Having just wrapped up a successful limited run at the American Repertory Theater at Harvard University, Waitress, the motion picture turned musical, is headed to Broadway. And, Tony Award nominee and singer Keala Settle will be serving up songs along with Charity Angel Dawson and the rest of the cast.
Based on the 2007 movie written by Adrienne Shelly, the musical features music and lyrics by five-time Grammy Award nominee singer-songwriter Sara Bareilles. Jessie Mueller, winner of the 2014 Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical for Beautiful: The Carole King Musical will star as “Jenna” – a waitress and expert pie maker stuck in a small town and a loveless marriage. When faced with an unexpected pregnancy, Jenna fears she may have to abandon the dream of opening her own pie shop forever. Supported by her quirky crew of fellow waitresses and loyal customers, Jenna summons the secret ingredient she’s been missing all along – courage. Settle will play the role of “Becky,” a hard-working waitress in a small town diner and “Jenna’s” friend.
Settle received 2013 Tony Award, Outer Critics Circle Award, and Drama Desk Award nominations for her performance as “Norma Valverde” in Hands on a Hardbody. She also played the role of “Madame Thenardier” in the revival of Les Misérables. Settle made her Broadway debut in 2011 in Priscilla: Queen of the Desert as “Shirley” and in the ensemble.
She recently made her big screen debut in “Ricki and the Flash” which stars Broadway leading lady and six-time Tony Award winner Audra McDonald as well as Academy Award- winning actors Meryl Streep and Kevin Kline.
Dawson will join Waitress as a member of the ensemble. She previously appeared as “Fortune Teller” in the musical Side Show & toured as Effie White with Dreamgirls.
Waitress has a book by Jessie Nelson and will be directed by Tony Award-winner Diane Paulus. It is the first Broadway musical in 25 years to feature book, score, and direction by women. The musical opens on, April 24, 2016 at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre with previews starting on March 25, 2016.