Displaying items by tag: Waitress: The Musical
Get It While It’s Hot: Waitress now serving at Paramount Theatre
Sugar, butter, flour…beneath the flaky layers and buttery crusts of pies lay these three simple ingredients. They’re mixed and blended together to form the foundation of endless possibilities to what it could become, pecan, blueberry, or apple pies, cutie pies, sweetie pies, or humble pies. It’s nice to remember that it’s often the simplest things that can bring us so much joy. Like a simple story of a humble pie maker dreaming of a better life, like the story of Waitress, now playing at Paramount Theatre.
Sugar, butter, flour. These aren’t the only ingredients Jenna, a waitress and expert pie maker, uses to make her famous pies. Stuck in a small town and a loveless marriage, Jenna unexpectedly becomes pregnant and then finds acceptance and love in the most unexpected place. Hoping to bake her way out of her troubles, she puts her heart and soul into her unique pies, winning over anyone who tastes them. But while battling expectations and self-esteem issues, Jenna’s delicious pies reflect her state of mind with names like I Don’t Want Earl’s Baby Pie and Where There’s A Whisk There’s A Way Pie. Each of us will find something relatable in Jenna’s struggles and triumphs. Full of romance and the joy of an uninhibited fling, Waitress challenges the story of a pregnant woman trapped in a small town between the life she’s living and the life she wants. Her customers, co-workers, and the town’s handsome new doctor may all offer her conflicting recipes for happiness, but only Jenna can do the soul-searching to decide for herself what the right ingredients are for her own happiness.
Story, talent, heart…those are the three ingredients at the heart of Paramount’s production of Waitress. The musical is based on the 2007 film of the same name with lyrics and music by Grammy Award winner and Tony Award nominee (and millennial icon) Sara Bareilles. Waitress made its debut in 2016, garnering four Tony Awards including Best Musical and Best Original Score with a playlist that includes “Sugar, Butter, Flour,” “What Baking Can Do,” “Club Knocked Up” and romantic tunes such as “It Only Takes a Taste” and “When He Sees Me.”
Within moments of the musical’s Chicagoland debut, it was clear why Waitress is such a cult classic. Like a pie, the storyline has multiple sweet and wholesome layers, but also rocky layers that, for some, are difficult to digest. Like life, sometimes the messiest things are the sweetest at its core. Despite some of the more sensitive material of the play, the incredible talent of the Paramount cast members balanced the sweet and the messy through their portrayal of hard working, tired dreamers. Featuring Michelle Lauto as Jenna, Teressa LaGamba as Becky, and Kelly Felthous as Dawn, the three performers are the production’s sugar, butter, and flour, the heart and soul of the musical blending humor with heart and soul. Jackson Evans as Ogie Jonah D. Winston as Cal, and David Moreland as Dr. Pomatter add flavor and spice to the mix to make this a delectable musical. In an era of movie and film dominated by wealth and flash and big-action, it’s refreshing to know there are productions that still center on the simple things in life. At its core, Waitress is about heart. It kneads, and rolls, and blends the simplest ingredients into a story that is both relatable and sweet, however messy the appearance might be. It’s no surprise to this theatre lover why Paramount theatre was sold out on a Friday evening.
Waitress is now playing at Paramount Theatre in Aurora (23 East Galena Boulevard Aurora, IL) through March 30th, 2025. So grab your tickets and be sure to snag a seat in Joe’s diner before all the good slices (seats) are gone!
*You can also find this review featured on https://www.theatreinchicago.com/.
A Chicago May Must See: Time Is A Color And The Color Is Blue at Bramble Arts Loft
06 May 2025 in Theatre ReviewsIf our day-to-day lives were a collective color, it would probably be the color blue. Whether you are feeling blue,…
Review: Remy Bumppo's 'Art' at Theatre Wit
06 May 2025 in Theatre in ReviewA fool and their money are soon parted as the old expression goes, but what do you do when that…
BACK IN CHICAGO BY POPULAR DEMAND! TONY AND GRAMMY-WINNING BEST MUSICAL, HADESTOWN IS NOW PLAYING
06 May 2025 in Upcoming TheatreBroadway In Chicago is thrilled to announce that HADESTOWN, the winner of eight 2019 Tony Awards® including Best New Musical and the…
National Hellenic Museum hosts special free event on Greek mythology with cast members from HADESTOWN this Thursday, May 8th
05 May 2025 in Upcoming TheatreThe National Hellenic Museum is thrilled to host an exclusive in-person event on Greek mythology with cast members from the national tour…
Hymn at Chicago Shakespeare Theater – A Soulful Exploration of Brotherhood
04 May 2025 in Theatre in ReviewStories that explore the emotional lives of men—especially Black men—are still far too rare on the American stage. Outside the…
Chicago Opera Theater presents world premiere of She Who Dared by Jasmine Arielle Barnes & Deborah D.E.E.P. Mouton
02 May 2025 in Upcoming TheatreChicago Opera Theater (COT), Chicago’s foremost producer of new and rarely staged operas, proudly presents the world premiere of She Who Dared by…
Outrage Made Manifest in “Bust: An Afrocurrentist Play”
30 April 2025 in Theatre in ReviewSomething extraordinary happens on a street in Huntsville, Alabama. Mr. Woods (Keith Randolph Smith), a hard-working Black man in the…
THE DEN THEATRE ANNOUNCES JUNE COMEDY SHOWS
30 April 2025 in Upcoming TheatreThe Den Theatre today announced upcoming June 2025 shows at the theatre's Wicker Park stages at 1331 N. Milwaukee Ave., including "Anatomy…
Redtwist Theatre's GARY: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus: Who mops up after the royals' butchery?
