Bryce Ryness, Eric Ankrim & More Join FIRST DATE; Box Office to Open 6/10

Tony Award-winning producer Junkyard Dog Productions (Memphis) is proud to announce that Bryce Ryness, Eric Ankrim, Kevin Kern and Sydney Shepherd will join stars Zachary Levi ("Chuck," Tangled,Thor: The Dark World) and Krysta Rodriguez ("Smash," The Addams Family) in FIRST DATE, Broadway's new romantic musical comedy. FIRST DATE begins performances Tuesday, July 9, 2013, and opens Thursday, August 8, 2013, at Broadway's LongacreTheatre (220 West 48th Street).

The FIRST DATE box office at the Longacre Theatre opens Monday, June 10, 2013. Tickets range from $35 to $137, and in addition to the box office, can be purchased at www.Telecharge.com (212.239.6200). The performance schedule is as follows: Tuesday-Saturday at 8pm, Saturday at 2pm and Sunday at 3pm and 7pm. Beginning August 5, 2013 the performance schedule is as follows: Tuesday at 7pm, Wednesday-Saturday at 8pm, Saturday at 2pm and Sunday at 3pm and 7pm. Please note: The role of Aaron will be played by Eric Ankrim (who originated the role in the 2012 Seattle production) from July 16 through July 21, 2013, as a result of a standing commitment for Zachary Levi.

FIRST DATE stars Zachary Levi as Aaron and Krysta Rodriguez as Casey, features Sara Chase ("Arrested Development," The Toxic Avenger), Kristoffer Cusick (Wicked, Rent), Blake Hammond (Sister Act, Billy Elliot), Kate Loprest ("Boardwalk Empire," Hairspray) and Bryce Ryness (Hair, Leap of Faith), and the cast also includes Eric Ankrim (World premiere of First Date), Kevin Kern (Wicked), Vicki Noon (Wicked) and Sydney Shepherd (The Picture of Dorian Gray). With a book by Austin Winsberg ("Gossip Girl"), music and lyrics by Alan Zachary and Michael Weiner (Secondhand Lions, Twice Charmed) and musical staging by Josh Rhodes (Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella), FIRST DATE is directed by Bill Berry (Producing Director of The 5th Avenue Theatre).

When tightly wound Aaron (Zachary Levi) is set up with serial-dater Casey (Krysta 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 DATEis Broadway's new hysterical and hopeful new musical about the chances we take to find love.

FIRST DATE has scenic and media design by David Gallo, costume design by David C. Woolard, lighting design by Mike Baldassari, sound design by Kai Harada, Hair Design by Josh Marquette with orchestrations by August Eriksmoen and musical supervision, vocal and incidental arrangements by Dominick Amendum. FIRST DATE is produced by Junkyard Dog Productions (Randy Adams, Marleen and Kenny Alhadeff, Sue Frost) in association with Stem Productions, Altar Identity Studios, Alex and Katya Lukianov, Susan W. and James C. Blair Family LP, Linda and Bill Potter, Yasuhiro Kawana, Vijay and Sita Vashee, Kevin and Lynn Foley, Jeff and Julie Goldstein, Edward and Mimi Kirsch, Frank and Denise Phillips, Paula and Stephen Reynolds, Alhadeff Family Productions/Sheri and Les Biller , Pat Halloran/Laura Little Theatrical Productions, Tony Meola/Remmel T. Dickinson and John Yonover, andShadowCatcher Entertainment/Tom and Connie Walsh.

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 in Seattle, WA (Kurt Beattie, Artistic Director; Carlo Scandiuzzi, Executive Director) from March 10 to May 20, 2012. Variety called FIRST DATE "Flat-out ingenious!" and The Seattle Times said FIRST DATE is "Terrific - snappy and irreverent!" The production was awarded four Seattle Times Footlight Awards, including best musical.