The role of Old Joe in the West End staging of Sara Bareilles’ Waitress goes to Shaun Prendergast

Rehearsals are now underway for the West End production of Waitress ahead of performances beginning at the Adelphi Theatre on 8 February. Joining new addition Shaun Prendergast and US stars Katharine McPhee and Jack McBrayer are Laura Baldwin, Peter Hannah, David Hunter and Marisha Wallace. Pie anyone?

Shaun Prendergast will play Old Joe alongside US star Katharine McPhee (Smash) who reprises the role of Jenna, having played her on Broadway in 2018, and Emmy-nominated film and TV actor Jack McBrayer, best known for playing Kenneth in the multi-award-winning US comedy series 30 Rock. McBrayer will be making his West End debut in the role of Ogie.

Sara Bareilles’ musical begins performances on 8 February 2018 followed by an official opening night on 7 March at London’s Adelphi Theatre. Currently playing its third hit year on Broadway, Waitress will bring with it an all-female lead creative team – a West End musical first.

The full company includes Kelly Agbowu, Laura Baldwin, Piers Bate, Nicole Raquel Dennis, Michael Hamway, Peter Hannah, David Hunter, Stephen Leask, Jack McBrayer, Chris McGuigan, Katharine McPhee, Olivia Moore, Nathaniel Morrison, Sarah O’Connor, Leanne Pinder, Shaun Prendergast, Charlotte Riby and Marisha Wallace.

Waitress also recently announced the first of its ‘Cast Album Karaoke’ nights in London, meaning that theatre lovers who have always dreamt of singing on the West End stage will soon be able to make their dream a reality. The first ever karaoke nights will be held post-show on Tuesday 19 February and Monday 18 March 2019. For the chance to sing one minute of any song from the show – live on stage and accompanied by the show’s musical director Katharine Woolley – interested audience members just need to sign up in the theatre before the performance.

The musical opened on 24 April 2016 at Broadway’s Brooks Atkinson Theater. Based on the 2007 motion picture written by Adrienne Shelly, it was the first Broadway musical in history to have four women in the four top creative team spots, with a book by Jessie Nelson, a score by six-time Grammy Award-nominated singer-songwriter Sara Bareilles, choreography by Lorin Latarro and direction by Tony Award-winner Diane Paulus. The production is currently touring the US and has also recently announced it will have its Australian premiere in 2020 at the Sydney Lyric Theatre.