29 April 2025 in Theatre in ReviewI reviewed TITUS ANDRONICUS in mid-February, so I was eager to see the sequel! In TITUS, Shakespeare tells the story…
BrightSide Theatre announces cast and production team for season finale PIPPIN, June 13-29
29 April 2025 in Upcoming TheatreBrightSide Theatre, Naperville’s professional theatre company, has announced the cast for the final show of its 13th season – the…
Chicago Puppet Lab Showcase culminates eight-month residency with experimental live shows by emerging puppet artists, May 31-June 1 at Segundo Ruiz Belvis Cultural Center
29 April 2025 in Upcoming TheatreEight Chicago artists from diverse backgrounds and disciplines have spent the last eight months in residence at the Chicago Puppet…
Gusto Performances in ‘Spring Awakening,’ Vibrant Staging of 1906 Basis of Broadway Musical
28 April 2025 in Theatre in Review“Spring Awakenings,” now playing at Chicago’s Greenhouse Theater Center, is not the Tony-winning 2006 Broadway musical “Spring Awakening,” but an…
Rosemont's Parkway Bank Park Announces 2025 Lineup for Rockin in the Park Free Summer Concert Series
28 April 2025 in Upcoming TheatreRosemont's Parkway Bank Park entertainment district (5501 Park Place, Rosemont) will turn up the volume this summer with the return of its…
‘Kairos’ Is One of the Most Enjoyable and Provocative Shows in Chicago
27 April 2025 in Theatre in ReviewLisa Sanaye Dring’s play “Kairos,” which just opened at The Edge Off Broadway theater, is one of the most thought-provoking…
A Half-Century in Harmony: Ryan Opera Center Shines in ‘Rising Stars in Concert’
27 April 2025 in Theatre in ReviewIt was a night of celebration, reflection, and breathtaking talent at the Civic Opera House. Fifty years of song echoed…
From Graphic Epic to Stage Triumph: Berlin at Court Theatre
27 April 2025 in Theatre in ReviewCourt Theatre’s world premiere of Berlin, adapted by Mickle Maher from Jason Lutes’ monumental graphic novel, is a breathtaking achievement.…
Rivendell Theatre continues 30th Anniversary Season with GORGEOUS in a co-production with Raven Theatre May 1 - June 7, 2025
25 April 2025 in Upcoming TheatreChicago's Rivendell Theatre Ensemble continues to celebrate its 30th Anniversary season with the World Premiere co-production of Keiko Green's GORGEOUS, directed by Kirsten Fitzgerald. The co-production…
Announcing the 2025 Broadway In Chicago Summer Concert
24 April 2025 in Upcoming TheatreBroadway In Chicago is thrilled to announce that its free SUMMER CONCERT will return to Millennium Park on August 11,…
THE JOFFREY BALLET CLOSES 69TH SEASON WITH EXTENDED RUN OF CHRISTOPHER WHEELDON'S ALICE'S ADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND
24 April 2025 in Upcoming DanceThe Joffrey Ballet concludes its 69th season with two-time Tony Award®-winning choreographer Christopher Wheeldon's enchanting and family-friendly Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. Set to…
David Mamet's 'Henry Johnson' in High Powered Premiere at Victory Gardens Biograph
24 April 2025 in Theatre in Review“Henry Johnson,” David Mamet’s new play running at the vintage Biograph Theatre, is like many of his works, enigmatic and…
American Blues Theater presents the Chicago Premiere of Golden Leaf Ragtime Blues
23 April 2025 in Upcoming TheatreAmerican Blues Theater, under the continued leadership of Executive Artistic Director Gwendolyn Whiteside, presents the Chicago premiere of Artistic Affiliate Charles Smith's Golden Leaf…
TRINITY IRISH DANCE COMPANY USHERS IN A NEW ERA WITH MCA PERFORMANCES KICKING OFF ITS 35TH ANNIVERSARY SEASON
23 April 2025 in Upcoming DanceThe critically acclaimed Trinity Irish Dance Company (TIDC), a Chicago-based company whose internationally-celebrated versatility and percussive power have been hailed…
Full Casting Announced for Hell in a Handbag's QUEEN FOR A DAY - July 9 – August 3, 2025 at Bramble Arts Loft - World Premiere!
