Blind dates are tricky enough with the rise of Facebook stalking. And then there’s that pesky inner voice—the ghosts of partners past and overzealous matchmakers. See how a Wall Street trader and Soho artist fare amid all that noise in the world premiere of musical First Date, coproduced by 5th Avenue Theatre and ACT Theatre. Kelly Karbacz and Seattle’s Eric Ankrim (recently a charm-the-milk-out-of-the-cow Curly in 5th Ave’s Oklahoma ) star.

First Date
Mar 10–May 20, ACT, $15–$69

And if you haven’t heard…

— David Schmader’s new solo show, A Short-Term Solution to a Long-Term Problem, returns to Richard Hugo House March 23–April 14 after a sold-out run in February. Known to some as associate editor of The Stranger—and to others as the foremost authority on Showgirls —the reliably funny scribe examines his life post-9/11, including new love, a scary diagnosis, and marrying a Mormon man in California.

SEASON ANNOUNCEMENTS

— 5th Avenue Theatre will bring back Cameron Mackintosh’s Les Miserables, featuring new orchestration and brilliant Victor Hugo-inspired backdrops, June 27–July 7; tickets go on sale March 29 at the friendly hour of 12:01am. Following Les Mis, the theater launches a 2012–2013 season with the return of Tony-winning musical Memphis, which got its start here in 2009, followed by The Addams Family, Elf: the Musical, The Music Man, Grey Gardens (coproduced by ACT—we’re excited about this one), Jersey Boys, and The Pirates of Penzance. Subscriber tickets are currently available.

— Village Theatre will kick off its 2012–2013 season this fall with a little Huck Finn. Musical Big River opens September 12, followed by Fiddler on the Roof, Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap, new musical Trails (a coming-of-age story about two childhood friends hiking the entire Appalachian Trail, from Georgia to Maine), and Chicago.