WAITRESS at The Phoenix Theater Company

Guest contributor David Appleford reviewed The Phoenix Theater Company’s production of WAITRESS.

When pie expert and waitress Jenna (a remarkable, dynamic-voiced Cassie Chilton) either invents or fantasizes about the recipe for a new pie, an almost otherworldly voice whispers the pie’s first ingredient: “Sugar.” And depending on her mood, the waitress gives each pie an individual name, such as “My eggs trapped me“, or “My husband is a chicken pot pie.“

Based on the 2007 film of the same name by the late writer and actor Adrienne Shelly, who also played one of Jenna’s co-stars in the film, WAITRESS the musical, presented by Phoenix Theater Company on Hormel Theatre stage to November 24, it follows the same points as the script, but changes the overall tone to something much more rewarding.

It’s never mentioned exactly where, but somewhere in the deep south, right off a long, lonely-looking highway, lies Joe’s Pie Diner. It’s where Jenna works with two other waitresses, the sassy Becky (Chanel Edwards-Frederick) and the bespectacled Dawn (Bonnie Beus Romney), both extremely likable characters and played by two exceptionally trained performers with just the right comic tone. . Once Jenna’s new recipe thoughts for the morning are interrupted by the restaurant’s boss, the ever grumpy Cal (Joseph Paul Cavazos) returns to serving customers.

But there’s something different about Jenna on this particular day. She’s distracted. Plus there’s that morning sickness. Although she doesn’t want to know, both Becky and Dawn insist that Jenna take a home pregnancy test just in case. And of course it is positive. Jenna blames the red dress, the one she wore that night, the sparkly one.

After a one-night stand with her abusive and callous husband Earl (Caleb Reese, in menacing good-guy form), the waitress is now saddled with an unwanted pregnancy, and it couldn’t have come at a worse time. How does she handle the news? By inventing the recipe for a new pie called I don’t want Earl’s baby pie.

At its base, Waitress is a surprisingly moving story of personal struggle and self-discovery. Jenna is trapped in an unhappy marriage and faces an unexpected pregnancy. The depth of her emotions and how they affect her character’s attitudes and subsequent behavior are central to the dramatic undercurrent that unfolds in this musical that continually captures attention and, as directed by Chanel Bragg, is undeniably entertaining. Jenna’s journey captures the struggle of someone constrained in her daily life by an oppressive relationship, while harboring a desire for freedom and fulfillment.

The character’s turmoil over an unhappy home life contrasts with the broad comic relief the characters provide in the restaurant where they work. The workplace interactions, particularly involving Jenna’s co-workers Becky and Dawn, inject an abundance of laugh-out-loud humor. Writer Jessie Nelson’s new book for the musical is consistently witty. When Becky asks her fellow waitresses, “Is my left breast hanging down? I look like something Picasso would have done,” might have nothing to do with anything, but it’s a funny-sounding line. And for some reason, dropping the recognizable product name always makes a regular comment sound funnier than it is . When husband Earl tells Jenna why his boss complained about Earl being late for work again, he states, “Don’t blame me on the line at Taco Bell.”

Broadest of all is Dawn’s boyfriend Ogie (Teddy Ladley), a man whose caffeine supply never ends. Ogie has a very different idea of ​​how the first meeting with Dawn went; she feels she has met her soul mate and she never wants to see him again. His high energy, pushing it to the limit, Never get rid of meperformed with an unstoppable frenetic energy, it ends with him needing to calm down and take out an inhaler. It might be over the top – way over the top – but from the long, raucous applause Ladley received on his way out, it works for Phoenix Theater Company audiences.

Also intentionally funnier than the film is designed to be is Jenna’s OB/GYN, Dr. Pomatter (Shonn Wiley), the doctor with whom Jenna has an affair. The introduction of the good doctor brings another layer of humor to the show. Seduced by the taste of one of her pies, the man uses his nervous energy to change a professional doctor/patient relationship into something more personal. After an impulsive kiss from Jenna, both parties feel the need to get away from the frustration of their home lives to be with each other, secretly stealing every private moment they can for comically energizing sex—and creatively eating pie – in the doctor’s house. office. With his awkward but endearing interactions with the waitress, Wiley’s performance as the doctor brings a whole other kind of levity to the show.

This dynamic between the waitress and the doctor is captured beautifully in the duet as well It only takes a tastehighlighting a shared moment of connection and intimacy that is both humorous and tender. The song’s conversational style and clever lyrics serve as an artistic highlight. While Ogie’s song may be the crowd favorite, it’s the humorous duet performed by Jenna and the doctor as they sit on a bench waiting for a bus that steals the show. With its clever lyrics and conversational style, it is the most theatrically satisfying number in the production.

Integral to the show’s success is Michelle Chin’s choreography. This serves not only as a means of creating a constant sense of upbeat and fluid movement, but helps with the overall musical rhythm of the production as the show moves smoothly from scene to scene without pause. And if you stand close enough, you’ll be able to appreciate the smaller, finer details included in Josaphath Reynoso’s highly effective scenic design of the restaurant’s interior, where its walls are dotted with framed pictures of the past and rows of early Polaroids. they are clipped haphazardly around the kitchen entrance frame behind the bar.

However, what might surprise most to those new to the musical is hearing Sara Bareilles’ masterful score for the first time. Her compositions blend elements of pop and rock with theatrical storytelling, providing a soundtrack that is both contemporary and character-driven. The music serves to elevate the story, capturing the emotions and aspirations of individuals navigating the complexities of life in seemingly mundane settings. Songs like You Matter To Me and She used to be my – and performed as well as they are here by an excellent cast, backed by an outstanding seven-piece orchestra under the musical direction of Kevin Robert White – emphasize the characters’ emotional arcs.

Broadway musicals have a unique ability to blend drama and comedy with music to create stories that, when done as well as here, by Phoenix Theater Company can often resonate emotionally with audiences in a way that film cannot. WAITRESS as a live musical it is a testament to this unique form of American theater; offers a fresh perspective on familiar surroundings and situations while inspiring us with its message of hope and self-empowerment. You won’t see a better production.

The Phoenix Theater Company ~ www.phoenixtheatre.com ~ Box office: 602-254-2151 ~ 1825 N. Central Avenew, Phoenix, AZ

Graphic credit to TPTC

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