Emily Gardenhire in Waitress
The Timber Lake Playhouse continues its hot streak with Waitress, directed and choreographed by Jennifer Hemphill. A crowd-pleaser through and through, with a charming book that's further buoyed by a wonderfully diverse cast of performers, this production is a saccharine slice of heaven.
With its book by Jessie Nelson and music by a personal favorite of my wife’s, Sara Bareilles, Waitress is based on a 2007 movie of the same name. Despite my total ignorance of what might make the movie work, this is the third time I’ve watched the musical, and many elements of Hemphill’s production are my favorites thus far. As for plot, we’re immediately introduced to Jenna (vocal powerhouse Emily Gardenhire), who’s introducing us to one of her innumerable pie recipes. We meet her coworkers, Becky (Tammie Harris) and Dawn (Rachel Da Silva), who support her through a positive pregnancy test – the worst possible news she could receive. Jenna, you see, is married to gold-medal scumbag Earl (Steven Makropoulos), who garnishes her already-meager tips, talks down to her, and abuses her. But don’t worry: She finds comfort in the arms of her gynecologist, Dr. Pomatter (Aathaven Tharmarjah), who is, alas, also married.
Yeesh. When I write it all out, it sounds rather bleak, doesn’t it? But despite Waitress' through-line of both present and future pain, there’s a constant hum of hope and optimism running underneath. The characters are all dealing with incredible hardship but are all determined to seize what happiness they can, whenever they can. Dawn is trying to find love of her own and is wooed by the sublimely weird Ogie (played with the perfect blend of charming and odd by Drew Perez Harris), while Becky is harboring her own secret relationship, which is hilariously brought to life in the second act … and which might be one of my few gripes with the Nelson's book for the show. Domestic abuse is rightfully frowned upon, but the frequent persistent adultery and affairs are often played for laughs and warmth. While the former is obviously worse than the latter, the latter still ain’t great, and seeing it consistently played for giggles doesn’t sit quite right with me, even on a third viewing.
But Bareilles' music sure atones for a lot of sins. It’s a shame that a written review can’t truly capture how lush the score and vocals for this show are, even more so under the exemplary musical direction of Matthew W. Surico. There isn't a single vocal slouch in the cast, and the harmonies … . Oh, the harmonies. I think this is the best-sounding show I’ve yet heard, and I’m so thrilled that Timber Lake keeps one-upping itself this summer season. I also want to commend Hemphill for so wonderfully integrating the choreography with the storytelling. In particular, the scene changes are things of beauty, with huge set pieces rolling on seamlessly (though not noiselessly) and pivots between different locations happening in just a few blinks of an eye.
I’m also totally enamored with the scenic design by Christian Fleming, who hung an entire ceiling 15 feet off the ground replete with drop tiles and shaded fluorescent lighting, just like you would see in an actual diner. The design brilliantly frames the action, making Timber Lake’s expansive stage seem almost intimate. And while obscuring most of the air above a set would typically hamper the lights, designer Maaz Ahmed was more than up to the task, providing plenty of striking side lighting. Technically speaking, there’s nothing very flashy happening here, but it all serves to highlight the cast's strong performances.
Do I have gripes? Of course I do. (I can’t help myself.) In what seems to be a persistent trend for Timber Lake, and offering what I swear is not meant to be an eye-rolling pun, the fight choreography pulled its punches. There were some choreographed flashback moments that alluded to Jenna’s hard upbringing, but in a decidedly non-theatrical moment, when no music was heard but plenty of acting was happening, there was an almost-blow that landed a solid 10 feet away from the intended target. While I was always convinced of Jenna’s emotional danger, I never really worried about her physical safety.
And while I largely enjoyed Bee Gable’s modern-era costuming, I was a bit confused by the choice to not display the stages of Jenna’s pregnancy. We learn at the top of the show that she’s about eight weeks along, and by the end of the show, she has given birth. Yet in all that time, we never see Jenna’s pregnancy develop. She suddenly returns from one particular scene change very pregnant, and then not long after, she’s having her child. For a show with such a focus on motherhood and feminist values, this seems like a missed opportunity.
But what I love most about this Waitress is the entirety of its ensemble. I can’t recall the last time I saw so much diversity in terms of gender, race, ethnicity, and even body sizes on a stage, and it’s so refreshing to see a cast composed of all types of people. Timber Lake’s latest is a sweet slice of pie, as well as a great escape for those looking to beat the heat.
Waitress runs at the Timber Lake Playhouse (8215 Black Oak Road, Mt. Carroll IL) through July 27, and more information and tickets are available by calling (815)244-2035 and visiting TimberLakePlayhouse.org.
