Producers Barry & Fran Weissler and David Ian for Crossroads Live are delighted to announce that Durham’s own Emma Lucia will lead the cast as Jenna in the smash hit romantic musical comedy WAITRESS, when it plays the Sunderland Empire from 4 – 9 May 2026.
Emma Lucia said, “I’m very excited to take on the role of Jenna in the Northeast. I grew up watching shows at the Sunderland Empire, so it feels like a full circle moment to be back on home soil leading this wonderful and heartfelt production.”
Emma will star alongside Sandra Marvin as Becky, Evelyn Hoskins as Dawn, Les Dennis as Joe, Dan Partridge as Dr Pomatter, Mark Anderson as Ogie, Mark Willshire as Earl and Dan O’Brien as Cal.
The company is completed by Will Arundell, Yochabel Asante, Alice Croft, Jamie Doncaster, Daniel George-Wright, Will Hardy, Bayley Hart, Olivia Lallo, David Mairs-McKenzie and Ellie Ruiz Rodriguez.
Emma Lucia’s theatre credits include Perdita in 101 Dalmatians at the Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre, Kolokolo Bird in Just So at the Watermill Theatre, Girl in the national tour of Once, and Marilyn in the national tour of Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, where she also understudied both Carole and Cynthia.
WAITRESS is based on the 2007 movie written by Adrienne Shelly. Music and lyrics are written by GRAMMY award-winning, singer-songwriter sensation Sara Bareilles. With a book by Jessie Nelson, direction by Tony-award winner Diane Paulus and choreography by Lorin Latarro, Waitress has garnered multiple awards and nominations in both America and the UK, receiving acclaim from both audiences and critics alike.
Celebrating 10 years of production, WAITRESS opened on Broadway on 24th April 2016 at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre, where it ran until 5th January 2020. Waitress celebrated its official opening night at the Adelphi Theatre in London’s West End on 7th March 2019. The show has gone on to global success with further productions in North America, Japan, Holland, a French language production in Canada, a Spanish language production in Mexico, and coming this spring of 2026 an Australian production in Melbourne and Sydney.
WAITRESS tells the story of Jenna, an expert pie maker in a small town, who dreams of a way out of her loveless marriage. A baking contest in a nearby county and the town’s new doctor may offer her a chance at a new life, while her fellow waitresses offer their own recipes to happiness. But Jenna must find the courage and strength within herself to rebuild her life. This beautiful musical celebrates friendship, motherhood, and the magic of a well-made pie.
Book by Jessie Nelson
Music and Lyrics by Grammy Award-winner Sara Bareilles
Based upon the motion picture written by Adrienne Shelly
Directed by Tony Award-winner Diane Paulus
WAITRESS was originally produced by Barry & Fran Weissler and Norton and Elayne Herrick. The tour is produced by Barry & Fran Weissler and David Ian for Crossroads Live.
General tickets for WAITRESS are available online now at ATGTickets.com/ Sunderland *
* A £3.95 transaction fee may apply to online bookings.
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