WAITRESS Casts Local 5-Year-Old Aliyah Thigpen in Austin Run

In celebration of its 10th anniversary, the hit Broadway musical Waitress, featuring a score by Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter Sara Bareilles, has cast a young local actor to take on the role of “Lulu” during its engagement in Austin from Oct. 21-23.

Aliyah Thigpen, age 5, of Austin will portray the role of “Lulu,” the daughter of the production's main character, Jenna. Waitress tells the story of Jenna, an expert pie maker who dreams of a way out of her small town in this uplifting celebration of friendship, motherhood, and the magic of a well-made pie.

Leading the cast is Samantha Lane Scruggs as Jenna Hunterson, Hannah-Kathryn Wall as Becky, Becky Alex as Dawn, Connor Lewis as Dr. Pomatter, Jason Whitton as Cal, Patrick Cogan as Joe, Davey Fried as Ogie, and Anthony Cataldo as Earl. Playing various roles are Kyle Channell, Tamara Daly, Hannah Ellowitz, Makaira Fisk, Amanda Handegan, J'Khalil, Evan Kupersmith, Mikey Marmann, Angelina Nazario, Sabin Shrestha, and Ana Viveros.

Meet Jenna, a Waitress and expert pie-maker who dreams of a way out of her small town and rocky marriage. Pouring her heart into her pies, she crafts desserts that mirror her topsy-turvy life such as “The Key (Lime) to Happiness Pie” and “Betrayed By My Eggs Pie.” When a baking contest in a nearby county — and a satisfying encounter with someone new — show Jenna a chance at a fresh start, she must find the courage to seize it. Change is on the menu, as long as Jenna can write her own perfectly personal recipe for happiness.

Waitress opened April 24, 2016 at Broadway's Brooks Atkinson Theatre. Based upon the 2007 motion picture written by Adrienne Shelly, Waitress is the first Broadway musical in history to have four women in the four top creative team spots, with a book by Jessie Nelson, a score by Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter Sara Bareilles (composer of “Love Song” and “Brave”), choreography by Lorin Latarro and direction by Tony Award-winner Diane Paulus. The Waitress Tour features Direction and Choreography re-created by Abbey O'Brien, and includes Scott Pask, Scenic Design; Suttirat Anne Larlarb, Costume Design; Ken Billington, Lighting Design; Brian Walters, Sound Design; Bernie Ardia, Hair Design; Nadia DiGiallonardo, Music Supervision. Arrangements by Nadia DiGiallonardo and Sara Bareilles, and Orchestrations by Sara Bareilles and The Waitress Band. Casting by ARC Casting.