Passing Judgement on a Blind Date

Reviewed by Mary Alderson

What do you do when you want to meet someone new, fall in love, and settle down with them?  That’s what Aaron wants.

Casey says that’s what she wants, too, but then she seems to sabotage every prospect. What to do?  Go on a blind date!

First Date is a musical about going on a blind date and all the ways any success could be undermined. Now on stage at the Regent Theatre in Picton, this show is the opposite of a meet-cute story.

Aaron shows up at the restaurant first, in his investment banker’s suit. Casey comes a little later, dressed for partying. Aaron’s nervous, Casey has some attitude. So, it’s drinks first, before a commitment to having dinner.

Then the problems begin. Both characters are hearing their inner voices, in the form of friends and relatives, telling them what to do. Casey’s gay friend Reggie sings about how he’s her bailiff. He makes regular calls to her: if the blind date is a disaster she will answer and he will bail her out with some fake disaster. Casey also hears her big sister Lauren telling her to give Aaron a chance. Lauren’s husband works with Aaron and he set up the blind date.

At the same time, Aaron is hearing his buddy Gabe telling him to hang in there, forget about his ex, Allison, and give this woman a chance. At the same time, Allison shows up and it’s evident that even though she left him at the altar, he still is pathetically longing for her.

So those four characters are not actually present in the restaurant. Nevertheless, our blind date couple are hearing those voices and acting accordingly – either taking bad advice or ignoring good advice.

The seventh person on stage is the Waiter, who also tries to aid and/or interfere with the date – having seen it all happen at his bar and restaurant before.

Credit goes to Artistic Director Heather Braaten for a well-cast musical. Each person has their chance to shine with a solo number. Most of the songs are humorous, and some are sweet and charming.

Callum Lurie as Aaron and Sophie Lea McLeod as Casey are excellent as the blind date couple. He is awkward and trying too hard. She is negative, so sure it isn’t going to work out. He wants his ex back; she is a serial one-night dater. Obviously, this combination doesn’t bode well. Lurie’s song about his relationship with his mother and her death tugs at the heartstrings.

Susan Del Mei as Lauren comes across as a caring big sister, who at the same time, may be interfering in her sister’s life a little too much. Lindsey Middleton is Allison, flirting and toying with Aaron after she has tossed him aside. She also plays Google, the person you turn to when you need to know something. But somehow, we know that we can’t always trust Google.

Brendan Kinnon is perfect as the gay friend Reggie. He wants to protect Casey while she’s on her blind date. Matthew Rossi is hilarious as Gabe who comes on too strong while trying to help Aaron forget his ex. As the Waiter, Martin Julien has just the right amount of sarcasm.

It’s a delightful story, nicely put together in this production, balancing silliness and sweetness. Knowing that there has to be a second date so that someone can say they had a first date, how to you think this blind date turns out?  No spoilers here, you have to see this show.

The Regent Theatre in Picton is a stately old building on the Main Street, which is filled with well-kept historical buildings, housing attractive shops, restaurants, pubs and a hotel. The theatre was built in 1918 for both Vaudeville shows and motion pictures, something new at the time. When we visited it to see First Date in the evening, it had already had its 415 seats filled twice that day for Toy Story 5. So not only can I recommend this musical, but also the setting in which it is showing.

First Date continues with the County Stage Company, at the Regent Theatre, 224 Picton Main Street, Picton, Prince Edward County, until August 7. For tickets, visit https://countystage.ca/ or call (613) 808-7264.

Photo: Brendan Kinnon as Reggie, Sophie Lea McLeod as Casey, Lindsey Middleton as Allison, Martin Julien as Waiter, Susan Del Mei as Lauren, Callum Lurie as Aaron, Matthew Rossi as Gabe in First Date. Photo by Seanna Kennedy.

First Date
Book by Austin Winsberg
Music & Lyrics by Alan Zachy & Michael Weiner
Directed by Heather Braaten
Musical Direction by Sam Hirst
Choreography by Chad McNamara
Performed by Callum Lurie, Susan Del Mei, Brendan Kinnon, Matthew Rossi, Sophie Lea McLeod, Martin Julien, Lindsey Middleton.
Produced by the County Stage Company, Prince Edward County
Regent Theatre, 224 Picton Main Street, Picton
July 11 to August 7, 2026
Reviewed by Mary Alderson