YouTube’s Joe Suggs will follow fellow Strictly Come Dancing 2018 celebrity Ashley Roberts into the London production of hit Broadway show Waitress from 9 September 2019.
The popular vlogger will make his stage debut at the Adelphi Theatre when he takes over the role of Ogie from Blake Harrison following the The Inbetweeners’ actor’s final performance in the production on 7 September.
Commenting on the latest development in his career, Suggs said: “I’m so excited I’ve been given the opportunity to play Ogie in Waitress… I got to see the show a couple of months back and it’s absolutely fantastic. I’m excited to be a part of the cast and to have now landed a role in the West End really has topped off an incredible year for me. I hope I do everyone proud and thanks to all my supporters for making it all possible and the best year yet.”
Suggs will join the current Jenna, Lucie Jones who will continue in the central role alongside recent returnee, Laura Baldwin, who returned to the role of Dawn following Robert’s run in the production. Marisha Wallace remains in the role of Becky, with Peter Hannah as Earl, and David Hunter as Dr. Pomatter.
The company also includes Kelly Agbowu, Piers Bate, Nicole Raquel Dennis, Michael Hamway, Stephen Leask, Chris McGuigan, Olivia Moore, Nathaniel Morrison, Sarah O’Connor, Leanne Pinder, Charlotte Riby and Mark Willshire.
The first major West End musical to boast an all-female creative team, Waitress features a book by Jessie Nelson and music and lyrics by pop singer songwriter Sara Bareilles. The production is directed by Tony Award-winning director Diana Paulus with choreography by Lorin Laterro.
Based on the 2007 cult film of the same name, the musical tale of love friendship and perfect pies opened on Broadway in 2016. A hit with audiences and critics, the show was nominated for four Outer Critics’ Circle Awards, including Outstanding New Broadway Musical; two Drama League Award Nominations, including Outstanding Production of a Broadway or Off-Broadway Musical; six Drama Desk Nominations, including Outstanding Musical; and four Tony Award Nominations, including Best Musical.
A critical and commercial hit, the show’s success has added poignancy due to the tragic loss of the film’s creator who was murdered just before the movie premiered at the famous Sundance Film Festival.
Hunger for the London debut of the hit show resulted in an early announcement of an initial extended booking period weeks before the production celebrated its official opening night in March this year.
A second extended booking period was recently announced, taking the show’s successful run at London’s Adelphi Theatre through Christmas and into the New Year.
Waitress began previews in August 2015 at the American Repertory Theater in Cambridge, Massachusetts, it transferred to Broadway’s Brooks Atkinson Theatre in March 2016 and closes in January 2020. The show is currently in the middle of a successful US tour and plans were recently announced for an Australian premiere production at the Sydney Lyric Theatre in 2020.
Angela Thomas
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