The diner is “Opening Up” with a full cast for the return of the national tour of Waitress, the hilarious hit Broadway musical from Grammy® Award-winner Sara Bareilles (Girls5Eva, composer of “Love Song” and “Brave”), based on Adrienne Shelly’s 2007 motion picture.
The Waitress cast will be led by Jisel Soleil Ayon (Jenna), Kennedy Salters (Becky) and Gabriella Marzetta (Dawn) with David Socolar (Dr. Pomatter), Brian Lundy (Ogie), Shawn W. Smith (Earl), Richard Coleman (Cal), and Michael R. Douglass (Joe). The ensemble includes Elvie Ellis, Stephanie Feeback, Brett Hennessey Jones, Andrew Burton Kelley, Olivia London, Vanessa Magula, José Monge, Kelly Prendergast, Zoë Brooke Reed, Julia Rippon, and Woody White.
The national tour of Waitress previews in Springfield, OH at the Clark State Performing Arts Center before its official opening in Bloomington, IN at IU Auditorium on October 5th, 2021. Click here to view the current tour route.
Meet Jenna, a waitress and expert pie-maker who dreams of a way out of her small town and rocky marriage. Pouring her heart into her pies, she crafts desserts that mirror her topsy-turvy life such as “The Key (Lime) to Happiness Pie” and “Betrayed By My Eggs Pie.” When a baking contest in a nearby county — and a satisfying encounter with someone new — show Jenna a chance at a fresh start, she must find the courage to seize it. Change is on the menu, as long as Jenna can write her own perfectly personal recipe for happiness.
Waitress opened April 24, 2016 at Broadway’s Brooks Atkinson Theatre. Based upon the 2007 motion picture written by Adrienne Shelly, Waitress is the first Broadway musical in history to have four women in the four top creative team spots, with a book by Jessie Nelson, a score by Grammy® Award-winning singer-songwriter Sara Bareilles, choreography by Lorin Latarro and direction by Tony Award®-winner Diane Paulus. The Waitress Tour features Choreography re-created by Abbey O’Brien, Tour Direction re-created by Susanna Wolk, and includes Scott Pask, Scenic Design; Suttirat Anne Larlarb, Costume Design; Ken Billington, Lighting Design; Jonathan Deans, Sound Design; Wigs by Richard Mawbey; original music supervision by Nadia DiGiallonardo, with tour music supervision by Ryan Cantwell. Arrangements by Nadia DiGiallonardo and Sara Bareilles, and Orchestrations by Sara Bareilles and The Waitress Band. The Production Stage Manager is Ryan W. Gardner and the Assistant Stage Manager is Emily Kritzman. Waitress is produced by NETworks Presentations LLC. Casting by Stewart/Whitley.
“It’s an empowering musical of the highest order!” raves the Chicago Tribune. Don’t miss this uplifting and hilarious musical celebrating friendship, motherhood, and the magic of a well-made pie.
FULL TOUR CAST BIOS
JISEL SOLEIL AYON (Jenna) is making her national tour debut in Waitress and hails from Long Beach, California. Credits: Evita (Evita), The Addams Family (Wednesday), In the Heights (Daniela), Lizzie (Ovation Award), and most recently Les Misérables (Cosette) and Guys and Dolls (Sarah Brown) at Hale Center Theatre.
@jiselsayon, www.jiselsoleilayon.com
KENNEDY SALTERS (Becky) is an Atlanta-based actress and product of the Gainesville Theatre Alliance. Recent credits: Cortland Repertory’s Legally Blonde (Paulette) and Mamma Mia! (Rosie) at Cortland Repertory Theatre. Salters is elated to rejoin the Waitress Team!
GABRIELLA MARZETTA (Dawn). Off-Broadway: Contact High (Jean Simon, Ars Nova), Frankenstein (Elizabeth Lavenza), Pinkalicious (Pinkalicious). Regional: Hair (Jeanie, Pentangle Arts). Endless thanks to Duncan Stewart, Stewart/Whitley, and the Waitress team. CAP21/Chicago Academy for the Arts grad. Love to Mom, Dad, Gramma, and Jack! Dreamers: I see you, don’t give up. This is for you, Adrienne Shelly. @gabriellamozzarella, www.gabriellamarzetta.com.
DAVID SOCOLAR (Dr. Pomatter) feels nothing but gratitude and relief to be back out with Waitress. Regional: The Full Monty (Capital Rep.), Anne of Green Gables: A New Folk Rock Musical (Finger Lakes MTF), Just Too Big (Mason Street Warehouse), Amazing Grace (D.C.) Many thanks to the all-star gang over at Bloc, and of course to Mom and Dad for all the belief! @davidsocolar.
BRIAN LUNDY (Ogie) is thrilled to be returning to the diner! Regional credits: Merrily We Roll Along (Charley), The Drowsy Chaperone (Man in Chair), 42nd Street (Bert), I Hate Hamlet (Gary), A Chorus Line (Frank/Bobby u/s). Marymount Manhattan College graduate! Love to Mom, Dad, Katt, and Linda. @damebrianlundy, www.brian-lundy.com.
SHAWN W. SMITH (Earl) is ecstatic to return to the pie shop. Credits: MiXtape (Hardy, Lambs Players Theatre), For the Record: The Brat Pack (Stoner, U/S Rebel/Jock/Mister for Norwegian Cruise Lines), Jesus Christ Superstar (Judas, Arizona Broadway Theatre), Godspell (Jesus, Interlakes Summer Theatre), Lysistrata Jones (Mick, Ophelia Theatre Group). He is also a professional singer/songwriter whose songs can be heard on iTunes and Spotify under the band name “Stray and the Soundtrack”. Thank you to Tori ‘The Rock’ and Wild Bill, my friends and family, and to the Waitress team for believing in me. @shawnwsmith, @strayandthesoundtrack.
