Stage-and-screen veteran Shaun Prendergast has been announced to take on the role of Old Joe in the upcoming West End premiere of Waitress. Prendergast is the final principal star announced to join the musical's U.K. debut, set to begin previews on February 8 ahead of a March 7 opening at the Adelphi Theatre.
Prendergast is a founding member of Kenneth Branagh’s Renaissance Theatre Company in which he has appeared in stagings of Much Ado About Nothing, Twelfth Night, As You Like It and Hamlet. His screen credits include EastEnders, Waterloo Road and Emmerdale.
Also newly announced is the musical's ensemble, including Kelly Agbowu, Piers Bate, Nicole Raquel Dennis, Michael Hamway, Stephen Leask, Chris McGuigan, Olivia Moore, Nathaniel Morrison, Sarah O’Connor, Leanne Pinder and Charlotte Riby.
They join a previously announced slate of stars led by Katharine McPhee reprising her Broadway performance as Jenna, along with David Hunter as Dr. Pomatter, Marisha Wallace as Becky, Laura Baldwin as Dawn, Peter Hannah as Earl and Jack McBrayer as Ogie.
Waitress features a book by Jessie Nelson, a score by Sara Bareilles, direction by Diane Paulus, choreography by Lorin Latarro and musical direction by Katharine Woolley. The Broadway run opened at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre on April 24, 2016.