The musical showcases an impressive array of talent paired with masterful stagecraft

For a musical that dwells in the land of infidelity, unplanned pregnancies, domestic abuse, financial strain and seemingly hopeless causes, Waitress is surprisingly upbeat. Based on the 2007 film, the plot uses a clever central theme about pies to depict life’s messes with a group of highly relatable characters.

This production kicks off the Arvada Center’s new season in fine form. Artistic Director Lynne Collins directs a mostly flawless show that shows off a fine array of local talent alongside the Arvada Center’s impressive production team. And while the chipper musical numbers — especially in Act One — initially led me to think of it as a romp, Jessie Nelson’s book explores the full range of human emotion so that you will indeed laugh and cry throughout the show.

As the eponymous waitress, Anne Terze-Schwarz continues to impress on Colorado stages as Jenna the piemaker trapped in a shitty marriage. Recently seen in Give 5 Productions’ Hedwig and the Angry Inch and Town Hall’s Urinetown, Terze-Schwarz gives a another commanding performance with her powerful voice and realistic line delivery outlining her working-class travails.

She’s teamed up with two other well-cast waitresses with ditzy, Tinder newbie Dawn (Jenna Moll Reyes) and wisecracking tough chick Becky (Arielle Crosby). Each of them have their own stories that are well fleshed-out, so while the focus is on Jenna for much of the show, there’s still plenty of space for these and other characters. There’s the grumpy old man at the diner daily to test the latest pie creation from Jenna (Colin Alexander) and the diner’s manager/cook Cal (Rudy Martinez) in almost every scene.

But with a primary cast of 10 (all Equity) and another 10 or so in the ensemble, Waitress manages to pack in a lot of story threads in its two acts.

Marco Alberto Robinson as Dr. Pomatter learns about making pies and a few other things from Jenna (Anne Terze-Schwarz) in ‘Waitress’ | Photo: Amanda Tipton Photography

Pies, pies, pies

“Sugar … butter … flour” — these three words appear in multiple places almost as a chant or incantation. The basic ingredients of a pie serve as a metaphor about life called out explicitly in the opening number “What’s Inside.”

You wanna know what’s inside …

My whole life is in here

In this kitchen baking

What a mess I’m making

For Jenna, pie-making is her escape — the one place where she has complete control. She can invent whatever bizarre filling she wants and give it an equally crazy name and it’s all hers. So, too, is the Revolutionary War cosplay Dawn and her goofy beau Ogie (Bryce Baxter) engage in regardless of what others might think. So, too, is the surprising affair Becky indulges in as compensation of sorts for having to care for her invalid husband.

Choice, and the lack thereof, drives the plot of Waitress and works as a solid tentpole for pretty much all the action and musical numbers. And around that center Collins has constructed a world that rings true and authentic on every level. From the crack orchestra in full view upstage to the extraordinary set to the excellent costumes and stellar choreography by Taeler Cyrus, you could take this show, plop it in the Buell and tell me it was a touring Broadway show and I’d believe you.

Waitress has a solid story to tell and a score of (mostly) fun numbers with music and lyrics by Sara Bareilles. But what really makes this Arvada production shine is the level of detail and the many well-designed stage moments that abound throughout. The ensemble backing it all up is stacked and the main cast members bring it over and over.

Ogie (Bryce Baxter), center, brings down the house in ‘Never Getting Rid of Me’ | Photo: Amanda Tipton Photography

A wealth of great performances

Along with our three waitresses come some other fascinating characters, including Marco Alberto Robinson as Jenna’s Ob-Gyn. He brings a ton of quirky energy as new-in-town doc who immediately falls for Jenna — and her pies. A familiar face on Colorado stages from the DCPA Theatre Company to the Colorado Shakespeare Festival, Robinson is a hoot as the awkward, confused doc who’s highly aware that everything he’s doing with Jenna is stupid and wrong.

Another excellent performance comes from Baxter as the batshit, highly determined suitor to Dawn. He steals the show in “Never Getting Rid of Me,” where he takes over the diner to profess his love for Dawn as she does her best to fend him off. The always-reliable Reyes keeps up with him beat for beat and together they sell the pairing perfectly.

While many of the cast have been seen locally, new to Colorado is Crosby as the smartass waitress who loves to serve up zingers to the boss always threatening to fire her. With a huge voice and the ability to own the stage, she’s a welcome addition to the Colorado talent pool I look forward to seeing again soon.

As usual, Brian Mallgrave has created a detailed, workable set that easily morphs from the diner to Jenna’s living room to the doctor’s office and back again. Costume Designer Nicole Watts outfits the waitresses in classic green and white dresses that harken to another age while similarly creating outfits that can be swapped quickly – sometimes in the midst of the action.

Sound in musicals can be a challenge even in the most well-equipped theatres but Max Silverman’s mix is spot-on, as are some of the other sound cues. Lighting Designer Jonathan Dunkle does a nice job using a combination of traditional spots and a more varied palette of colors to help move the story along.

Waitress is as good a production as you’re likely to see onstage in Colorado this fall. If you like funny, touching musicals, it’s must-see theatre.

Colin Alexander as Joe has a surprise in store for Jenna (Anne Terze-Schwarz) | Photo: Amanda Tipton Photography