RICHARD COLEMAN (Cal) is thrilled to join the Waitress family! Favorite credits: Aida, Joseph…Dreamcoat, Oba, La Traviata, Don Giovanni, and The Rake’s Progress. Film: Pitch Perfect. Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Vocal Performance from LSU and FSU. Geaux Tigers!!! The Dallas, TX native and NYC resident has performed with numerous opera companies across the country and internationally. Thanks to God, my family, friends, and so many others for all the support and love. This is for you!!
MICHAEL R. DOUGLASS (Joe) has produced, directed, choreographed, written and/or acted in over 150 theater and video/film productions. NY Theater: Love’s Labours Lost (NYSF), many others. Tour/Regional: Anything Goes (NETworks), many others. TV/Film: True Crime (ID), Running with Sharks, etc. Love to Ashley, Sabrina, Abby, and Lynne.
ELVIE ELLIS (Swing) is excited to make his national tour debut at the diner! International: The Best of…Rock Musicals (London). Regional: Songs For A New World (Man 1) at Monumental Theatre; Curious George (Phinneas), Newsies (Bunsen), The Rocky Horror Show (Riff Raff), and Titanic (Charles Clarke) at Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma. BME and M.Ed., University of Oklahoma. For my Savior, family, friends, and teachers. Ephesians 2:10. @elvie.ellis
STEPHANIE FEEBACK (Ensemble, Assistant Dance Captain) is thrilled to be returning to the diner for Waitress! Regional: From Here to Eternity (North American premiere at Ogunquit Playhouse), Music City (Cape Fear Regional Theatre), Mamma Mia! (Merry-Go-Round Playhouse). Proud Oklahoma City University grad! Thanks to the entire Waitress team, Hudson Artists Agency, and Mom and Dad. @stephaniefeebs.
BRETT HENNESSEY JONES (Ensemble). is so excited to be joining the diner! NYC native, Orlando resident. Dog lover! Credits: Nickelodeon’s Paw Patrol Live! (International Tour). Regional: You’re a…Charlie Brown (Linus), Stoopkid Stories Live! (Original cast – Nathaniel), Brooklyn: The Musical (Streetsinger), Hairspray (Seaweed), Walt Disney World, Paper Mill Playhouse, TPI, etc. He is proudly represented by The Hell’s Kitchen Agency. Thanks to God, my family, my guardian angels and all of my friends. All Black Lives Matter. @BrettHJones
ANDREW BURTON KELLEY (Swing) is thrilled to be making his national tour debut with Waitress! Credits: Carnival Cruise Lines. Regional: Oklahoma!, Little Shop of Horrors, She Loves Me (Mac-Haydn); Xanadu, Violet, Titanic (SRT); A Chorus Line, Cabaret, Rock of Ages (Palace Theatre). Love to his family, Rachel, and Eloise.
OLIVIA LONDON (Ensemble) is thrilled to be back on tour with Waitress. She is a Los Angeles native and earned a Theater BA from UCLA (2017). Go Bruins! Favorite credits: The Cake (Macy, Cape Fear Regional Theater), Rent (Joanne), Carrie (Ms. Gardner), Our Country’s Good (Meg Long), and The Eleventh Hour (Neil DeGrasse Tyson). Thanks mom, dad, Cash, TPG, family, and friends for all the love and support! www.olivialondonactor.com, Instagram: @loveelivvy.
VANESSA MAGULA (Nurse Norma, Ensemble). National tour debut! NYC: The Greatest Musical Never Written (Birdland), Story Pirates (Lincoln Center). Proud UCLA alumna. Love and gratitude to Andrew, Ari, Trevor, Binta, her friends and family, DDO, and NETworks for this opportunity! @vmmagz
JOSÉ MONGE (Ensemble, Apron Boy) (he/him) is thrilled to be making his National Tour debut at the diner in Waitress. Theater credits include: Les Misérables (u/s Joly/Marius, Teatro Telcel, Mexico City); The Odyssey (Telemachus, Old Globe, world premiere), Spring Awakening (Earnst, Irondale Center), and Zoot Suit (Cub Reporter, San Diego REP). Proud graduate of the American Musical and Dramatic Academy. @josemonge
KELLY PRENDERGAST (Swing) is thrilled to join the cast of Waitress for her first national tour! Thank you to my mom for supporting my dream. My performances are dedicated to the memory of my dad, who always believed in me.
ZOË BROOKE REED (Ensemble). National tour debut! Los Angeles native. Regional: Meet Me in St Louis (Esther Smith), Grease (Cha Cha), Children of Eden. Shenandoah Conservatory (current BFA). Special thanks to Abbey O’Brien and the entire Waitress team, and Stewart/Whitley. Love to Eris, Thirdhill, family, and friends for the endless support! @zoebrookereed.
JULIA RIPPON (Swing, Dance Captain) is thrilled to be making her national tour debut with Waitress. Regional: Meet Me in St. Louis (Tootie, Theater Aspen), Mamma Mia! (Sophie Sheridan, Surflight Theater), Head Over Heels (Swing, Schimmel Center). Pace University MT ‘21. Special thanks to Abbey O’Brien. Love and gratitude to Mom, Dad, and Paige. To the moon and stars.
WOODY WHITE (Ensemble) is thrilled to join the cast of Waitress for his first national tour! A Utah native, he studied Musical Theater at Brigham Young University. Recent credits: Lend Me a Tenor (Max, Resident Theater Company), Girlfriend (Mike, Kitchen Theater Company). He’d like to thank his wonderful friends and family for supporting and always being there for him.
