Order Up! Sara Bareilles’ Waitress Opens at the Weathervane

Grease is the word at the Weathervane, playing in alternating rep July 9 - August 16, 2025.

three women stand in waitress uniforms—one holding coffee, one holding pie, one holding a check pad
Melrose Johnson, Julia Bogdanoff, and Marisa Kirby star in WAITRESS. Photo by Lew Whitener

WHITEFIELD, NH—New Hampshire’s award-winning Weathervane Theatre is pleased to present Sara Bareilles’ Waitress. This hit musical comedy, baked from the heart, plays in alternating repertory from July 29 to August 31, 2025.


Leading the cast is Julia Bogdanoff as pie-maker Jenna, returning to the Weathervane for her fourth season. First appearing as an intern in 2019, Bogdanoff has quickly become a favorite among Weathervane audiences as a quadruple threat—singer, actor, dancer, and musician. Most notably, Bogdanoff headlined last season’s Beautiful: The Carole King Musical as Carole King. Joining Bogdanoff are Broadway’s Robert H. Fowler (The Producers, Beauty and the Beast) as Joe and Weathervane veterans Marisa Kirby (Dawn), Ethan Davenport (Dr. Pomatter), Jorge Donoso (Ogie), Lew Whitener (Cal), Ira Kramer (Earl), Grace Livingston Kramer (Nurse Norma) and newcomers Melrose Johnson (Becky) and Madeline Kramer (Lulu). Dani Barrett, Mallory Blanchard, Eli Butler, Steven Dias, Grace McTier, Nicole Sakowitz, Madalyn Sheehy, and Ria Yamdagni make up the ensemble. Fowler is the dance captain.


Featuring music and lyrics by Grammy Award winner Sara Bareilles, Waitress is a new musical baked from the heart, centered on Jenna, a waitress and expert pie-maker who dreams of a way out of her small town and rocky marriage. Inspired by Adrienne Shelly’s beloved film, this uplifting and inspiring musical offers a special recipe for finding happiness in unexpected places while celebrating friendship, motherhood, and the magic of a well-made pie.


Weathervane’s Producing Artistic Director, Ethan Paulini, directs the production. Paulini directed last season’s acclaimed immersive production of Cabaret. Additional Weathervane directorial credits include the crowd-pleasing productions of Sister Act, Beautiful, Jersey Boys, Always…Patsy Cline and the award-winning Everybody’s Talking About Jamie.

 

“We work hard to bring our audiences exciting and new programming,” says Producing Artistic Director Ethan Paulini. “One of Broadway’s biggest hits of the last few seasons, Waitress is ready to charm and surprise our audiences. I can’t wait to bring this story to life with a top-notch creative team and all-star cast.”


In addition to Paulini’s direction, Waitress features choreography by Sierra Lai Barnett and music direction by Andrew Morrissey. It also includes design by Jeremy Baldauf (lighting design), Gabbie Flores (properties design), Doaa Ouf (projections design), Alexander Pikiben (sound design), AP Pikiben (costume design), and Rien Schlecht (set design). Additional creative team: Reed Davis (production stage manager), TessaMarie Beard, Sam Powers, and Rien Schlecht (assistant stage management), Vero Villalobos (technical director), Jason Luck (scenic charge), and AP Pikiben (production manager and intimacy coordinator).


Bronwen Chan (keys 2), Jessie Lanham (drums), Andrew Morrissey (keys 1), AC Muench (bass), Ben Natti (guitar), Kate Renner (cello) make up the band of Waitress, under the direction of Morrissey.

 

Performing in alternating repertory, Waitress runs July 29 – August 31, 2025. Special events for Waitress include an opening night champagne reception on July 29th.

 

Single tickets for Waitress are available for purchase at weathervanenh.org or by calling 603-837-9322. Group rates are available for parties of 15 or more. Contact info@weathervanenh.org for more information. Waitress is sponsored by Margo & Gregg Connors.

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ABOUT THE WEATHERVANE

The Weathervane Theatre was founded in 1965 by Gibbs Murray and the late Tom Haas and is under the leadership of Producing Artistic Director Ethan Paulini. It has presented high-quality professional productions of plays and musicals for over half a century. One of the few remaining alternating rep companies in the United States, the Weathervane is recognized as a historical institution nationwide, boasting among its alums 2021 Tony nominee Elizabeth Stanley, Tally Sessions, four-time Tony nominee Judy Kuhn, and recent Tony Award Winners Sam Pinkleton and Ari’el Stachel.  


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