Broadway
Broadway comprises 41 theatres, each with 500 or more seats, located in midtown Manhattan, New York City. Waitress the Musical transferred to one of these theatres, the Brooks Atkinson Theatre on 25 March 2016, following its run at the American Repertory Theater the previous year. It officially opened with press night on 24 April 2016, and closed on 5 January 2020, when it will have played 33 preview performances and 1544 regular performances,
The production is different to the original American Repertory Theater production, with new songs and running order, and is the definitive version of Waitress the Musical.
Promotional photos for the show were taken at Lexington Candy Shop on 83rd and Lexington on the Upper East Side of New York City.
Cast
Original Broadway Cast
- Jenna – Jessie Mueller
- Dr. Pomatter – Drew Gehling
- Becky – Keala Settle
- Dawn – Kimiko Glenn
- Cal – Eric Anderson
- Ogie – Christopher Fitzgerald
- Earl – Nick Cordero
- Joe – Dakin Matthews
- Lulu – Claire Keane, McKenna Keane
- Nurse Norma – Charity Angél Dawson
- Ensemble – Charity Angél Dawson, Thay Floyd, Molly Hager, Aisha Jackson, Jeremy Morse, Ryan Vasquez, Stephanie Torns
- Swings – Henry Gottfried, Ragan Pharris, Max Kumangai
- Jenna (Understudy) – Stephanie Torns, Ragan Pharris
- Dr. Pommater (Understudy) – Ryan Vasquez, Henry Gottfried
- Becky (Understudy) – Charity Angél Dawson, Molly Hager
- Dawn (Understudy) – Stephanie Torns, Ragan Pharris
- Cal (Understudy) – Thay Floyd, Max Kumangai
- Ogie (Understudy) – Jeremy Morse, Henry Gottfried
- Earl (Understudy) – Ryan Vasquez, Henry Gottfried
- Joe (Understudy) – Henry Gottfried, Max Kumangai
Cast Changes
- Dawn – Kimiko Glenn replaced by Jenna Ushkowitz 2 August 2016
- Earl – Nick Cordero replaced by William Popp 27 September 2016
- Dawn – Jenna Ushkowitz replaced by Caitlin Houlahan 20 October 2016
- Becky – Keala Settle replaced by Charity Angél Dawson 1 November 2016
- Cal – Eric Anderson replaced by Joe Cassidy 3 January 2017
- Cal – Joe Cassidy replaced by Eric Anderson 21 February 2017
- Jenna – Jessie Mueller replaced by Sara Bareilles 31 March 2017
- Dr. Pomatter – Drew Gehling replaced by Chris Diamantopoulos 31 March 2017
- Earl – William Popp replaced by Will Swenson 4 April 2017
- Jenna – Sara Bareilles replaced by Betsy Wolfe 13 June 2017
- Earl – Will Swenson replaced by Joe Tippett 13 June 2017
- Dr. Pomatter – Chris Diamantopoulos replaced by Drew Gehling 27 June 2017
- Joe – Dakin Matthews replaced by Larry Marshall 1 August 2017
- Becky – Charity Angél Dawson replaced by Maia Nkenge Wilson 5 September 2017
- Earl – Joe Tippett replaced by Will Swenson 12 September 2017
- Joe – Larry Marshall replaced by John Cullum 5 October 2017
- Dr. Pomatter – Drew Gehling replaced by Jason Mraz 31 October 2017
- Ogie – Christopher Fitzgerald replaced by David Josefsberg 31 October 2017
- Ogie – David Josefsberg replaced by Christopher Fitzgerald 21 November 2017
- Becky – Maia Nkenge Wilson replaced by NaTasha Yvette Williams 28 November 2017
- Cal – Eric Anderson replaced by Benny Elledge 19 December 2017
- Jenna – Betsy Wolfe replaced by Sara Bareilles 16 January 2018
- Joe – John Cullum replaced by Dakin Matthews 16 January 2018
- Earl – Will Swenson replaced by Joe Tippett 16 January 2018
- Dr. Pomatter – Jason Mraz replaced by Drew Gehling 13 February 2018
- Joe – Dakin Matthews replaced by Lee Wilkof 20 February 2018
- Earl – Joe Tippett replaced by Ben Thompson 27 February 2018
- Jenna – Sara Bareilles replaced by Katharine McPhee 10 April 2018
- Joe – Lee Wilkof replaced by Steve Vinovich 10 April 2018
- Dr. Pomatter – Drew Gehling replaced by Erich Bergen 5 June 2018
- Joe – Steve Vinovich replaced by Bill Nolte 19 June 2018
- Cal – Benny Elledge replaced by Joe Cassidy 10 July 2018
- Dawn – Caitlin Houlahan replaced by Katie Lowes 17 July 2018
- Ogie – Christopher Fitzgerald replaced by Adam Shapiro 17 July 2018
- Cal – Joe Cassidy replaced by Benny Elledge 31 July 2018
- Dr. Pomatter – Erich Bergen replaced by Drew Gehling 28 August 2018
- Jenna – Katharine McPhee replaced by Nicolette Robinson 4 September 2018
- Dawn – Katie Lowes replaced by Lenne Klingaman 9 October 2018
- Joe – Bill Nolte replaced by Al Roker 9 October 2018
- Ogie – Adam Shapiro replaced by Alex Wyse 9 October 2018
- Joe – Al Roker replaced by June Squibb 20 November 2018
