What’s better than a First Date on Valentine’s Day? BroadwayHD, the premiere streaming service for live theater, announced today that Broadway hit First Date: The Musical, starring Broadway’s Pretty Woman star Samantha Barks (Les Misérables, Disney’s upcoming West End Frozen) as Casey and West End performer Simon Lipkin (Avenue Q, Ghost Stories) as Aaron will arrive exclusively on the platform February 12th.
The production, directed by Dean Johnson and produced by Lambert Jackson productions, was live-streamed for a limited time in October 2020 from the world-renowned Crazy Coqs, a music venue in London. This is the first time the production will be available to fans since the limited engagement this past fall.
First Date: The Musical, which was written by Austin Winsberg, with music and lyrics by Alan Zachary and Michael Weiner follows the cool chick Casey and tightly wound Aaron, two New York City singles who are set up by friends and family. From the outset this First Date seems to be doomed. The two have nothing in common, but, with the help of a meddling but well-meaning waiter, and a host of other characters along the way, can this mismatched pair turn what could be a dating disaster into something special before the check arrives? In addition to Barks and Lipkin, rounding out the cast are Nicholas McLean (Wicked, Cinderella) as Man #1, Oscar Conlon-Morrey (Only Fools, Horses The Musical) as Man #2, Rufus Kampa (Goodnight Mister Tom) as Young Aaron, and Danielle Steers (Sweet Charity, Bat Out Of Hell) as Woman #1.
“Performers have been able to do some really excellent work over the past few months, despite all of the challenges, and First Date is a great example of that. It was a special treat for fans who were able to catch the live stream this fall and we feel privileged to make it available again to a global audience through BroadwayHD. We know viewers will just fall in love with this show,” said Bonnie Comley and Stewart F. Lane, co-founders of BroadwayHD.
Producers Lambert Jackson said “First Date was the first musical we managed to film in-situ during the global pandemic and, thanks to the willingness of the amazing actors, creative team, venue and crew, and the brilliant authors, we were able to produce something really special that was enjoyed by thousands of households in a safe, but still theatrical, manner. We are thrilled that BroadwayHD have decided to take the show and that more people will get to experience this amazing production”.
In addition to the debut of First Date: The Musical in time for Valentine’s Day, BroadwayHD is also celebrating the holiday with a special playlist of romantic titles, including Daddy Long Legs, She Loves Me, Ernest Shackleton Loves Me, From Here to Eternity, An American in Paris, The Sound of Music and Oklahoma. BroadwayHD also has an Anti-Valentine’s Day playlist for those not celebrating the traditional holiday, featuring The Last Five Years, Present Laughter, Kiss Me, Kate, Jekyll & Hyde, and Rainn Wilson in Thom Pain.
BroadwayHD introduces award-winning theater from all across the globe with both classic and modern productions. Fans can expect to see the full works of Shakespeare, awe-inspiring performances from Cirque du Soleil and a selection of the world’s greatest musical including Kinky Boots, Cats, 42nd Street, She Loves Me, The Phantom of The Opera, The King and I, Sound of Music, and An American in Paris. All performances are adapted specifically for streaming audiences to maximize the entertainment experience.