WAITRESS Brews 'Its for Adrienne Cream Ale' for a Good Cause

The smash hit Broadway musical, Waitress is the latest Broadway show to create a craft beer for charity and partner with The Broadway Brews Project. A portion of the proceeds benefits The Adrienne Shelly Foundation, a NY-based charity that supports women in film.

The Broadway Brews Project is an initiative put together by The Happy Hour Guys (Mark Aldrich and Jimmy Ludwig) to pair hit Broadway shows with local craft brewers, to brew a special one-off beer, themed in relation to their show for a charity of the show's choosing. The Broadway Brews Project launched its first collaboration called Rise Up Rye, partnering with Gun Hill Brewing Company and the cast of the smash Broadway musical Hamilton, followed by School of Rock The Musical, which launched School of Hops.

"We're so excited to have Waitress join us along with such a phenomenally creative brewery- Sixpoint," said Happy Hour Guys' Jimmy Ludwig. "The Waitress cast was instrumental in helping us create this delicious beer that will help benefit a fantastic cause and honor the woman who started it all, Adrienne Shelly," he adds. "We are now half way towards our goal of a Broadway six-pack-six shows, six craft brews that benefit six distinct charities." Adds Mark Aldrich, "We're very specific when we consider pairing a show with a brewery and in this case it's a perfect match. Sixpoint's team were so inspired after seeing Waitress, they were literally bursting with ideas."

Said Jamie Leithead, Events Manager, Sixpoint Brewery, "We jumped at the chance to brew a beer with the Waitress cast. The show completely lends itself to innovative flavors. We're thrilled that this show created something truly spectacular that will benefit a wonderful cause."

A lively cream ale bursting with the essence of cherries, Its for Adrienne Cream Ale will only be available on tap at select bars & venues throughout NYC. Those include: Beer Culture (both locations), Glass House Tavern, Rattle and Hum (both locations), Beer Authority, Arts & Crafts Beer Parlor (both locations), Alewife, The Jeffery, Fools Gold, L'Amico, 5 Napkin Burger (Midtown), Bronx Ale House, and Astoria Craft.

Plans for future Broadway Brew collaborations are already underway.

Jimmy Ludwig and Mark Aldrich, both Broadway Actors, co-Host this video series of great Craft stories, which has been in production since 2006 and recently posted its 300th episode. The Craft of Theatre and Craft Beverages have more in common than you think, and Jimmy & Mark have made it their mission to pursue the greatest stories, sips and stops the world over to bring this terrific content to their fans. The idea for the Broadway Brews Project came about as a way to bring The Happy Hour Guys' Acting lives and their Craft lives together, and what a ride it has been so far! Visit www.thehappyhourguys.com.

While some historical records indicate Sixpoint Brewery was founded in 2004, the real birth of Sixpoint begins at the dawn of civilization. That is when the earliest societies began cultivating cereal grains to make fermented beverages, and the desire for excellence in the craft of brewing was forged. One symbol has transcended and survived throughout the ages - the Sixpoint Brewers' star. The Sixpoint Brew Crew not only resurrected the Sixpoint Brewers' Star, but also breathed life into a patchwork of brewing equipment within an 800 square foot garage in a then-dilapidated neighborhood of Brooklyn, NYC called Red Hook. Out of this modest maritime enclave hundreds of delicious craft brews were concocted and disseminated, and the star had been reborn. Within years, a team of Sixpoint Brewers and Staff had gathered underneath the Sixpoint star, not knowing how they arrived there, but knowing they must keep the Sixpoint tradition alive.

WAITRESS opened April 24, 2016 at Broadway's Brooks Atkinson Theatre (256 West 47th Street). Based upon the 2007 motion picture written and directed by Adrienne Shelly, WAITRESS is the first Broadway musical in history to have four women in the four top creative team spots, with a book by Jessie Nelson, a score by six-time Grammy Award-nominated singer-songwriter Sara Bareilles, choreography by Lorin Latarro and direction by Tony Award-winner Diane Paulus.

Waitress tells the story of Jenna, an expert pie maker in a small town, who dreams of a way out of her loveless marriage. A baking contest in a nearby county and the town's new doctor may offer her a chance at a new life, while her fellow Waitresses offer their own recipes to happiness. But Jenna must find the courage and strength within herself to rebuild her life. This new American musical celebrates friendship, motherhood, and the magic of a well-made pie.

The Adrienne Shelly Foundation was founded by her husband Andy and created after her death in 2006. With partners including Sundance, AFI, IFP, Women in Film, Columbia University and Boston University (Adrienne's Alma Mater), and an advisory board that includes Paul Rudd, Michelle Williams and Keri Russell, ASF's mission is Supporting Women Filmmakers. Since its inception it has awarded 60 production grants to very talented women all over the world. Please visit www.adrienneshellyfoundation.org to honor Adrienne's memory and support ASF's critical artistic mission.

Pictured: (back row) Mark Aldrich, Jimmy Ludwig/The Happy Hour Guys, Molly Jobe/Waitress; (front row) Jeremy Morse, Waitress/ Olivia Phillip, Waitress/ Keir Hamilton, SixPoint Brewery/ Caitlin Houlihan, Waitress