Review: WAITRESS at The Detroit Music Hall Is An Absolute Delight!

The National Tour of Waitress, running now through March 20th at the Detroit Music Hall, is something spectacular. Waitress tells the story of Jenna - a Waitress and expert pie maker in a small southern town. She dreams of a way out of this small town and away from her broken marriage and abusive husband. Through the thought of winning a local pie baking contest and forming a brand-new life, Jenna longs to make her dreams a reality. In order to do so, Jenna must summon the strength and courage to rebuild her own life. With original music and lyrics by Sara Bareilles, this show is sure to leave you singing in your seat.

I had the privilege of attending opening night of Waitress in Detroit. Everything about this performance is stunning-the vocals, acting choices, movement, and characters all played together sensationally.

Jisel Soleil Ayon played the lead role of Jenna with such ease and brilliance. From the minute Ayon stepped on stage I knew myself and the entire audience was in for a treat. In addition to her near-perfect interactions with the rest of the cast, her vocals during key moments in the show were beautiful. When Ayon sang the show-stopping solo She Used To Be Mine, there was a thunderous round of applause for nearly an entire minute after the conclusion of the number. Her interactions onstage with Shawn W. Smith, who plays Jenna's abusive husband Earl, showed Jenna's vulnerability perfectly. This was my third time seeing Waitress, and Ayon's portrayal of Jenna was fresh, different, and brilliant all at the same time. I would love to see Ayon perform in more productions. Her acting and vocals beautifully complimented each other.

In addition to Ayon as Jenna, another stand out in the show was Brian Lundy who played the role of Ogie, boyfriend of Jenna's close friend Dawn. The script calls for this character to be a heavy comedic relief in the show, as Ogie is a very awkward, nerd-type. Lundy did an incredible job with this role and had the entire audience laughing hysterically. His comedic mannerisms on stage were just hilarious, and I wish that the script had written the character of Ogie in for more scenes. His performance was that good.

Waitress is truly a feel-good show and perfect for anybody who is in the mood for an uplifting story where the main character wins in the end. Believe me, you will love this musical. I would see this show ten more times, especially with this touring cast- they really knocked it out of the park. Run, don't walk, to see Waitress at the Detroit Music Hall, running now through March 20th.

Waitress runs until March 20, 2022 at the Detroit Music Hall. Tickets start at $29 and are available online at Ticketmaster.com, by phone at 800-982-2787, and in person at the Fisher Theatre Box Office.

Connect with Waitress on Twitter at @WaitressMusical, on Instagram at @waitressmusical, on Facebook at facebook.com/waitressmusical, and www.waitressthemusical.com.

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