Review: THE CAKE at Theatre In The Round

The Cake by Bekah Brunstetter sounds simple on paper: a small-town baker is asked to make a wedding cake. But of course, it’s not that simple.

Della, a deeply religious Southern baker, is asked to bake a cake for Jen—the daughter of her late best friend—who’s marrying a woman. That one request shakes up everything Della thought she had figured out about faith, loyalty, and what it means to stand by the people you love.

This production feels personal right from the start. The bakery set makes you feel like you’re sitting in the corner, watching real conversations unfold. It’s cozy, which makes the awkward moments hit even harder. And there are plenty of awkward moments—but also a lot of humor. The laughs don’t feel forced. They come from how human the characters are.

Jenny Ramirez does a really nice job making Della feel real. She’s not played as a villain or a punchline. You can see her wrestling with herself in real time. She loves Jen. She loves her faith. And she genuinely doesn’t know how to make those two things fit together. That tension carries the whole show.

Via Logan brings warmth and quiet strength to Jen. You can feel how much she wants Della to say yes — not just to the cake, but to her. Natavia Lewis as Macy is grounded and steady, and the relationship between Jen and Macy feels natural and solid. Daniel Stock and Kjer Whiting add some lighter energy, but they also help round out the emotional layers of the story.

What works best about this show is that it doesn’t turn into a shouting match about politics or religion. It stays focused on people. On friendship. On grief. On fear of change. It lets everyone be complicated.

By the end, The Cake doesn’t hand you a clear answer about who’s right. Instead, it asks whether love can stretch when beliefs don’t. It’s thoughtful, funny, uncomfortable at times — and very human.