A slew of songs, actors playing multiple parts within the production, and lines that ought not be published, marked the Department of Theatre Arts’ opening play, First Date.
“We wanted to do a musical that was new. We wanted to do something that was a little closer to specific for our student’s age. The characters in this are a little older, they’re in their late 20s, but still, it’s closer in age, it’s a new musical, it’s a pop musical,” Theatre Arts Professor and Director of First Date, Benjamin Reigel said.
Starring Isaiah Gundermann Graham and Murphy Baker as leads Aaron and Casey, respectively, First Date chronicles a meetup at a bar that takes a twisting road through awkward silences, inner conversations and emotional beats.
Courtesy of Shawna Seals 
Courtesy of Shawna Seals
“I don’t really have any sort of process for getting into character – I think putting on the costume and the mic and hearing the opening notes of the show just sort of snap me into focus,” Baker said.
Running around 100 minutes, the entire play takes place within the bar. Cast members Tristan Doxtader, Brooklyn Buhre, Brandon Sutorius, Ashley Wheeler and Kris Karns play various characters that Aaron and Casey imagine are giving them advice.
“We rehearse every week night (with some exceptions) from 6 p.m.-10 p.m. and are either singing or acting. Yet, it is all 100% worth it! It’s like how athletes practice all the time, they may be tired after but they improved their skills, and at the end of rehearsal I usually felt that way too,” Gundermann Graham said.
The play featured many asides, and showcased inner conversations Aaron and Casey have with friends and family they imagine are there, giving advice. Aaron’s best friend Gabe, Casey’s friend Reggie, and Aaron’s ex-girlfriend Allison, among many others, make an appearance.
“It’s a lot of work. Memorizing lines and songs is only a small part of it- there’s a crew of dozens of people working non-stop behind the scenes to ensure the technological elements of the show are the best they can be; the acting onstage is the tip of the iceberg. Every member of this cast and crew have been working hard for a month to put on this show, and we hope it shows in the final product,” Baker said.
Aaron works in the business world and has never been on a blind date before, while Casey has been on a fair few and is feeling disappointed in them lately. Aaron is as awkward as one gets; he arrives early to the date and asks the bartender how he looks, to which the bartender promptly gives him a makeover. Casey is more self-assured and jaded to dating; however in asides later we see she has a fair few issues hiding under the surface.
There are 18 songs in the musical. There were a few that stretched to four or five minutes, such as “The Girl for You” and “First Impression.” A few lasted under a minute, such as a few of the “Bailout” songs. The “Bailout” songs, sung by Brandon Sutorius, playing Casey’s friend Reggie, were placed at strategic times during that date, in the form of a phone call meant to give Casey a way out in case the date turned sour.
The play takes a turn for the emotional during some of its songs, as Aaron and Casey’s backstories are explored later on in the runtime.
“First Date” will finish up its run at CMU on Sept. 26-28.
