Grammy winner Sara Bareilles and Tony and Olivier winner Gavin Creel will play their final performances as Jenna and Dr. Pomatter in the London production of Bareilles’ musical Waitress March 14 at the Adelphi Theatre.
The pair, who also co-starred in the Broadway production of Waitress in January 2019, had recently extended their West End run an additional two weeks through March 21. Because of travel concerns related to the coronavirus, the two will depart early.
In a joint statement on Twitter, Bareilles and Creel said, "Given the recent international travel restrictions, we've made the very difficult decision, before any further measures are implemented, to return home. It was an agonizing choice as we have so loved our time here at the Adelphi diner. The warmth and generosity of the West End audiences has been unparalleled."
President Donald Trump's 30-day travel restrictions into the U.S., announced March 11, currently do not include travel from the U.K., and do not apply to American citizens and permanent residents who have tested negative for COVID-19.
London's most recent Jenna and Dr. Pomatter, Lucie Jones and David Hunter, will return to their respective roles following Bareilles and Creel's engagement. It was also recently announced that NaTasha Yvette Williams will step into the role of Becky March 23 after playing the part on Broadway.
The current London company also features Hannah Tointon as Dawn, Marisha Wallace as Becky, Joel Montague as Ogie, Tamlyn Henderson as Earl, Andrew Boyer as Old Joe, Richard Taylor Woods as Cal, and Rosemary Nkrumah as Nurse Norma.
The ensemble includes Monique Ashe-Palmer, Piers Bate,, Olivia Moore, Ben Morris, Nathaniel Morrison, Laura Selwood, Matthew Rowland, Sarah O’Connor, Leanne Pinder, and Mark Willshire.
Gavin Creel in Waitress
Gavin Creel and cast in Waitress
Gavin Creel in Waitress
