Broadway's 'Waitress' sets new theater record as it reopens

Sept. 4 (UPI) -- The Broadway musical, Waitress, set a new single-performance house record for ticket sales -- $197,878 -- at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre Friday night, the show's producers announced.

The previous record was $184,476, set by a 2013 performance of the play Betrayal, starring real-life couple Daniel Craig and Rachel Weisz.

On Thursday, Waitress and Hadestown became the first musicals to return to Broadway after the coronavirus pandemic had closed down productions since March 2020.

The stage adaptation of the late Adrienne Shelly's 2007 film, Waitress, will play a limited Broadway engagement through Jan. 9.

Sara Bareilles, the musical's Grammy-winning composer, will play the lead role of Jenna Hunterson through Oct. 17.

The ensemble also includes Eric Anderson (Cal) Charity Angél Dawson (Becky), Christopher Fitzgerald (Ogie), Drew Gehling (Dr. Pomatter) Caitlin Houlahan (Dawn), Dakin Matthews (Joe) and Joe Tippett (Earl).