Everything we know about the West End transfer of Waitress The Musical

**Pictured (from left to right): Keala Settle** as Becky, **Jessie Mueller** as Jenna, and **Kimiko Glenn** as Dawn – the original Broadway cast * * * **What is *Waitress* about? *[Waitress](https://www.londontheatredirect.com/musical/3309/waitress-tickets.aspx)*** follows the story of a small-town, southern girl named Jenna who works as a waitress at Joe’s Diner. She’s got a knack for baking delicious pies but her personal life is not so sweet. Caught in a bad romance with her abusive husband, Earl, Jenna soon finds herself in a sticky situation when she discovers she’s got a ‘**bun in the oven**’. Things get even stickier when she begins an extra-marital affair with her gynecologist, Dr Pomatter. Desperate to find her way out of this mess and make a better life for herself and her baby, Jenna signs up to compete in a pie baking contest. Will Jenna win the grand prize? **Who will be starring in *Waitress?* Will the Broadway *Waitress* cast reprise their roles in the West End transfer?** American Idol's Katharine McPhee was announced on 22 November 2018 as Jenna Hunterson in the London production of ***[Waitress](https://www.londontheatredirect.com/musical/3309/waitress-tickets.aspx)***. The show is still in its early stages and further casting will be announced in due course. Therefore, it can be ruled out that **Jessie Mueller will be crossing the pond to play Jenna Hunterson**. In addition to Mueller, the Broadway cast for *Waitress *stars** Keala Settle** (Becky), **Dakin Matthews** (Joe), **Nick Cordero** (Earl), **Kimiko Glenn** (Dawn) and **Drew Gehling** (Dr Jim Pomatter), who may or may not reprise their roles for the London theatre production. **Who are the creatives of *Waitress*? *[Waitress](https://www.londontheatredirect.com/musical/3309/waitress-tickets.aspx)*** features a dream team of creatives and **made history on Broadway** when it became the **first major show to feature women in all four of the top creative spots**. The show features music and lyrics by world-renowned recording artist **Sara Bareilles**, direction by **Diane Paulus**, a book by **Jessie Nelson**, and choreography by **Lorin Latarro**. The Broadway show’s all-female team also saw women fill the roles of costume designer (**Suttirat Larlarb**), musical director (**Nadia DiGiallonardo**) and co-producers (**Fran Weissler** and **Elayne Herrick**). **What are the best Waitress songs?** While many fans of ***[Waitress](https://www.londontheatredirect.com/musical/3309/waitress-tickets.aspx)*** might say that **all *[Waitress](https://www.londontheatredirect.com/musical/3309/waitress-tickets.aspx)* **songs are good**, the general consensus is that **"What Baking Can Do", "I Didn’t Plan It" **and **"She Used to Be Mine"** are stand-out tracks and rank amongst the best the musical has to offer. But you can leave that for yourself to decide because the ***[Waitress](https://www.londontheatredirect.com/musical/3309/waitress-tickets.aspx)* **soundtrack**, which features the original Broadway cast ensemble, is available on a wide variety of music platforms. Go ahead and give it a listen! **When will *Waitress* play at the Adelphi Theatre?** Sara Bareille’s Tony Award-nominated musical ***[Waitress](https://www.londontheatredirect.com/musical/3309/waitress-tickets.aspx)*** will premiere at the **[Adelphi Theatre](https://www.londontheatredirect.com/venue/3/adelphi-theatre.aspx)** on **8 February 2019**, booking until **25 May 2019** for the first run. ***[Kinky Boots](https://www.londontheatredirect.com/musical/1451/kinky-boots-tickets.aspx)*** **will be** **completing its West End run on 12 January 2019**, leaving plenty of time for the theatre to ‘**pre-heat the oven**’ and prepare for the ***[Waitress](https://www.londontheatredirect.com/musical/3309/waitress-tickets.aspx) ***premiere. **Is *Waitress* appropriate for children?** There are a few moments in ***[Waitress](https://www.londontheatredirect.com/musical/3309/waitress-tickets.aspx) ***that contain overtly suggestive themes. Domestic abuse is also the ‘meat and potatoes’ for much of the show’s plot. So, while there is nothing sexually explicit or physically violent to be seen, it may be best to leave your younger children at home. However, ***[Waitress](https://www.londontheatredirect.com/musical/3309/waitress-tickets.aspx) ***should be more than fine for teenagers and pre-teens who are able to handle the shows more serious subject matter. The show does a good job of offering a multitude of vibes and avoids being too preachy for those who prefer something a bit more sweet. It is a musical, after all! **When will *Waitress* West End tickets go on sale?** ***[Waitress](https://www.londontheatredirect.com/musical/3309/waitress-tickets.aspx) ***tickets are on sale now. **What else do I need to know about *Waitress*?** ***[Waitress The Musical](https://www.londontheatredirect.com/musical/3309/waitress-tickets.aspx)*** is based on the 2007 indie film of the same name, which was written and directed by **Adrienne Shelly** and starred **Keri Russell** as Jenna Hunterson and **Nathan Fillion** as Dr Jim Pomatter. For an independent film, ***[Waitress](https://www.londontheatredirect.com/musical/3309/waitress-tickets.aspx)*** **was a box-office smash and it managed to recoup its budget of $1.5 million by twenty-fold with an overall domestic gross of $22 million. The Broadway stage adaptation was nominated for four Tony Awards, including Best Musical, and six Drama Desk Awards in 2016. **Christopher Fitzgerald**, who plays Ogie Anhorn, won the Drama Desk Award and Outer Critics Circle Award for **Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical**. * * * Our ***[Waitress](https://www.londontheatredirect.com/musical/3309/waitress-tickets.aspx)**** *guide will be updated with more information as soon as it becomes available. **[Sign up for our newsletter](https://www.londontheatredirect.com/musical/3309/waitress-tickets.aspx)** to stay informed on ticketing information and performance dates for ***[Waitress](https://www.londontheatredirect.com/musical/3309/waitress-tickets.aspx)***.