WAITRESS makes its Southwestern Ontario premiere at the grand theatre
March 19, 2025 – London ON – Put on your aprons and gather the sugar, butter, and flour, it's time for the most deliciously delightful musical of the season! The Grand Theatre is excited to bring Waitress to the historic Spriet Stage from March 25 to April 12, 2025, before it travels down the 403 for a second run at Theatre Aquarius in Hamilton.
Making its Southwestern Ontario debut in London, Ontario, Waitress has previously charmed audiences across Broadway and the UK. Now in this new production it’s baking up something special at the Grand Theatre. “Much of the play is about joy. About friendship, finding your place, and finding your voice. But there are also some dark themes.” explains Artistic Director, Rachel Peake. “To me that’s theatre at its best - a journey of delight and fun, mixed with a deep emotional experience. I hope that with a cup of stagecraft and a dash of humour it all mixes into an experience at the theatre that tastes like something special.”
Waitress premiered on Broadway in 2016, bringing Adrienne Shelly’s 2007 indie film to life on stage. The story found new depth through the music and lyrics of Grammy Award-winner Sara Bareilles. From the raw, heartfelt ballad She Used to Be Mine to the bright and energetic Opening Up, the songs capture the hope and resilience at the center of this beloved musical.
“Sara’s music and lyrics have this seamless poetic balance of breaking your heart open while comforting you with warmth and joy.” remarks Waitress Choreographer, Genny Sermonia, “This made choreographing Waitress so inspiring and exciting for me... Each musical number creates an insight into a specific character’s heart which made it so fun to draw from a myriad of dance genres.”
The musical’s story centers around hopelessly creative Jenna, brought to life by Mirvish Six the Musical’s Julia McLellan in her Grand debut, a waitress living in a small Southern town. Stuck in a loveless and troubled marriage with her husband Earl (played by Lawrence Libor, last seen at the Grand in Cabaret), Jenna finds joy in baking peculiar pies at the diner where she works. She leans on her close friends, the sweet and shy Dawn (played by Elysia Cruz, who was also in SIX the Musical and making her Grand debut) and bold and hilarious Becky (played by Canada’s Got Talent runner-up and “Golden Buzzer” recipient Stacey Kay, also making her Grand debut) to get through each day. But when she discovers she’s pregnant, her life is turned upside down. An unexpected romance, a high stakes baking contest, and her own resilience offer her a chance at a fresh start.
The Grand Theatre is thrilled to have Artistic Director Rachel Peake at the helm of this production, making it her second directorial production this season. We’re also excited to welcome back Western Alumni Patrick Bowman, Music Director of Million Dollar Quartet (2024) and Grand Theatre High School Project: Into the Woods (2022), and Genny Sermonia, whose incredible talents graced Grand Ghosts (2022) as choreographer and Elf: The Musical (2013) as a performer. Waitress is a co-production with Theatre Aquarius, where the London-built production will travel to, and play in Hamilton, ON from April 30 to May 17, 2025.
The creative team of the London, Ontario production of Waitress are: Rachel Peake (Director), Patrick Bowman (Music Director), Genny Sermonia (Choreographer), Scott Penner (Set & Costume Designer), Michelle Ramsay (Lighting Designer), Richard Feren (Sound Designer), Siobhan Richardson (Fight & Intimacy Director), Deivan Steele (Assistant Director), Al Gadowsky (Stage Manager), Melissa Cameron (Assistant Stage Manager), and Julia Lank (Apprentice Stage Manager).
Audiences at the Grand Theatre will be treated to an extraordinary group of talent from across Canada. This production marks ten Grand Theatre debuts. Among the talented company, the Grand is delighted to welcome back Finely Campbell and Freya Rajani both last seen in the youth company of The Sound of Music.
