The Melbourne season of the Broadway musical Waitress has found its youngest cast members, with four local actresses selected to share the role of Lulu. The production is scheduled to begin its run at Her Majesty’s Theatre on 1 May 2026 – with the four to alternate in the role across the season. The performers chosen for the role are Stevie Denton, aged five from North Warrandyte, Lola Inman, aged five from Langwarrin, Ruby Marshall, aged five from Port Melbourne, and Evie Papas, aged six from Templestowe.
Waitress is an adaptation of the film by Adrienne Shelly and follows the story of Jenna, a waitress and expert baker who seeks a fresh start away from her troubled marriage. The production features a book by screenwriter Jessie Nelson and a score composed by Grammy winner Sara Bareilles, with direction by Tony Award winner Diane Paulus.
Natalie Bassingthwaighte leads the cast in the role of Jenna. She is joined by Gabriyel Thomas as Becky and Mackenzie Dunn as Dawn, who portray Jenna’s colleagues at the diner. The principal cast also includes Rob Mills as Dr Pomatter and John Waters as the diner owner, Joe. Other key roles will be performed by Keanu Gonzalez as Earl, Gareth Isaac as Ogie, and John Xintavelonis as Cal, while Annie Aitken will serve as the Jenna Alternate.
The supporting ensemble and swing cast includes Cameron Boxall, Alexandra Cashmere, Ethan Jones, Dwayne Mitchell, Joseph Naim, Conor Neylon, Belle Parkinson, Emily Robinson, Elandrah Tavares, Bree Tipoki, and Stephanie Wall. Coinciding with the casting announcement, producers have released a new block of tickets for both the Melbourne and Sydney seasons, which are now available through the official production website.
