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Brad Oscar, Nicole Parker, and More Set for FIRST DATE Reading Today

By: Dec. 14, 2012
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Tony Award-winning producers Junkyard Dog Productions and Hal Luftig announced today that they will present a reading of the new musical FIRST DATE today, December 14, 2012. With a book by Austin Winsberg, music and lyrics by Alan Zachary and Michael Weiner and direction by Bill Berry, the reading of FIRST DATE will feature Eric Ankrim, Sara Chase, Alli Mauzey, Brandon O'Neill, Brad Oscar, Nicole Parker and Andre Ward.

FIRST DATE had its world premiere in Seattle as part of a co-production between A.C.T. and The 5th Avenue Theatre. It began performances at A Contemporary Theatre on March 10, 2012, opened on March 29 and played through May 20, 2012.

FIRST DATE is a contemporary, romantic musical comedy that explores all of the highs and lows of that dreaded but inevitable social encounter known as the "first date." The musical follows Aaron (Erik Ankrim), and Casey (Sara Chase), as they embark on their first date, and attempt to let down their guards and get to know each other. Each new topic they explore – friends, upbringings, religion, technology, even the great unifier, Quantum Leap – represents a potential landmine on the path to true love. FIRST DATE taps into all of our basic human desires for romance and connection while exploring the modern dating landscape in a highly inventive and theatrical way.

FIRST DATE was originally co-produced by The 5th Avenue Theatre: David Armstrong, Executive Producer and Artistic Director; Bernadine Griffin, Managing Director, Bill Berry, Producing Director, and A Contemporary Theatre Seattle, WA: Kurt Beattie, Artistic Director and Carlo Scandiuzzi, Executive Director.

AUSTIN WINSBERG (Book) is a writer/producer for film and television. Currently, he is a consulting producer on "Gossip Girl." Other TV credits include: "Jake in Progress" (Creator/Executive Producer – youngest showrunner in ABC history), "Wedding Album," "Still Standing" and "Glory Days." Winsberg has written television pilots for ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX and ABC Family. He has also written movies for: New Line, Dreamworks Animation and Disney. He is presently co-writing an animated film about a talking peacock for Warner Bros. He has written, directed and mentored numerous plays for the Bank Theatre Company's Annual Young Playwrights Festival in Los Angeles.

Michael Weiner (Music/Lyrics) is co-writing music and lyrics for a musical adaptation of the film Secondhand Lions (book by Rupert Holmes/Warner Bros. Theatre Ventures). He composed the music for the new musical LiberTy Smith, which recently completed its successful premiere at legendary Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C. As an avid writer for Disney, Weiner has written songs for Disney Animation and theme parks around the globe, including songs for the top-selling animated feature Cinderella 3, and the book and songs for Twice Charmed (Disney Cruise Line, soundtrack on Walt Disney Records). Weiner scored Fine Line Features' film Man of the Century, and has created scripts/songs for TV shows for FOX, VH1, Disney Channel and the Folgers Coffee hit commercial "Happy Morning." Visit www.zacharyandweiner.com.

Alan Zachary (Music/Lyrics) co-wrote music and lyrics for Secondhand Lions (Book: Rupert Holmes/Warner Bros. Theatre Ventures). As a frequent songwriter for Disney, Zachary co-authored book, music and lyrics for the stage musical Twice Charmed: An Original Twist on the Cinderella Story, and has written songs and developed projects for Disney Animation, Disney Cruise Line and theme parks around the globe. Together with Michael Weiner, Zachary has performed at the Kennedy Center in Washington. D.C., and their songs have been translated into over 20 languages. Other credits: music and lyrics for DreamWorks' The Time Machine, the Folgers Coffee hit viral commercial "Happy Morning," and projects for 20th Century Fox, VH1, Universal, Hanna-Barbera and Disney Channel. Visit www.zacharyandweiner.com.

Bill Berry (Director) has served as the producing director of The 5th Avenue Theatre since 2010. His 5th Avenue Theatre productions of West Side Story, Wonderful Town, Smokey Joe's Café and The Wizard of Oz garnered public and critical acclaim, two Seattle Times Footlights Awards among them. His work as a freelance director was seen in the noteworthy production of On The Town at Paper Mill Playhouse, and his award-winning re-imagined production of Cabaret has been performed at The Ordway, American Musical Theatre of San Jose, Theatre Under the Stars and The 5th Avenue Theatre. He finds passion in The 5th Avenue Theatre's Education and Outreach program, for which he directed and wrote the book for Klondike, the story of the Alaskan Gold Rush, and Journey West!, a musical based on the Lewis and Clark expedition.




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