The musical Waitress is the current production of the MusicalFare Theatre.

Book by Jessie Nelson with music and lyrics by Sarah Bareilles, Waitress will take center stage until May 18 and will be the last production housed in the Daemen University location.

It’s all about Jenna Hunterson, a waitress and expert pie maker, in a small town and in a loveless marriage. But with the encouragement of several good friends, she finds the courage to change her life for the better.

There wasn’t time enough to compare multiple different productions of the same show. It can be kind of hard to really judge what makes good direction, it only gets easier to appreciate good after experiences with the bad. Direction is a bit hard to measure up as precisely as you might want because it encapsulates so many things… Assembling the cast and the creative team, their interpretations of characters. The director basically influences every aspect of a production to make it into a coherent piece. 

Judging by the enthusiastic audience of opening night and the standing ovation at the end of the show Susan Drozd (Director) presented an outstanding piece of work. 

Collin McKee (Movement Director) along with Teresa Quinn (Musical Director/keyboard) along with Mike Moser, guitar, Jay Wollin, bass/ cello/ Nothing weeps like a cello and Jim Celeste, drums turned a group of beautiful voices into an ensemble tight as a new pair of jeans. 

Chris Cavanagh’s set (lighting projection and sound designer) along with Kevin Fahey’s (property master) reminded me of the old Deco restaurant of long ago 

Kari Drozd’s historical costumes added to the realism. 

Jessica Hillman-McCord ( Intimacy Director) – The two lead characters simulate sexual activity fully clothed pretty tame and brief.

To the Producer Randall Kramer, the Production Staff and theMusicalFare Theatre Administrative staff, a heartfelt thank you: you never let us down.

But as always I have to give kudos to the stage manager who holds everything together Julia Miskines!

Maria Pedro (Jenna) and John Kaczorowski (Dr Jim) had some heartfelt moments portraying all of the five emotions happy, sad, anger, fear, and confidence at the appropriate times. 

You could really feel the friendship between Jenna and her two waitress friends Dawn portrayed by Rheanna Gallegos. Rheanna reminded me of one of the great comic geniuses of the 20th century Gilda Radner, and Dawn portrayed by Lily Jones. Lily sang a heart wrenching song titled” I Didn’t Plan it” the lead in conversation to the song made it self-explanatory but I did look up the lyrics. Lily did an excellent job with the song but her exit was not believable. After pouring out your heart something that you wanted to do for years and in the situation that you are in you should almost have not been able to crawl off of that stage. You simply just turned and walked away please take that into consideration.

There was some excellent excellent character actors. 

Nicholas Lama (Cal, restaurant owner)

Jeremy Ephraim Meyers (Ogie) Unbelievable !!!

Dan Urtz (Earl) a brilliant piece of work. There are seven signs of emotional abuse I saw every last one of them thank you for your work.

There’s a saying in this business never work with animals or kids because they will steal the show.. add Michael J Galante to the list. 

You’re gonna laugh, you may cry, it will be time well spent.

2-hour run time 15 minute intermission.