Local Girls Cast as 'Lulu' in National Tour of WAITRESS at Playhouse Square

The Tony nominated musical WAITRESS, which will be launching its national tour at Playhouse Square with a limited three-week run October 17 - November 5 as part of the KeyBank Broadway Series, has cast two young area actresses to take on the role of "Lulu" during the Cleveland engagement.

Harper Schmid, 5, of Norton, and Meredith Wakefield, 5, of Aurora, have been named in the role of "Lulu," the daughter of the production's main character. The character is described as "a sweet and carefree 4-5 year old who appears in the show's final scene."

Both girls were chosen via an audition process held at Playhouse Square on September 12th. Over 40 girls participated in the auditions, which were presided over by members of theWAITRESS company. Auditions will subsequently be held in cities across the country prior to the tour reaching them, so local girls will be cast in each tour stop.

"I'm excited because it's my very first time in a play," said Wakefield, who was "very surprised" that she was cast in the show. Wakefield attends Miller Elementary School in Aurora, where she is in kindergarten.

Schmid, a kindergartener at Northside Christian Academy, has been on stage before; she recently played "Alice Jr" in a production of Alice in Wonderland - and can still recite her lines from that show by heart. "I like that I got picked so that I can get back on stage," she said.

Neither girl let nerves get to them at their audition, even though, as Wakefield said, "I had to wait a lot for my turn."

Schmid's mom, Amy, was both excited and surprised that her daughter was cast. "When she got done (with the audition) I asked her 'did you do a good job?' and she just said 'yes,'" said Amy. "Then we hadn't heard anything so we just thought that was it."

Both girls will alternate the role of "Lulu" throughout the run of the show. Exact performance dates for each girl will be determined at a later time. Tickets for all performances in the three-week run of WAITRESS are currently on sale online at playhousesquare.org, by calling 216.241.6000 or in person at the Playhouse Square Ticket Office.

Brought to life by a groundbreaking all-female creative team, WAITRESS is an irresistible new hit featuring original music and lyrics by 6-time Grammy nominee Sara Bareilles ("Brave," "Love Song"), a book by acclaimed screenwriter Jessie Nelson ("I Am Sam") and direction by Tony Award winner Diane Paulus (Finding Neverland, Pippin, Hair).

Inspired by Adrienne Shelley's beloved film, the musical tells the story of Jenna - a waitress and expert pie maker, Jenna dreams of a way out of her small town and loveless marriage. A baking contest in a nearby county and the town's new doctor may offer her a chance at a fresh start, while her fellow waitresses offer their own recipes for happiness. But Jenna must summon the strength and courage to rebuild her own life. Don't miss this uplifting musical celebrating friendship, motherhood, and the magic of a well-made pie.

Tickets are now available for WAITRESS, which opens its national tour at the Connor Palace at Playhouse Square October 17 through November 5 as part of the KeyBank Broadway Series at Playhouse Square. Show times are Tuesdays - Fridays at 7:30PM, Saturdays at 1:30 and 7:30PM, and Sundays at 1:00 and 6:30 PM. Tickets for all performances are currently on sale, and may be purchased at the Playhouse Square Ticket Office (1519 Euclid Avenue in downtown Cleveland), online at playhousesquare.org or by calling 216-241-6000. Group orders of 15 or more may be placed by calling 216-640-8600.

Playhouse Square is a world-class, not-for-profit performing arts center, arts education champion and downtown developer.