By Amanda VanNostrand.
Here to delight every soul in attendance at The Kimmel Center’s Forrest Theatre between now and February 18th is the hit musical Waitress. This production provides all the musical and storytelling talent one could hope for in a show, and it is thoroughly entertaining.
Waitress is the story of Jenna, a waitress with the added bonus talent of exquisite pie making. She is newly pregnant and on a path parallel to that of her own mother: she is in an unhappy, unhealthy relationship with a man who demands her money, her affection, and her life, and is stuck with him now that there is a baby. Her hopes of getting out of her small town life have dashed away as quickly and clearly as the positive sign on her pregnancy test presented itself. Jenna holds hope, however, as her friends and fellow waitresses come alongside her and navigate the next steps of their lives together. Each character in this show is truly endearing and audience members will find themselves eagerly anticipating happy endings for all. Through pregnancies, online dating, affairs, questionable doctor-patient relationships, and unexpected love this show is quite the charming package.
Each performer in this show is better than the next. Talent screams out on the stage and brings Waitress to its potential; not one actor skips a beat, misses a note, or fails to impress. Desi Oakley plays the role of Jenna and brings passion to her part while her voice never disappoints. Not enough can be said about Charity Angél Dawson (playing Becky), or her voice. She is a true favorite, and shines through the entirety of this production. (Again, her voice!) Lenne Klingaman is a perfect choice, bringing the nerdy, awkward, and purely loveable Dawn to life as she figures out this thing called love. This trio of women lead the show, but Jeremie Morse, who plays Ogie, must be mentioned because he, too, is exquisite. It is doubtful that any actor could ever live up to his portrayal of this absolutely hysterical character. The volume of the audience’s laughter and applause is a true testament to his success in playing this character. It is worth buying a ticket just to watch his scenes. Pure excellence.
And then there is the music. With both music and lyrics by the (6-time!) Grammy nominee Sara Bareilles, one can imagine what this score consists of. Choreography is by Abbey O’Brien, and the movement in this show compliments the quirkiness of Bareilles’s well-known music. Many of the scenes parallel the unique way that she presents her art and the show itself is therefore unique because of this. A great musical performed by a phenomenal cast.
Set design (Scott Pask) adds an additional asset to the visual layer of this show; the tone and feel of the story can be felt through the scenery. A favorite set is sure to be the diner, where the rural outdoors can be viewed through windows while a simple and tasteful diner exists inside. From the modest diner to the slightly rundown living room of Jenna and Earl, Jenna’s eagerness to leave can be understood and sympathized with from the audience’s perspective.
Characters in this show experience real love. Though not consistently romantic or happy and certainly not perfect, it is authentic and aligned with reality. And although the decisions of the characters are at times questionable and objectionable, they are living life as it comes, “just (slipping) in through a back door”. These characters are easy to fall in love with and their charm is sure to bring warmth to your February.
Running Time: 2 hours and 35 minutes with one 20-minute intermission
Advisory: Sexual content and mild language
Waitress will be playing at The Kimmel Center, Forrest Theatre, until February 18th, 2018. The theater is located at 1114 Walnut Street, Phialdelphia, PA. For tickets contact the box office at (215) 893-1999 or click here.