Review: Theatre Raleigh’s Production of Waitress Serves Up a Feel-Good-Musical Pie

Based on the original film by Adrienne Shelly and directed by Eric Woodall, Waitress tells the story of Jenna (Broadway alum Alyssa Fox), a waitress and fabulous pie-baker at a local diner who is desperate to escape her small town and abusive marriage. After learning she is pregnant, Jenna finds herself falling for her handsome (and married) gynecologist Dr. Pomatter (Billy Harrigan Tighe) as they begin a passionate (and pie-filled) affair. With the help of Jenna’s friends and fellow waitresses Dawn (Ella Frederickson) and Becky (Anne Fraser Thomas), Waitress is a powerful story about friendship, feminism, and independence.

L-R: Alyssa Fox as Jenna, Ella Frederickson as Dawn, and Anne Fraser Thomas as Becky

The production starts out soft and sweet (no pie pun intended). The diner is cheery and bright and full of pies with silly names, like “Betrayed By My Eggs” breakfast pie. But as Jenna navigates her pregnancy and the state of her abusive marriage to her husband Earl (Bradford B Frost) is brought to light, her emotions and inner thoughts come out as imaginary pies to help her cope, like “My Husband Is A Jerk Chicken Pot Pie.” Fox easily takes on the complexities Jenna faces as she grapples with the reality of looming motherhood and her financial situation while still being a force of kindness and love for those in her life. And while perhaps the musical’s most famous number, “She Used To Be Mine” is its own kind of unparalleled feat in its beautiful simplicity as Fox wraps her audience in a blanket woven from anguish and fear, it was Jenna’s number “What Baking Can Do” that took me by surprise.

While the song is often underrated when discussing Waitress, Fox turns Jenna’s distress into delectable bits of sugar, butter, and flour. Coupled with poignant and achingly gorgeous choreography (which is thankfully carried throughout the show) from Eamon Foley, Fox makes sure the number will not only be stuck in your head for days, but is a technically flawless vocal moment audiences won’t soon forget.

Fellow waitresses Dawn and Becky are the best friends we should all be so lucky to have. While they each face their own relationship struggles, they still rally behind Jenna with a loving touch, becoming her staunchest advocates and fierce protectors. The friendship between the three of them is effortless and uplifting, the very definition of women supporting women.

Frederickson is adorable as the bubbly and dweeby Dawn. While she develops a relationship of her own with the spectacularly awkward Ogie (Nick Cearley), who is head over heels for her the moment they meet, Dawn is originally terrified to meet him (or any men), and asks the questions we all face in our quest for love and acceptance in her song “When He Sees Me.” Backed by vocals from the male ensemble as they become figments of her imagination and whisk her around the stage, Frederickson manages to capture that painful ache of self-doubt, or perhaps even the worse, the fear of acceptance and letting someone in, as she strikes a perfect balance between Dawn’s nervous and shrill southern accent and her own pretty musical theater notes.

If Dawn is sweet, Becky is spicy. Her zippy one-liners are full of sass as she and diner cook Cal (Greg Laux) go back and forth in bursts of comedic gold. With the best lines in the show, Thomas has created a character full of heart, truth, and passion, wrapped up in a bow made of snark and tough love. She finally gets her own vocal moment to show off in “I Didn’t Plan It,” kicking off Act II with a bang.

The trials of love and lust are played out on stage as Jenna and Dr. Pomatter develop a passionate, secret romance. Tighe is utterly charming with an incredible physicality and high energy as he effortlessly bounces between awkward, lovable dork and seductive flirt. His duet “Bad Idea” with Fox is brimming with sexual tension as he brings a flirtatious flair to all that he does. But it is his kindness that draws Jenna in, as Tighe also brings an impeccable sweetness and genuine kindness to the role, creating a connection neither Dr. Pomatter nor Jenna have felt before.

With music and lyrics from Sara Bareilles, her pop background is evident throughout the score as songs such as “Bad Idea” and “You Will Still Be Mine” contain melodies and riffs more commonly found in pop and rock songs, giving characters like Earl (Bradford B Frost) the chance to channel a little bit of that rock-god performance charisma.

Alyssa Fox as Jenna and Billy Harrigan Tighe as Dr. Pomatter

In usual Theatre Raleigh fashion, the production is not just what is happening on the stage. Instead, the entire theater is turned into a cozy bake shop to create an immersive experience, complete with cook books and pies for sale, thanks to Slice Pie Company, a local bakery here in Raleigh that provides all of the pies used in the production. Even the set itself is not just confined to the stage, and instead brings a checkered diner floor and walls covered in old photos and artwork into the audience, bringing them into the diner as patrons themselves, thanks to scenic designer Benedict R. Fancy.

The production also features lighting design from Bill Webb, sound design from Eric Alexander Collins, and a book from Jessie Nelson.

Waitress runs at Theatre Raleigh through Sunday, August 24, 2025. The production contains themes that may be inappropriate for young audiences. Tickets can be purchased here.

Additional production photos can be found below. All photo credit to Jennifer Robertson Photography