Waitress, which features an all-original score of music and lyrics by singer/songwriter/actress Sara Bareilles, is now on stage at the Hanna Theatre in a month-long performance. It’s unique in that, when it opened on Broadway, it featured an all-female production team.
Also distinctive was that, in order to immerse audiences, real cinnamon loaded pies were warming in special ovens creating the aroma of a pastry shop. Slices of pie were sold before the curtain rose and at intermission. The first national tour, which rehearsed and then opened in Cleveland on October 20, 2017, included the same smell-pleasing and mouth-watering device. The Broadway production went the extra mile by employing a bakery chef to teach the cast the fine art of pie-baking as several times during the show, pie preps take place.
The musical opened in January, 2020, to mixed reviews, with much praise for Bareilles score and some questions about Jessie Nelson’s book. It ran 1,544 performances, was closed by COVID, and reopened when Broadway once again went live.
Based on the 2007 film of the same name, it tells the story of Jenna Hunterson, a baker and waitress, who is in an abusive marriage. She works with a group of supportive and delightful waitresses and waits on some eccentric customers. After Jenna unexpectedly becomes pregnant, she finds that her former doctor has retired and has been replaced by a young and attractive man. A relationship develops between Jenna and Dr. Pomatter, confusing her already trauma-filled life.
Looking for ways out of her troubles, Jenna learns of a pie baking contest with a large grand prize that could give her the financial means to get out of her marriage. She is stopped from participating when her daughter is born early. A surprise knight in shining armor gives her the needed funds, allowing Jenna, much to the delight of the audience, to kick her husband to the curb, open her own pie shop, and, in tradition of the American musical, live happily ever after.
The present touring production, unfortunately, sans the lobby pie ovens, has the mixed blessing of being performed in the Hanna Theatre.
On the positive side, instead of the vast space of the larger Playhouse Square venues, the intimate home of the Great Lakes Theater allows the audience to be upfront and personal and make the storytelling a sharing of the tale rather than an impersonal observation. It allows all of the audience, not just those in the close-up seats, to feel an intimacy with the characters.
The negative of the theater size is that the musical uses a six-member onstage orchestra which sometimes drowns out the performers. The matter isn’t helped by the sound system, which is too overwhelming and makes the singers voices echo, blurring the lyrics. Some fine tuning by the sound people would be appreciated.
The production, as restaged by Abbey O’Brien, based on the original direction of Diane Paulus, has right balance between pathos and angst. The vocals are well-sung and the humor nicely keyed.
Stephanie Torns, who was in the Broadway cast of the show, is excellent as Jenna. She has a strong singing voice and develops a believable put-upon woman who doesn’t have the wiles to get out of a dangerous and degrading relationship. Her “Bad Idea,” sung with Bryan Fenkart (the awkward, endearing Dr. Pomatter) was delightful. Their “You Matter to Me” was also a production highlight.
Daniel Quadrino, as the ADHD-tightly wound Ogie, the love interest of the shy waitress, Dawn (Kendyl Ito), quickly emerged as the audience favorite. His “Never Getting Rid of Me” stopped the show. Their “I Love You Like a Table” was charming.
Olivia Lucy Phillip, as Becky, the third of the trio of waitresses, has a strong singing voice and keen sense of comic timing. Her scenes with cook Timothy John Smith (Cal) were sensually filled delights.
Bill Nolte, who recently joined the cast as Joe, perfectly honed the role of a cantankerous old guy. His “Take It from an Old Man” was another show highlight.
Capsule judgement:. If you haven’t seen Waitress before, go see this staging. If you have seen Waitress before, go see this staging. Except for the sound system issues, Waitress is a fine theatrical experience.
BTW…listen carefully to the before the pre- curtain speech. The “turn off your cellphone” message was written and recorded by Sarah Bareilles.
For ticket for the production, which runs through June 26, call 216-241-6000 or go to playhousesquare.org
[Written by Roy Berko, member: Cleveland Critics Circle, American Theatre Critics Association]