22 April 2025 in Upcoming TheatreHell in a Handbag Productions is pleased to conclude its 2024/25 Season with the world premiere of QUEEN FOR A DAY written by…
Stellar Performances in “Prayer for the French Republic”
21 April 2025 in Theatre in ReviewEarly in the first act I whispered to my companion and said “I love this!” Extremely well written by Joshua…
A WONDROUS SOUND - Orchestra and Chorus of the Chicago Lyric Opera is a wondrous compilation of the best of the best!
21 April 2025 in Theatre in ReviewThe repertoire for this fabulous program - A WONDROUS SOUND, showcasing the full force of Lyric’s amazing orchestra and chorus,…
Citadel's 'A Jukebox for the Algonquin" - The Reality of Life in a Senior Center sets the Stage for Tunes, Friendship and Rebellion!
20 April 2025 in Theatre in ReviewCitadel’s latest production, A Jukebox for the Algonquin, truly captured my heart. It’s a refreshing reminder that as we age,…
A Night to Remember Aboard Marriott Theatre’s Titanic
17 April 2025 in Theatre in ReviewAs a lifelong aficionado of the ill-fated ocean liner RMS Titanic, I’ve always gravitated toward any experience that would leave…
The Artistic Home presents CUT TO THE CHASE festival of one-act plays May 1-4 at The Den Theatre
17 April 2025 in Upcoming TheatreThe Artistic Home Studio will present the 2025 edition of its annual CUT TO THE CHASE festival of new one…
Chopin Theatre & Gwydion Theatre present "Theatre of the Absurd" festival Eight Darkly Comedic Tales May 2 – May 25, 2025 | Chopin Theatre Studio
17 April 2025 in Upcoming TheatreIn an era that often defies reason, Chopin Theatre and Gwydion Theatre launch the first annual Theatre of the Absurd…
Pegasus Theatre Chicago announces cast for its revival of Shakin' the Mess Outta Misery
16 April 2025 in Upcoming TheatrePegasus Theatre Chicago and Director ILesa Duncan proudly announce the casting for the revival of playwright Shay Youngblood's Shakin' the Mess Outta Misery, which follows…
Latest Articles
-
Review: Remy Bumppo's 'Art' at Theatre Wit
Written by John AccroccoA fool and their money are soon parted as the old expression goes, but what do you do when that fool is your best friend? Yasmina Reza’s 1996 Tony Award winning play ‘Art’ explores the balance of opinion, influence and… -
BACK IN CHICAGO BY POPULAR DEMAND! TONY AND GRAMMY-WINNING BEST MUSICAL, HADESTOWN IS NOW PLAYING
Written by Buzz Center StageBroadway In Chicago is thrilled to announce that HADESTOWN, the winner of eight 2019 Tony Awards® including Best New Musical and the 2020 Grammy® Award for Best Musical Theater Album, is now playing at Broadway In Chicago’s CIBC Theatre (18 W. Monroe St.). HADESTOWN is… -
A Chicago May Must See: Time Is A Color And The Color Is Blue at Bramble Arts Loft
Written by Kendall RoyzenIf our day-to-day lives were a collective color, it would probably be the color blue. Whether you are feeling blue, have the blues, or are just Blue (Da Ba Dee), it’s the color most closely associated to feelings of sadness,… -
National Hellenic Museum hosts special free event on Greek mythology with cast members from HADESTOWN this Thursday, May 8th
Written by Buzz Center StageThe National Hellenic Museum is thrilled to host an exclusive in-person event on Greek mythology with cast members from the national tour of HADESTOWN this Thursday, May 8 at 10:30 a.m. at the museum, located at 333 S. Halsted Street in the heart of Chicago’s Greektown…
Does your theatre company want to connect with Buzz Center Stage or would you like to reach out and say "hello"? Message us through facebook or shoot us an email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
*This disclaimer informs readers that the views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in the text belong solely to the author, and not necessarily to Buzz Center Stage. Buzz Center Stage is a non-profit, volunteer-based platform that enables, and encourages, staff members to post their own honest thoughts on a particular production.