Waitress
Music & Lyrics by Sara Bareilles
Book by Jessie Nelson
Based upon the motion picture by Adrienne Shelly
Directed by Rachel Peake
Co-production with Theatre Aquarius
MAR 25 to APR 12 (Opening Night March 28)
CREATIVE TEAM
Rachel Peake - Director
Patrick Bowman - Music Director
Genny Sermonia - Choreographer
Scott Penner - Set & Costume Designer
Michelle Ramsay - Lighting Designer
Richard Feren - Sound Designer
Siobhan Richardson – Fight & Intimacy Director
Deivan Steele - Assistant Director
Al Gadowsky - Stage Manager
Melissa Cameron - Assistant Stage Manager
Julia Lank - Apprentice Stage Manager
CAST
- Scott Beaudin
Ensemble - Elysia Cruz
Dawn - Megan Dallan
Ensemble - Stacey Kay
Becky - Lawrence Libor
Earl - Julia McLellan
Jenna - Peter Millard
Joe - Kamyar Pazandeh
Dr. Pomatter - Tyler Pearse
Ogie - Julius Sermonia
Ensemble - Lee Siegel
Cal - Ali Watson
Nurse Norma
Synthia Yusuf
Jenna's Mother / Ensemble- Finley Campbell
Lulu - Freya Rajani
Lulu
Waitress plays on the Spriet Stage from March 25 – April 12, 2025. Single tickets range from $24-$96 (Subject to Availability), and are available at www.grandtheatre.com, by phone at 519.672.8800, or at the Box Office, 471 Richmond Street. There is a Pay-What-You-Can performance on Sunday, March 30 at 2:00 p.m. (Pay-What-You-Can tickets become available online at midnight on the day of the performance, with a selection of tickets held for in-person purchase one hour prior to the performance at the Grand Theatre Box Office). Indigenous Community Ticket Program is available to those individuals who identify as Indigenous. For only $20, you can experience one, or any of the remaining 2024/25 Grand Theatre productions.
The Grand Theatre gratefully acknowledges Season Sponsor BMO, Downtown Community Partner Old Oak Properties, Title Sponsor Ahria Consulting and with thanks to the Government of Canada.
To learn more about Waitress, please visit https://www.grandtheatre.com/event/waitress. Additional facts, photos, and updates can also be found by following @thegrandlondon and #GrandWaitress on Facebook, X, Instagram, BlueSky and TikTok.
The Grand Theatre is located on the traditional territories of the Original storytellers and caretakers of this land and the Nations, both settler and Indigenous, who continue to uphold the various treaties of the Anishinaabek, Haudenosaunee, and Lunaapéewak. We value the significant historical and contemporary contributions of local and regional First Nations, and all of the Original Peoples of Turtle Island (colonially known as North America), and acknowledge the traditional lands upon which we live, work, share, and tell stories together.
ABOUT THE GRAND THEATRE – WORLD CURIOUS. LONDON MADE.
The Grand Theatre is known for world-class theatre created and built in London, Ontario. As southwestern Ontario’s premiere producing theatre and one of the most beautiful theatre spaces in Canada, the company has deep ties to the community and to its artists, artisans, and technicians.
As a vibrant cultural hub and not-for-profit professional theatre, the Grand serves to gather, inspire, and entertain audiences in London and beyond. At our home in downtown London, we create productions on two stages: the Spriet Stage (839 seats) and the Auburn Developments Stage (144 seats). The Grand season of theatrical offerings runs from September to May, and we collaborate with companies and artists across the country through our co-productions that see London-made artistic and creative work travel to audiences nation-wide. Through our successful New Play Development Program, the Grand is committed to developing and premiering new, original works and supporting the growth and reach of theatre writers and creators. Our recently renovated venue offers a contemporary and welcoming environment that is also home to several successful music series’, community arts rentals, and cultural and special events.
A cornerstone of the organization is our place as a teaching theatre, exemplified in our many mentorship programs and highlighted in our annual Grand Theatre High School Project. As the first program of its kind in the country and currently in its twenty-sixth year, the High School Project involves as many as one hundred high school participants annually from schools across the region. These students participate at no cost and take on roles both on stage and off, in a fully realized mainstage production under the direction of a professional creative team.
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For more information please contact:
Maria Siabato, Communications and PR Specialist
msiabato@grandtheatre.com
office: 519-672-9030 ext. 266
