Mermaid Marshmallow Pie. Upstream without a Banana Cream Pie. Devil’s Food Oasis Pie. I Hate My Husband Pie.
These memorable culinary creations introduce us to the world of Waitress—and allow us a glimpse into the imaginative, fantastical inner life of its protagonist, Jenna Hunterson. Jenna works in a diner in a small Southern town. She’s married to Earl, a controlling, abusive creep. She feels trapped by personal and economic circumstances, and despite her tight network of friends and her bright, resilient spirit, she is struggling to protect her sense of self. Jenna has to play her cards close to her chest, but not with us. Waitress utilizes Jenna’s lifelong passion for baking as a clever vehicle to show the audience her creativity and emotion, and to develop a beautiful and empathetic story about what it looks like to fight for happiness.
Virginia Rep’s visually stunning, joyful production of Waitress is a real summer treat. For those who enjoy musicals, this adaptation of Adrienne Shelley’s 2007 film pretty much has it all: big ensemble dance numbers, heart-wrenching ballads, and silly, maximalist sequences. It’s raunchy and funny. As Richmonders have come to expect from Virginia Rep, it’s also a feast for the eyes. The set is bursting with life, full of impressive moving pieces and beautiful texture. The light design is colorful and meaningful, utilizing spotlights, establishing mood, and brightening and darkening with the story. Under Rick Hammerly’s direction, this show embraces the fun as well as the seriousness of its subject matter.
A Movingly Acted Story of Friendship
Waitress is anchored by the friendship between Jenna and her fellow waitresses at Joe’s Diner, Becky and Dawn. They are a package deal and an unyielding support system, none particularly alike but bound together by their shared workplace and real affection for each other. This production—and the stellar performances of the cast members portraying the three women—allows them all to truly shine. In the lead role, Emelie Faith Thompson not only sings beautifully but gives a moving, emotional performance. Jenna is kind, but she’s also wry. She gently pokes fun when the situation calls for it. Thompson’s sharp and lively portrayal when Jenna is away from home makes her scenes with Earl all the more devastating, because the flatness of her affect is even more pronounced.
Becky’s story is probably the most static of the three, but that has no bearing on Miya Bass’s phenomenal work in the role. I loved her interplay with everyone, especially Cal, and her solo number is excellent. A lot of the diner scene quips belong to Becky, and Bass delivers every time—she makes every joke so funny. Where Bass’s spoken humor shines, Kylee Márquez-Downie stands out for her ambitious physical comedy. She slips and slides and hides around the stage. Dawn’s shyness is not one-dimensional. She’s anxious, but Márquez-Downie makes it clear she’s also opinionated and determined. Three songs for the three of them together almost doesn’t feel like enough—their harmonies are really great, and the love between the three characters is wonderful.
A High Energy Celebration of the Journey Toward Joy
To be honest, the hammy style of jokes you often find in musical comedies isn’t typically my thing. While Waitress has a few of those, this production did really make me laugh out loud a lot. It’s zany and fast-paced. The characters’ quirks are so genuinely weird in ways that are mostly endearing and sometimes intentional red flags, but always grab your attention and tell you something important about them. Bear Manescalchi’s turn as Ogie is very funny; he’s delightful and breathlessly energetic as he makes his persistent pitch to Dawn. That kind of energy permeates the entire production. Its essential strength is each person’s willingness, in every moment, to commit to the bit. The payoff is a show that gets big and brash and goofy as well as serious and sentimental.
One of the things I’ve always loved about Waitress is its insistence on joy rather than only survival. There’s something earnestly non-judgmental about its approach to exploring how people cope with life’s struggles. While it’s sugary and sweet, it also lays bare many of the day-to-day challenges and dangers of womanhood and poverty. In many ways, the story is about the precarity of living in a dangerous situation without the economic mobility and power to truly establish your independence. Importantly, Waitress is also about kindness—how being kind is one of the things we can choose when faced with so many other life circumstances beyond our control, and how sometimes life can reward you for it.
Waitress has been one of my favorite stories since I first watched the film with my mom as a teen. Virginia Rep’s production is a celebration: of these beloved characters, of musical theater, of Pride Month. It’s a beautiful spectacle, a moving story, and a whole lot of fun.
Waitress runs through August 3. The show has two acts with a 15-minute intermission. It’s recommended for adult audiences and contains mature language and themes, including intimate partner violence. Tickets and more information here.
Read about Emelie Faith Thompson, who plays Jenna in the production.
