Clayton Koff
Staff Writer
This weekend, I had the pleasure of watching ISU’s production of the contemporary musical “First Date.” Never have I witnessed such a display of dedication and passion delivered in such a sexy, witty and cohesive way.
Every actor and actress involved went above and beyond during their performance, and it came through loud and clear. Director Joel Shura’s vision for First Date was for it to be like a Tequila Sunrise: “Colorful, punchy, and hip.” This production blew that expectation out of the water.
Admittedly, going into the play, I didn’t have very high expectations, the plot being the biggest reason. “First Date,” as the name suggests, is about two people who go on a blind date. The entirety of the story takes place within the same gastro-pub, focusing on a date between the two characters, Casey and Aaron.
However, after watching the performance, the simplicity of the plot proved to be beneficial as opposed to detrimental. Instead of focusing on heavy narrative, the writers chose a more character-driven plot, which is what made the musical work.
Casey and Aaron, during the first introduction, come off as stereotypical and tropic. Casey is feisty, edgy and free spirited, whereas Aaron is nerdy, awkward and put-together. Throughout the story, however, you find out that’s not the case. There’s many, many layers to both characters, which makes them not only relatable, but alive.
There are other characters throughout the story as well that have very brief appearances but are still fairly dynamic. For example, we find out about the characters’ ex-lovers, parents and friend group. Had the writers not paid so much attention to character, the play would have felt flat, and suspension of belief would have been ruined, making it less enjoyable.
Since “First Date” is a musical, the music is arguably the most important aspect. Fortunately, the music was phenomenal.
During the first 45 seconds of the play, the audience was howling with laughter. It started out with a bang that did not fizzle out. The humor in each of the songs is very contemporary and witty with a lot of political undertones. One song, for example, criticized social media and the effect it has on interaction with other humans.
Throughout the production, there were few times the audience was not falling out of their chairs, but that is only due to “First Date”’s tender and serious moments. Two of the more serious songs brought me to tears because of how beautiful and relatable they were. The characters were reflections of reality, and when they opened their souls, everyone could feel it.
Overall, “First Date” is an exemplary performance and the embodiment of what musical theater is all about: entertainment. For 90 minutes, I was transported to a different world, where my problems and the problems around me didn’t matter. That’s why I believe the production—the lights, the sounds, the actors and actresses, the message—was fantastic.
The production has three more dates here on campus, Thursday, Oct. 4, Friday, Oct. 5, and Saturday, Oct. 6, before the show goes on tour. The play is officially rated as PG-13 but is pretty heavy in explicit language and has some adult themes in it. Tickets are $7 for ISU students with a Bengal ID. I 100 percent recommend “First Date” to anyone. It is a great time that the most avid theater lover or even a complete newcomer to the arts will enjoy.
