Players by the Sea's 'Waitress' Finds a Soft Place to Land at the Ritz Theatre

When a fire broke out at Players by the Sea’s building in April, it brought their spring season to a sudden standstill. Smoke and water damage left the building unusable, and with the set built and rehearsals well underway, the fate of their production of Waitress hung in the balance.

Now, after weeks of uncertainty, the company has announced that the musical will take the stage at the historic Ritz Theatre & Museum in LaVilla, a move that keeps the show on track while celebrating one of Jacksonville’s most culturally significant venues.

Located in the LaVilla neighborhood in downtown Jacksonville, the Ritz Theatre first opened in 1929 as a movie house for Black audiences during segregation. Today, it functions as both a museum and a modern performance venue with state-of-the-art lighting and sound, with seating for more than 400 patrons. Its legacy as a cultural cornerstone makes it a fitting backdrop for Waitress, a musical that explores themes of resilience and reinvention. The Ritz Theatre & Museum is “the perfect place for our incredible cast and crew to share this heartfelt story in its Northeast Florida premiere,” Managing Director Bradley Akers said in a video update shared with patrons.

About the Show: Waitress

With a score by Grammy winner Sara Bareilles and a book by Jessie Nelson, the musical is based on the 2007 film by Adrienne Shelly. It balances biting humor with deep emotional honesty, anchored by songs like “She Used to Be Mine,” a raw expression of regret, identity and hope.

Waitress made history in 2016 as the first Broadway musical with an all-female creative team. It was nominated for four Tony Awards, including Best Musical, and has since toured nationally and returned to Broadway in a special engagement.

Waitress centers on Jenna, a gifted pie baker stuck in a loveless marriage and a small-town routine that leaves little room to dream. She spends her days at Joe’s Pie Diner, where the scent of butter and sugar offers more comfort than her own home ever could. When she learns she’s pregnant, Jenna begins to imagine a different future — one with more flavor and less fear — and a baking contest in a nearby county might just be her chance to start over.

At the heart of the diner are her two coworkers and closest friends. Becky is quick-witted, warm and unfiltered, a woman who’s spent years caring for her husband Phil, whose declining health has reshaped their relationship, leaving her to carry the emotional and physical weight of a partner who no longer sees her. Beneath her bravado is a woman who’s fiercely loyal, deeply tired and aching to be seen as more than someone’s caretaker. Then there’s Dawn, the youngest waitress at the diner, who’s slowly learning how to let herself be loved. Quirky, anxious and endearing, she dips her toe into online dating and finds herself in a romance with a poetry-loving suitor who may or may not be what she imagined.

Updated Showtimes and Location

The Northeast Florida premiere of Waitress will now run for four performances at the Ritz Theatre:

• Friday, May 16 at 8:00 p.m.
• Saturday, May 17 at 2:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.
• Sunday, May 18 at 7:30 p.m.

Ticketing Options and Community Support

Players by the Sea has contacted ticket holders affected by the change and is offering several options for rescheduling or refund. Patrons can reschedule their reservations, receive credit for future shows or request a refund. Players is also offering the option to donate unused tickets — either back to the theater or to another audience member in need. Staff and volunteers are available to assist with ticketing concerns by email at info@playersbythesea.org or by phone at (904) 201-9609.

Despite the challenges, Players by the Sea remains committed to keeping live theater thriving in Northeast Florida. “We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused,” the company said in a statement. “But we’re excited that the show will go on — and that it will do so on a stage with so much history.”

For more information, full cast and crew credits and links to tickets, visit the Waitress page here on JaxPlays.