WAITRESS by Carol Kaufman Segal

            Waitress, the hit Broadway musical now playing at the Pantages Theatre in Hollywood, is based on the 2007 film of the same name by Adrienne Shelley.  After 2-1/2 years, it is still running at the Brook Atkinson Theatre on Broadway.  A United States national tour began October 25, 2017.  It is being presented now at the Pantages Theatre in Hollywood.

            Jenna (Desi Oakley) is a waitress at Joe’s Pies.  She works double-time because she creates all of the pies that are popular at the restaurant.  Unfortunately, Jenna is married to a despicable man, Earl (Nick Bailey). The minute she arrives home, he grabs all of the money she earns from tips, then, complains to her for not bringing home enough. This is not a marriage made in heaven.

            Imagine how Jenna must feel when she discovers that she is pregnant.  Her co-workers, Becky (Charity Angel Dawson), Dawn (Lenne Klingaman), and Cal (Ryan Dunkin), manager Of Joe’s Pies, are sympathetic to her situation.  They are aware that Jenna is trying to keep her pregnancy from Earl as long as possible while she tries to figure a way out of her marriage for her sake and for the sake of her child.

            She finally realizes that she must see a doctor and arrives at the office of a gynecologist, Dr. Pomatter (Bryan Fenkart).  The visit sparks something between the married doctor and Jenna who is vulnerable to his affections.  She finds herself in a quandary.  Fenkart plays the part as a serious lover, at the same time performing the role in a comic manner. You just can’t help but like this man!  However, through song, they both know their relationship is wrong.

            Though Jenna has misgivings about her affair, her cohorts prod her on.  From the more serious aspect of the musical, there has to be comedy, and it is through Dawn, Becky, and Cal that the play offers comic relief.  Dawn meets Ogie (Jeremy Morse), and after a five minute date with him, he shows up at Joe’s Pies.  In one of the high points of the show, he sings and dances to announce to her, his everlasting love!  Not to be left out, Cal, who usually has a gruff attitude towards the women, and particularly with Becky, appears to have turned completely around with his attitude towards her!

            Throughout the show, we are not left without the fact that Jenna’s life is also wrapped up in her ability to create pies of all wonderful, luscious ingredients and names.  Without telling Earl, she plans to keep some of her money from him in order to enter a baking contest that is giving $20,000 to the winner.  Though she has misgivings about entering the contest, Joe (Larry Marshal), the elderly man who owns the restaurant, gives her the courage to do so. 

            It is when Earl comes home and finds money hidden around their apartment that becomes the beginning of the climax to this outstanding musical directed by Diane Paulus.  The book was written by Jessie Nelson with music and lyrics by Sara Bareilles. The effective set design is by Scott Pask, music direction by Ryan Cantwell,

            Waitress is scheduled to play Tuesdays through Fridays at 8 PM, Saturdays at 2 PM and 8 PM, and Sundays at 1PM and 6:30 PM, through August 26, at the Pantages Theatre, 6233 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood.  Tickets are available at www.HollywoodPantages.com/Waitress, at www.Ticketmaster.com, by phone at (800) 982-2787, or at the Theatre Box Office (open daily at 10 AM).

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