Review: Majestic Theater, “Waitress”

Majestic Theater, West Springfield, MA

www.majestictheater.com 

through June 1, 2025

by Shera Cohen

The Majestic Theater traditionally ends its seasons with musicals; always audience pleasers which leave theatergoers on a literal “high note”.

“Waitress” fills the bill with its contemporary, mostly light, story of everyday folk just making their way through life. The plot takes ordinary characters and, in many cases, makes them special each for their own personality and talents. 

The setting is an aging small-town diner, and the focus is the staff, who just happen to sing and dance. Ahh, such is the formula for a musical. Although “Waitress” is based on the adorable dramedy movie of the same name.

Chelsie Nectar as Jenna

Chelsie Nectow (our lead, waitress Jenna) is a pie-maker extraordinaire. Appearing in nearly every scene, Nectow has a lot of work to do as an actress and cook. Nectow is a dynamic singer who can act, as opposed to the reverse – actress who can sing. There is a distinct difference.

Two other waitresses form the triumvirate; it is these ladies who bring the audience into their fun and foibles. Lyndsay Hart (Dawn) and Yewande Odetoyinbo (Becky) possess vocal skills and acting chops. It is Hart who steals the show, not just because of her multi-talents; also because Director Sue Dziura gives her the opportunity.

Nectow must show more emotion as Jenna who is pregnant by her ne’er do well husband and not at all happy about it. As beautiful as many of her solos are, the actress faces the fourth wall; separated from everyone and everything else. This doesn’t work. The audience must care about her fate and that of her baby.

The two male actors, in lesser roles, are each a breath of fresh air. Nicholas Futris portrays Ogie as a sweet yet crazed wannabe boyfriend to Dawn, and Gregory Boover becomes the antithesis of all that a proper gynecologist should be. It’s obvious that Boover has lots of credits on his acting bio. He is effervescent and hysterical. The horny episodes between Jenna and the doc on the examining  table, complete with stirrups, are certainly funny.

Whether the problem was the sound system or the actresses’ voices during the first three songs, lyrics were oftentimes indistinguishable. From that point on, all was clear.

Josiah Durham’s set, front and center as the café, and backdrop for Jenna’s living room and later the doc’s office, work well with zero lag time changing scenes.

It’s no surprise to expect anything but the best from the Majestic’s band with Music Director Elisabeth Weber at the helm.