Chicago Tribune
- Recommended
"...I think “Waitress” works best in an honest middle-ground. The characters all are based on real, intelligent people, trying to improve their lives and fight back the fear that holds back their ambitions. That’s the essential ingredient in this particular Broadway pie, baked as a blend of life’s ups and downs, smoothing then out into a slice of life that supports people living their dreams and learning to find their best selves."
Chicago Sun Times
- Highly Recommended
"...A musical about a woman trapped in a loveless marriage to an abusive husband while pregnant with a baby she doesn't want while working a thankless job may not seem like a feel-good, emotional triumph, yet that is exactly what "Waitress" is, and by the end it will have you smiling and cheering."
Daily Herald
- Highly Recommended
"...The score features several up-tempo numbers, but its strength is its ballads, like "A Soft Place to Land," a dreamy trio delicately delivered by Lauto, LaGamba and Felthous, and "You Matter to Me," Lauto and Moreland's lovely second act duet. Most memorable is Lauto's aforementioned showstopper, the soul-baring, self-empowering "She Used to be Mine," which finds Jenna reclaiming her independence for the sake of her baby and herself."
Around The Town Chicago
- Highly Recommended
"...Directed and choreographed by Katie Spellman, on a set designed by Scott Davis that once fixed added a great deal to the overall production. We went from scene to scene with vry little hesitation making this two and a half hour show seem much quicker. The lighting (Eric Southern) and sound( Adam Rosenthal) were right on and the costumes (Mieka van der Ploeg) and props (Ivy Thomas) perfect."
Chicago Theatre Review
- Highly Recommended
"...This Tony nominated musical by Sara Bareilles, expertly Directed and Choreographed by Katie Spelman (THE NOTEBOOK, THE GREAT COMET OF 1812) is affectionately based upon the beloved film of the same name. Musically Directed and Conducted by Celia Villacres, Paramount's production is both heartbreaking and humorous. It features a lush score that bathes the audience in warm memories, gentle plot twists and unexpected moments of comedy. Featuring a stellar cast and a versatile and detailed Scenic Design by Scott Davis, this confection of a musical is as satisfying and sweet as one of Jenna's pies, made from sugar...butter...flour...and baked with lots of love."
Buzz Center Stage
- Highly Recommended
"...Sugar, butter, flour…beneath the flaky layers and buttery crusts of pies lay these three simple ingredients. They’re mixed and blended together to form the foundation of endless possibilities to what it could become, pecan, blueberry, or apple pies, cutie pies, sweetie pies, or humble pies. It’s nice to remember that it’s often the simplest things that can bring us so much joy. Like a simple story of a humble pie maker dreaming of a better life, like the story of Waitress, now playing at Paramount Theatre."
Chicagoland Musical Theatre
- Recommended
"...Its abundant (and crucial) levity notwithstanding, "Waitress" is a meditation on how-if-people change, whether they pry open their shells in due time or they take sudden hard left turns. Not unlike Bobby from "Company" weighing the pros and cons of commitment, Jenna clocks these different ways of being as her pregnancy comes to term. Such emotional inertness is a tricky thing to make compelling, but Michelle Lauto-armed with Sara Bareilles's subtly revealing song suite-makes it look easy, and in a large house yet. Having heard enough karaoke renditions of the show's standout single "She Used to Be Mine" by people who quote-unquote get the character, Lauto's was refreshing."
Chicago On Stage
- Highly Recommended
"...The mark of a great musical is its ability to weave songs into the story so seamlessly that their arrival feels natural. The audience thinks, ?Yes, in real life, this moment would absolutely be best told through song.? Waitress is exactly that kind of musical, and Paramount Theatre?s production serves up a star-powered, visually delightful experience?the perfect cherry on top."
PicksInSix
- Highly Recommended
"...In the end, “Waitress” is a moving story about overcoming obstacles and the power of friendships, all leading to Jenna’s moment of truth: Lauto’s stunning, soul-searching ballad “She Used to Be Mine”—the showstopping highlight of the night."
Chicago Culture Authority
- Highly Recommended
"...Will Waitress turn out to be the best musical produced in the Chicago area this year? It’s too early to predict with certainty, but if there’s a better production waiting in the wings to wow local audiences, I’ll be very pleasantly surprised."
Splash Magazine
- Highly Recommended
"...The Paramount Theatre in Aurora, Illinois, has baked up a splendid feel-good confection with a sumptuous production of ?Waitress?. If you aren?t familiar with the show, or the 2007 film starring Keri Russell and Nathan Fillion on which it?s based, it might not seem like the story of a financially and emotionally abused wife, an unplanned pregnancy, and a secret affair would be a feel-good time at the theatre, but that?s exactly what it is."
BroadwayWorld
- Highly Recommended
"...This is a story of friendship and helping each other. Finding your way even thought it may be difficult. Being with the people who support you. Who knows, maybe finding a soulmate as well. The Paramount is offering pie with everything. Go and enjoy the sweetness."
