Will Swenson Will Return to WAITRESS as Earl This Fall!

The producers of the Broadway hit Waitress have announced that on September 12, 2017 Tony Award nominee Will Swenson will return to the hit Broadway musical in the role of Earl, the ne'er-do-well husband, opposite Betsy Wolfe as Jenna, the titular pie-maker. Earl is currently played by Joe Tippett, who will play his final performance on September 10.

Will is thrilled to return to Waitress. Previously he starred on Broadway in Disaster!, as Inspector Javert in the hit revival of Les Miserables, and in Priscilla: Queen of the Desert (Drama League Nomination). Will received a Tony, Drama League and Drama Desk nomination for his performance as Berger in the Broadway revival of Hair. He also played the role on London's West End. Among his other Broadway credits are110 in the Shade, Lestat, and Brooklyn: the Musical.

Off-Broadway his credits include Little Miss Sunshine, Murder Ballad, Rock of Ages, Pericles, directed by Trevor Nunn, ...Superman, Two Gentlemen of Verona, Adrift in Macao, The Slugbearers of Kayrol Island, Camelot with the New York Philharmonic. His favorite summer gigs have been Moon for the Misbegotten at Williamstown Theater Festival and Pirates of Penzance at Barrington Stage (Berkshire Theater Award: Best Actor). Tour roles have included Miss Saigon, We Will Rock You and Fame!

His film credits include The Switch, Gods Behaving Badly, This is Where I Leave You, and the upcoming The Greatest Showman. He's been seen on television on "The Good Wife," "Law & Order" (SVU and CI), "No Tomorrow," and "6 Degrees." Will is also a film maker. His first film, Sons of Provo, about a clueless Mormon boy-band, which he directed, co-wrote and starred in, won several film festivals. He is married to the most talented woman who ever lived, Audra McDonald.

Waitress tells the story of Jenna, an expert pie maker in a small town, who dreams of a way out of her loveless marriage with her husband Earl. 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.

Waitress opened April 24, 2016 at Broadway's Brooks Atkinson Theatre. Based upon the 2007 motion picture written 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.

The smash hit musical now offers $40 general rush tickets for every performance, available in-person daily at the Brooks Atkinson box office. A limited number of rush tickets are available on the day of the performance only. First come, first served. The box office opens at 10am Tuesdays-Saturdays and at Noon on Sundays. Rush tickets are limited to two (2) per person and can be purchased with cash or credit.

Producers also recently announced a new playing schedule:

· Through 9/3: Tuesday-Thursday at 7:30pm, Friday-Saturday at 8pm, with matinees Wednesday & Saturday at 2pm, Sunday at 3pm

· For performances beginning 9/5: Tuesday, Thursday, Sunday at 7pm, Friday-Saturday at 8pm, with matinees Wednesday, Saturday, Sunday at 2pm

Now in its second smash year on Broadway, Waitress begins its US national tour at Cleveland's Playhouse Square this October. Tickets for the Broadway production are available at Ticketmaster at 877-250-2929, online at Ticketmaster.com or at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre box office, 256 West 47th Street.

Waitress stars Betsy Wolfe as Jenna, with Drama Desk nominee Eric Anderson (Cal), Charity Angél Dawson (Becky), Tony Award nominee Christopher Fitzgerald (Ogie), Drew Gehling (Dr. Pomatter), Caitlin Houlahan (Dawn), Larry Marshall (Joe), Joe Tippett (Earl), Dayna Jarae Dantzler, Kayla Davion, Matt DeAngelis, Law Terrell Dunford, Cate Elefante, Henry Gottfried, Molly Hager, Molly Jobe, Max Kumangai, Anastacia McCleskey. Ella Dane Morgan, Jeremy Morse, and Stephanie Torns.

Waitress is produced on Broadway by Barry and Fran Weissler and Norton and Elayne Herrick.