- Becky – NaTasha Yvette Williams replaced by Charity Angél Dawson 27 November 2018
- Ogie – Alex Wyse replaced by Christopher Fitzgerald 11 December 2018
- Jenna – Nicolette Robinson replaced by Sara Bareilles 8 January 2019
- Joe – June Squibb replaced by Larry Marshall 8 January 2019
- Dr. Pomatter – Drew Gehling replaced by Gavin Creel 28 August 2018
- Dr. Pomatter – Gavin Creel replaced by Joey McIntyre 4 February 2019
- Ogie – Christopher Fitzgerald replaced by Eddie Jemison 12 February 2019
- Jenna – Sara Bareilles replaced by Shoshana Bean 19 March 2019
- Dr. Pomatter – Joey McIntyre replaced by Jeremy Jordan 8 April 2019
- Dawn – Lenne Klingaman replaced by Caitlin Houlahan 30 April 2019
- Ogie – Eddie Jemison replaced by Noah Galvin 30 April 2019
- Dr. Pomatter – Jeremy Jordan replaced by Erich Bergen 4 June 2019
- Jenna – Shoshana Bean replaced by Alison Luff 23 July 2019
- Joe – Larry Marshall replaced by Richard Kline 23 July 2019
- Dr. Pomatter – Erich Bergen replaced by Mark Evans 23 July 2019
- Dawn – Caitlin Houlahan replaced by Colleen Ballinger 19 August 2019
- Ogie – Noah Galvin replaced by Todrick Hall 19 August 2019
- Joe – Richard Kline replaced by Larry Marshall 19 August 2019
- Jenna – Alison Luff replaced by Jordin Sparks 16 September 2019
- Becky – Charity Angél Dawson replaced by NaTasha Yvette Williams 16 September 2019
- Dawn – Colleen Ballinger replaced by Caitlin Houlahan 16 September 2019
- Ogie – Todrick Hall replaced by Christopher Fitzgerald 16 September 2019
- Dr. Pomatter – Mark Evans replaced by Drew Gehling 30 October 2019
- Joe – Larry Marshall replaced by Al Roker 1 November 2019
- Joe – Al Roker replaced by Larry Marshall 25 November 2019
- Jenna – Jordin Sparks replaced by Katharine McPhee 25 November 2019
Ensemble/Swings Replacement & Additions
- Jenna (Understudy) – Emily Koch, Keri René Fuller, Molly Jobe
- Dr. Pomatter (Understudy) – Matt DeAngelis, Dan Tracy, Brandon Kalm
- Becky (Understudy) – Melody A. Betts, Anastacia McCleskey, Tiffany Mann, Dayna Jarae Dantzler, Kayla Davion, Tiffany Denise Hobbs, Olivia Phillip, Arica Jackson
- Dawn (Understudy) – Jessie Hooker-Bailey, Molly Jobe, Emily Koch
- Cal (Understudy) – Andrew Fitch, Law Terrell Dunford
- Ogie (Understudy) – Tyrone Davis, Jr., Brandon Kalm, Geoffrey Kidwell
- Earl (Understudy) – Matt DeAngelis, Dan Tracy, Brandon Kalm
- Joe (Understudy) – Andrew Fitch, Law Terrell Dunford
- Lulu – Raigan Olivia Saunders-Newton, Sophia Rodriguez
Delaney Quinn, Scarlett Sher
| Theatre | Brooks Atkinson Theatre |
| Preview | 25 March 2016 |
| Opening | 23 April 2016 |
| Closed | 5 January 2020 |
Press Night
Press night took place on 24 April 2019, with an afterparty taking place at the Bryant Park Grill on 25th West 40th Street. Food was sponsored by Tyson Foods, featuring Sara Lee pies.
On-Sale Pies
Following the success of selling pies to the audience at the ART, mini Pie Jars were created for Waitress’ launch on Broadway, and continued to be sold throughout its run on Broadway, with special seasonally-themed pies for Pride and Christmas.
Phone Message
As is usual with all Broadway and West End shows, Waitress has a pre-show message to ‘Now Turn Off Your Cellphone‘, recorded especially by Sara Bareilles, set to her song, “Cassiopeia” from her 2013 album, “The Blessed Unrest.”
Breast Cancer Awareness Month
For the first time in Broadway history, a show made an active change to the show to recognise Breast Cancer Awareness Month, in October 2017, changing the colour of the waitresses costumes from blue to pink. A special pin badge in the shape of a coffee mug with the Waitress logo and a pink ribbon was also released, with all proceeds going to Susan G. Komen® Greater New York City, as was a limited edition pie jar. The change was repeated in October 2018 and October 2019.
Promotional Slots
The cast of Waitress have performed on TV shows, to promote the show.
- Jessie Mueller and Drew Gehling – ‘Bad Idea‘ – The Wendy Williams Show
- ‘Opening Up‘ Medley – The Today Show
- ‘Opening Up‘ Medley – Good Morning America
Tony Awards 2016
Waitress the Musical and its creative team received four nominations at the 70th Annual Antoinette Perry Awards, known as the Tony Awards, in 2016:
- Best Musical
- Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre
- Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical
- Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical