Glee's Jenna Ushkowitz to Join Broadway's Waitress

Glee star Jenna Ushkowitz will join the cast of Sara Bareilles and Jessie Nelson's new Broadway musical Waitress beginning July 29. She will take over the role of Dawn from Kimiko Glenn, who will be taking a leave of absence from the production.

Ushkowitz made her Broadway debut at the age of 9 in the 1996 revival of The King and I. A member of the original cast of Spring Awakening, she has also been seen in Hair and The Wedding Singer.

Inspired by Adrienne Shelley's 2007 motion picture, Waitress marks the Broadway debut of Grammy-nominated songwriter Bareilles and noted screenwriter and director Nelson, who pen the show's score and book. It opened April 24 at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre, and was nominated for four 2016 Tony Awards including Best Musical.

The company is headed by Tony winner Jessie Mueller, alongside Tony nominees Nick Cordero, Keala Settle, and Christopher Fitzgerald, Drew Gehling, Dakin Matthews, Eric Anderson, Charity Angél Dawson, Jeremy Morse, Stephanie Torns, Thay Floyd, Molly Hager, Aisha Jackson, Ragan Pharris, Ryan Vasquez, Max Kumangai. and Henry Gottfried.

Mueller plays Jenna, a waitress and expert pie maker who is stuck in a small town and a loveless marriage. When a baking contest in a nearby county offers her a chance at escape, Jenna must weigh her commitments against a rare shot at freedom and recognition.

Waitress premiered in 2015 at American Repertory Theater in Boston. The musical is directed by Diane Paulus, choreographed by Lorin Latarro, and designed by Scott Pask (sets), Suttirat Larlarb (costumes), Christopher Akerlind (lighting), and Jonathan Deans (sound). Nadia DiGiallonardo serves as musical director.

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