Natalie Bassingthwaighte Leads Cast Of The Highly Anticipated Australian Premiere Of Waitress
Image: The cast of Waitress Australia. Supplied
Waitress was a massive musical hit on Broadway for almost four years, before going on to similar success in the West End and elsewhere around the world – and is coming to Australia for seasons in Sydney and Melbourne.
And we’ve just been gifted with a cast announcement, featuring legends of Australian stage and screen.
Leading the cast as Jenna will be听Natalie Bassingthwaighte听(Chicago, Shirley Valentine), while听Gabriyel Thomas听(Cats, Sister Act) and听Mackenzie Dunn听(Grease, Annie) play Becky and Dawn, Jenna鈥檚 coworkers at the diner. Charismatic star of stage and screen听Rob Mills听(& Juliet, Wicked) will play Dr Pomatter, and legendary actor听John Waters听(The Woman in Black, Play School) will be Joe, the owner of the diner.
The story follows Jenna, the titular waitress and expert pie maker, who longs for a new life away from her husband and depressing small-town circumstances, who enters a new romance which provides a tantalising taste of change. Come for the many pie-based metaphors for life, stay for the ridiculously catchy and compelling songs.
Inspired by Adrienne Shelly鈥檚 film of the same name, and brought to life by a trailblazing female-led creative team, an uplifting score by Grammy庐 winner Sara Bareilles (Love Song,听Brave) and direction by Tony winner Diane Paulus, Waitress is a touching and humorous musical about hope and new-beginnings.
If there’s anyone who knows about new beginnings it’s star Natalie Bassingthwaighte, who as an iconic triple threat has worked as as a solo musician as well as the singer for the band Rogue Traders, a TV star with many hosting gigs and a long-time role on Neighbours, and as a musical performer. She has been most recently lauded for her performance on stage in the title role of Shirley Valentine, Roxie in Chicago, Mary-Jane in Alanis Morissette鈥檚听Jagged Little Pill, Sandy in听Grease听and Florence Vassy in听Chess. She also announced in October 2025 her engagement to girlfriend Pip Loth.
Waitress will light up Her Majesty鈥檚 Theatre Melbourne from 1 May, and the Sydney Lyric Theatre from 1 August. Tickets are now on sale at 听.
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