Waitress extends as Mueller announces departure

Producers of the Broadway hit Waitress have announced the departure of original star Jessie Mueller who will play her final performance as 'Jenna' on 26 March 2017. The show is now booking through June 11 2017, and new casting for the lead role is yet to be announced.

The Tony-nominated musical opened on Broadway at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre on 24 April 2016.

The lead cast currently includes Tony winner Jessie Mueller (Jenna), Eric Anderson (Cal), Charity Angél Dawson (Becky), Christopher Fitzgerald (Ogie), Drew Gehling (Dr. Pomatter), Caitlin Houlahan (Dawn), Dakin Matthews (Joe), William Popp (Earl), Cate Elefante, Thay Floyd, Henry Gottfried, Molly Hager, Aisha Jackson, Molly Jobe, Max Kumangai, Anastacia McClesky, Ella Dane Morgan, Jeremy Morse, Olivia Phillip, Stephanie Torns and Ryan Vasquez.

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 five-time Grammy Award-nominated singer-songwriter Sara Bareilles, choreography by Lorin Latarro and direction by Tony Award-winner Diane Paulus.

Synopsis: "Based on the 2007 motion picture written by Adrienne Shelly, the musical follows Jenna - a waitress and expert pie maker stuck in a small town and a loveless marriage. Faced with an unexpected pregnancy, Jenna fears she may have to abandon the dream of opening her own pie shop forever... until a baking contest in a nearby county and the town's handsome new doctor offer her a tempting recipe for happiness. Supported by her quirky crew of fellow waitresses and loyal customers, Jenna summons the secret ingredient she's been missing all along - courage."

Waitress is produced on Broadway by Barry & Fran Weissler and Norton & Elayne Herrick.

- by Dom O'Hanlon