good time.
Aaron (Troy Dailey) is a nice Jewish boy with an ill-defined job in investment banking and a ton of neuroses about going on dates, while Casey (Paloma Malfavón) is an edgy downtown type with artistic aspirations and a weakness for deadbeat bad boys. Throughout their drinks and dinner, we encounter various figures that represent the critical voices in their heads. At first, it’s Aaron’s traditional Jewish grandmother, Grandma Ida (Bonnie Joy Sludikoff), singing to him about how a non-Jewish girl like Casey can’t be a serious romantic prospect. There’s also his cooler friend, Gabe (Kendré Scott), reminding him not to commit first-date faux-pas like talking about his ex, Allison (Rachel Yoffe). Casey’s sister, Lauren (Natalie Scott), nags her about her biological clock and terrible taste in men.
The show’s comic highlight comes when Casey’s gay friend, Reggie (Christopher Baker), repeatedly regales her voicemail with the “Bailout Song” as a way for her to get out of the date. The restaurant’s nameless waiter (Michael Angel) also gets his own musical number, “I’d Order Love,” an adorable entreaty for romantic attention that has the whole restaurant dancing. Other musical highlights include Casey’s poignant “Safer,” about her habit of keeping her guard up in her love life, and Aaron’s sassily vengeful address to his ex, “In Love With You.” It may be a little implausible that Casey changes her mind about friend zoning Aaron after he tells her about his dead mother, but taking a chance on a sweet guy like him is usually a good idea.
First Date certainly doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but it doesn’t need to. It’s a cheerful dose of romance that reminds its audience why being having an open mind and showing a little vulnerability can lead to a happy ending.
Zephyr Theatre, 7456 Melrose Ave; Fri.-Sat., 8 pm, Sun., 3 pm; thru Dec. 1st; www.chrtheatre.com. (323) 510-1651. Running time: 90 minutes with no intermission.
