Diverse casting in previous white roles can expand on stories and create more spaces for actors of colour in the industry. It’s important to open a predominantly white community to a wide demographic in order to create safer environments and better reflect who they are performing for. This article discusses how diverse casting affects the Broadway musical Waitress.
How Did Waitress Begin?
Waitress (2007) directed by Adrienne Shelly
Adrienne Shelly’s 2007 dramedy Waitress follows Jenna Hunterson, played by Keri Russell, a waitress who works in a diner in the American South. When Jenna discovers that she is pregnant with her abusive husband’s baby, she is emotionally supported by her two friends (Becky and Dawn, played by Cheryl Hines and director, Adrienne Shelly, respectively). Resigned to her pregnancy, Jenna throws herself into her love of baking and eventually, an affair with her OB-GYN (played by Nathan Fillion). It can be noted that the entire main cast of the film is white.
Waitress went on to feature at Sundance and earn 22 million dollars at the American box office.
Unfortunately, director Adrienne Shelly was murdered three months before the film had released. Her legacy as a filmmaker is preserved through the Adrienne Shelly Foundation, a non-profit that awards film production grants and stipends through several organizations such as New York University, Columbia University, and Sundance.
Waitress (2015), a musical written by Jessie Nelson and music by Sara Bareilles
Following the cult success of the film, Barry and Fran Weissler purchased the rights for a stage adaptation and announced in 2013 that the musical was officially in the works. It made its world premiere in 2015 at the American Repertory Theatre in Cambridge, Massachusetts starring Tony-award winner, Jessie Mueller as Jenna Hunterson. Additional casting was Drew Gehling as Dr Pomatter, Kimiko Glenn as Dawn, and Keala Settle as Becky. Amongst the principal casting, the only actor of colour was Kimiko Glenn, who is half-Japanese.
Waitress, like other musicals such as Into The Woods and Moulin Rouge! The Musical, operates on colourblind casting. The concept of colourblind casting “stem(s) from the belief that the best actors embody the character’s past pre-determined looks. Like any industry, Broadway must evolve in order to remain relevant and in touch with its audience.” The Broadway show contrasts itself from the Waitress movie with the general inclusion of POC; however, when looking at the original Broadway cast, having only one actress of colour among the seven principal cast members in 2016, the representation could always be better.
The thing about Waitress’s colourblind casting is that once the original cast members had finished their contracts, there were very limited roles given to people of colour aside from the role of Becky. Dawn, following the replacement of Glenn was replaced by Jenna Ushkowitz, a Korean-American actress known for playing Tina on the hit television series Glee, had taken over the role. Following her departure, the role was only played by white women.
What’s interesting is that, although the Broadway role was first played by an Asian actress, after Ushkowitz, aside from standbys and understudies, Dawn has only been played by white actresses.
Similarly, Jenna has only been played by white actresses until Nicollete Robinson made her Broadway debut as the lead, making her the first woman of colour to play the role. Out of the total thirteen actresses to play Jenna on Broadway, only three of them were women of colour (Nicolette Robinson, Jordin Sparks, and Ciara Renee). Dr. Pomatter, on the other hand, was only played by white actors until the last Broadway Pomatter (Joshua Henry).
The one role in Waitress that consistently has people of colour in the roster is the role of Becky. Since Keala Settle’s departure from the show, Becky has only been played by black women on Broadway since. While it’s amazing that one of the leads of the show is consistently being played by an underrepresented side of Broadway, there is something to be said when they are often the only POC representation in the show.
What Of It All?
There is always more that Broadway, a predominantly white industry, can do to increase diversity and representation in its casting
While Waitress prides itself on being an explorative feminist story that allows women to take back control of their lives and sexuality, and it does succeed at this, it limits itself on the wide range of stories that could’ve been told through it.
Waitress was closed prematurely due to the 2021 COVID-19 Broadway shut down on December 20th. There is currently a pro-shot, starring Sara Bareilles, in the works.
