Producers Barry & Fran Weissler and David Ian are delighted to announce that David Hunter and Wendy Mae Brown will join the cast of the UK and Ireland Tour of the smash hit romantic musical comedy Waitress as Dr Pomatter and Becky at Wolverhampton Grand Theatre from Tuesday 28 June – Saturday 2 July 2022.
They join Chelsea Halfpenny as Jenna, Evelyn Hoskins as Dawn, George Crawford as Ogie, Michael Starke as Joe, Tamlyn Henderson as Earl and Christopher D. Hunt as Cal. The company also includes Monique Ashe-Palmer, Amelia Atherton, Donal Brennan, Aimée Fisher, Scarlet Gabriel, Nathanael Landskroner, Charlie Martin, Liam McHugh, Olivia Mitchell, Ben Morris and Brian Roland.
David Hunter reprises his role as Dr Pomatter having originated the role in the West End production of WAITRESS at the Adelphi Theatre. His other West End credits include Kinky Boots, Once, One Man, Two Guvnors, Songs For A New World, Tommy and Seussical. David gained national notoriety during his time on ITV’s Superstar, competing to play the role of ‘Jesus’ in Jesus Christ Superstar. His other film and television credits include Nativity 3, Holby City and Doctors. David is also the front man of pop-rock band, Reemer.
Wendy Mae Brown’s West End theatre credits include The Book of Dust, The Lorax and Kiss Me, Kate. Her other theatre credits include To Kill A Mockingbird, Ghost The Musical, Rent and South Pacific. Her television credits include Almost Never, River, Man Down, Porters, 40 North and Casualty. Wendy’s film credits include Four Weddings and a Funeral, Your Christmas or Mine?, Last Chance Harvey and Blackbeard The Pirate.
Chelsea Halfpenny began her career in the popular children’s television series Byker Grove. She appeared as Amy Wyatt in Emmerdale for three years and Alice Munroe in Casualty, a part she played for four years. Chelsea recently made her West End debut as Judy Bernly in 9 to 5 The Musical at the Savoy Theatre.
Evelyn Hoskins most recently played the role of Dawn in Waitress in the West End at the Adelphi Theatre. Her other theatre credits include the title role in Carrie at Southwark Playhouse, Spring Awakening at the Lyric Hammersmith and in the West End, Assassins at the Nottingham Playhouse and Watermill Theatre, Mrs Henderson Presents at the Royal Alexandra Theatre in Toronto, Peter and the Starcatcher at Northampton’s Royal & Derngate, This Is My Family at Sheffield Crucible and on UK Tour, The Boy Who Fell Into A Book at the Stephen Joseph Theatre and The Secret Garden at Birmingham Rep.
Waitress is based on the 2007 movie written by Adrienne Shelly. Music and lyrics are written by GRAMMY award-winning, singer-songwriter sensation Sara Bareilles, who appeared on the Graham Norton TV show, performing the hit song from the show She Used To Be Mine. With a book by Jessie Nelson, direction by Tony-award winner Diane Paulus and choreography by Lorin Latarro, Waitress has garnered multiple awards and nominations in both America and the UK, receiving acclaim from both audiences and critics alike.
Waitress opened on Broadway on 24th April 2016 at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre, where it ran until 5th January 2020. Waitress celebrated its official opening night at the Adelphi Theatre in London’s West End on 7 March 2019. Waitress is currently on tour in Japan (Japanese language production), and is set to open in Australia and Holland.
Waitress tells the story of Jenna, an expert pie maker in a small town, who dreams of a way out of her loveless marriage. A baking contest in a nearby county and the town’s new doctor may offer her a chance at a new life, while her fellow waitresses offer their own recipes to happiness. But Jenna must find the courage and strength within herself to rebuild her life. This beautiful musical celebrates friendship, motherhood, and the magic of a well-made pie.
