Broadway smash-hit musical Waitress is making its Melbourne (and Australian) debut in 2026, blending sweetness, sass and soulful songs in one heartwarming show. The Tony-nominated musical is set to premiere in Melbourne in May 2026 for an exciting, month-long run.
As one of the world’s newer Broadway sensations, Waitress made its debut in New York in 2016, where it ran for four fantastic years. Based on the late Adrienne Shelly’s cult 2007 indie flick of the same name, the musical has been whipped into a moving tale of self-liberation against the odds. The show is brought to life by a trailblazing, female-led creative team, featuring a book by acclaimed screenwriter Jessie Nelson, an uplifting score by Grammy winner Sara Bareilles, including the showstopper anthem, ‘She Used to Be Mine’, and direction by Tony winner Diane Paulus.
“It’s been a dream of mine to see Waitress (finally) find its way to Australia,” said Sara Bareilles. “This story is about dreams, friendship and the courage needed to learn to love oneself, which feels so universal and so timely.”
As the name suggests, the story follows Jenna, a small-town waitress and seasoned pie maker who dreams of escaping her rocky marriage and starting fresh. When a baking contest and an unexpected new romance give her a taste of change, Jenna discovers that the secret ingredient to happiness might be closer than she thought.
The Australian premiere of Waitress has been years in the baking – and we’re ready to have our pie and eat it too. It will debut at Her Majesty’s Theatre in Melbourne from May 2026. If you miss it Melbs, it'll be followed by a season at the Sydney Lyric Theatre from August.
The shows range from 1 and 2pm matinees, to 7pm and 7.30pm viewings. You can check out the different show-times that vary per day right here.
Tickets are available on the website here.
