Is the Waitress tour going non-eq?

[suicidalmickeymouse]

Posted: 4/5/21 at 7:39pm

Was thinking about catching it in Hershey with the new late November dates they announced. I checked the tour website to see the cast, but Hershey wasnt on there. Does anyone know if its returning as non-eq?

[ElphabaGoodman]

Posted: 4/5/21 at 7:41pm

suicidalmickeymouse said: "Was thinking about catching it in Hershey with the new late November dates they announced. I checked the tour website to see the cast, but Hershey wasnt on there. Does anyone know if its returning as non-eq?"

Yes, it was already non-equity before the tour shut down

[MattieIce2018]

Posted: 4/5/21 at 8:45pm

The 1st National Tour closed in 2019 in Toronto, I believe. It's been non-eq since the new tour launched in early 2020.

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 1/28/22 at 12:34pm

Saw this posted on Twitter and was curious if anyone could share more information. Seems like it’s only playing two cities, charlotte and Cleveland. Just think this is pretty unusual, especially since there is already a tour playing… also it’s a production contract, which I don’t even think the original tour was on. 

[VotePeron]

Posted: 1/28/22 at 1:46pm

Call_me_jorge said: "Saw this posted on Twitter and was curious if anyone could share more information. Seems like it’s only playing two cities, charlotte and Cleveland. Just think this is pretty unusual, especially since there is already a tour playing… also it’s a production contract, which I don’t even think the original tour was on."

Does Sara B have any connection to Charlotte or Cleveland? Looks like Jenna has already been cast as a white woman (the call for Lulu is for a white actress). Joe has also already been cast. 

Even if Sara is not attached to this (although my gut says she is), I wouldn't put it past the Weissler's to do something weird like this.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 1/28/22 at 2:51pm

Very strange. Just saw the audition posting. I guess they'd be using the Broadway sets for this? 

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 1/28/22 at 3:20pm

VotePeron said: "Call_me_jorge said: "Saw this posted on Twitter and was curious if anyone could share more information. Seems like it’s only playing two cities, charlotte and Cleveland. Just think this is pretty unusual, especially since there is already a tour playing… also it’s a production contract, which I don’t even think the original tour was on."

Does Sara B have any connection to Charlotte or Cleveland? Looks like Jenna has already been cast as a white woman (the call for Lulu is for a white actress). Joe has also already been cast.

Even if Sara is not attached to this (although my gut says she is), I wouldn't put it past the Weissler's to do something weird like this."

Perhaps it’s to promote the filmed version they will be releasing, but why those two cities and why even send this out, when there is already a tour out there? Hopefully we get some sort of announcement soon.

[singer234]

Posted: 1/28/22 at 3:44pm

It’s a mini tour with a very beloved Waitress vet as Jenna.

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 1/28/22 at 8:05pm

Interesting that they're using the Hanna in Cleveland. That's not one of their normal touring venues, as Great Lakes Theater Festival is the resident company in that space and they are currently scheduled to have The 39 Steps running there until May 22nd. That would be a very fast turn around to load out that show and load in Waitress to start on May 24th.

[Jakeevan942]

Posted: 1/28/22 at 8:36pm

It's likely using the physical package from the Broadway remount, which is a slightly larger package of the set Networks currently has on the road with the non-equity tour. No automation, and a simple set, means that the timeline for the venue in Cleveland is doable to turn over the venue.

What is stranger to me is that Networks and Namco figured out a way to do this on the full production contract, even though it is playing a pair of 500-600 seat-sized venues.

I'd assume that, like the Broadway remount, it will be a company largely of folks who have history with the show.

[ClumsyDude15]

Posted: 1/28/22 at 9:12pm

I doubt it'll happen, but I would love for this "mini tour" to be the Philly stop of the tour at the end of March/early April. 

[JBradshaw]

Posted: 1/29/22 at 1:19am

ClumsyDude15 said: "I doubt it'll happen, but I would love for this "mini tour" to be the Philly stop of the tour at the end of March/early April."

 

ain’t gonna happen. Philly native we get the crap end at times  

 

[ClumsyDude15]

Posted: 1/29/22 at 2:13am

JBradshaw said: "ClumsyDude15 said: "I doubt it'll happen, but I would love for this "mini tour" to be the Philly stop of the tour at the end of March/early April."



ain’t gonna happen. Philly native we get the crap end at times"

Ain't that the truth, babe. Ain't that the truth. 

[TheGingerBreadMan]

Posted: 1/29/22 at 10:53am

When the Waitress tour has previously played Charlotte, it's been in the Belk, which is 2,100 seats. This is going into the Booth which is just under 500 seats and has a much smaller stage/much less backstage area. Although this production is playing for almost a month whereas the tour would only do a week, so I don't see audience capacity being much of an issue if it becomes a hot ticket, I'm curious about how the set will fit in such a small space.

[ACL2006]

Posted: 1/29/22 at 10:58am

That's a nice, solid paycheck they're offering. Especially since it's NETworks. Seems like this is more or less a regional debut of the show that'll being played in two cities.

[Alexander Lamar]

Posted: 1/30/22 at 9:23pm

I would love if it was Ciara so she gets the opportunity to have a proper closing as Jenna. 

[RippedMan]

Posted: 1/30/22 at 9:57pm

Do they keep the thrust always there for the Hanna. Seems like an odd space for Waitress.

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 1/30/22 at 11:06pm

RippedMan said: "Do they keep the thrust always there for the Hanna. Seems like an odd space for Waitress."

If it was designed to be removable back when it was first installed, I don't think it ever has actually been removed since the renovation. Great Lakes has always kept it in for their shows (hence why their production of A Christmas Carol continues to be performed over in the Ohio Theatre, their old home), and it doesn't get much use by any other groups during downtime between Great Lakes seasons. 

I'm just really curious why they are doing this under a full Production Contract. It feels like something where they could have partnered with companies in Charlotte and Cleveland to produce it as a co-production (with enhancement money) under a LORT contract or something and reduced payroll costs significantly. I mean, good for the folks who will be making that money on this, but it just seems so odd.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 1/30/22 at 11:44pm

That's going to make for a really terrible looking production with all that dead space in front of the set. 

This all seems so odd and so like WHY? There's already a non-eq tour out on the road. Random. And it's not like they need to spark interest for the regional rights. It's a known thing at this point.

[GiantsInTheSky2]

Posted: 1/31/22 at 9:53am

“It’s a mini tour with a very beloved Waitress vet as Jenna.”

Any other hints? I tried to do a full scan of Jenna’s and none of them are from either city, so the casting can’t be connected to a hometown. I’m so curious what this is going to be like.

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 2/2/22 at 12:16pm

Bailey McCall recently posted a photo of the tour set, but maybe I’m reading into it too much.

[mailhandler777]

Posted: 2/6/22 at 2:27am

Call_me_jorge said: "Bailey McCall recently posted a photo of the tour set, but maybe I’m reading into it too much."

She posted it because she is filling in for Jisel who has covid as do her understudies. 

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 2/6/22 at 12:06pm

^ yeah, just saw her Instagram story. She looks great in the brunette wig!

Hope we get some casting news for this mini tour soon.

[Plexsis]

Posted: 2/25/22 at 1:31pm

Any news on the cast for the equity “mini” tour? Tickets are on sale in Charlotte, and will be on sale next week for Cleveland, so I’m hoping some casting news gets dropped soon.  

 

[singer234]

Posted: 2/28/22 at 5:48pm

Should be announced soon- not sure if this is any sort of a hint, but the person playing Jenna deserves it more than any other person in the show’s history I can think of.