Cast Set for WAITRESS Australian Premiere in March 2026

Additional performers have been announced who will play lead roles and ensemble in the Australian Premiere of Broadway's musical WAITRESS, which will ignite Her Majesty's Theatre Melbourne from 1 May, and the Sydney Lyric Theatre from 1 August.

Recently seen on stage as Rooster in the Australian tour of Annie, Keanu Gonzalez will play Earl, Jenna's narcissistic and explosive husband. After making his professional musical theatre debut at the age of 16, understudying Scott Hastings in Baz Luhrmann's Strictly Ballroom The Musical, Keanu has gone on to play Bernardo in West Side Story, Kenickie in Grease and Charles Lee in Hamilton. Additional credits include Greg in A Chorus Line, Alonzo/Rumpus Cat in Cats and Kassim understudy in Disney's Aladdin.

Gareth Isaac will play the role of Ogie, a sweet, awkward “nerd” who pursues Dawn for a date. Hailing from Gosford on the Central Coast of NSW, Gareth has most recently played Buddy the Elf in the Australian Premiere of Elf the Musical, Eugene in Grease, Robertson Ay in Mary Poppins and The Narrator in Puffs: Or Seven Increasingly Eventful Years at a Certain School of Magic and Magic.

With past roles such as Pumbaa in The Lion King, Harry the Horse in Guys and Dolls, the Lion in The Wizard of Oz and Mr Braithwaite in Billy Elliot The Musical, John Xintavelonis will play Cal, the manager of Joe's Diner. John's television credits include Bay of Fires, The Tailings, Rosehaven, The Kettering Incident and Dance Academy 2.

Critically acclaimed performer Annie Aitken will be the Jenna Alternate. She most recently starred as Sarah Brown in Guys & Dolls for Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour and as Cunégonde in Opera Australia's Candide, but has also featured as Millie Dillmount in Thoroughly Modern Millie, Nellie Melba in Melba, and in Muriel's Wedding, A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder, The Sound of Music and Anything Goes.

The ensemble and swing cast comprises Cameron Boxall, Alexandra Cashmere, Ethan Jones, Dwayne Mitchell, Joseph Naim, Conor Neylon, Belle Parkinson, Emily Robinson, Elandrah Tavares, Bree Tipoki and Stephanie Wall.

These gifted artists join the already announced lead cast - Natalie Bassingthwaighte as Jenna, Gabriyel Thomas as Becky, Mackenzie Dunn as Dawn, Rob Mills as Dr Pomatter and John Waters as Joe. The four young actresses who will play Lulu, Jenna's daughter, during the Melbourne season will be announced shortly.

“What a sensational Australian cast we have for WAITRESS,” said John Frost. “This original and inspiring show was a massive hit on Broadway where it played for almost four years, and was a huge success in the West End and across the world. WAITRESS has become a ‘must see' musical, with its memorable music by Sara Bareilles and universal themes of hope and resilience. Get your tickets now to enjoy this life-affirming show.”

Inspired by Adrienne Shelly's beloved film, and brought to life by a trailblazing female-led creative team, including a book by acclaimed screenwriter Jessie Nelson, an original, uplifting score by Grammy winner Sara Bareilles (Love Song, Brave) and direction by Tony winner Diane Paulus, WAITRESS is the irresistible Broadway hit about resilience, friendship and hope that has captured hearts worldwide.

This heartwarming and empowering musical tells the story of Jenna, a small-town waitress and expert pie maker who longs to escape her rocky marriage and start again. When a baking contest, an unexpected new romance and the support of her fellow waitresses offer her a taste of change, Jenna discovers that the secret ingredient to happiness might be closer than she ever imagined.