'Waitress:' Women sharing recipes for happiness

Musicals have a uniquely universal quality. Through music, through language, they show us how alike we are as humans. Despite differences in background, ethnicity, religion or sex, at the beginning of each day, we all pretty much want the same things: Love, a happy life, comfort and good food.

"Waitress" brings us the story of Jenna, a young baker with dreams of big love and a better life for herself. Brought to the stage by an all-female creative team featuring singer/songwriter Sara Bareilles; Screenwriter Jessie Nelson; Choreographer Lorin Latarro; and Director Diane Paulus, "Waitress" illuminates the lives of women in small-town America as they each share their own unique recipes for happiness. 

One such woman is Becky, played in the national tour by powerhouse singer and actor Maiesha McQueen.

A native of Atlanta, Georgia, McQueen says that although she comes from a family of musicians, the musical itself chose her. 

“I had a colleague who was in a Broadway show,” McQueen explained. “She told me I would be right for a particular part. I’d seen the show, and I’d really liked it. So I auditioned, and I got in.”

Though McQueen has performed on stage in a wide variety of plays, such as "His Eye is On the Sparrow," "The Who’s Tommy" and "Little Shop of Horrors," this is her first ever nationally-touring Broadway show. 

“It’s very rigorous,” she said. “It’s constantly changing.”

Though some would hesitate to embrace the chaos and strain of traveling to different cities all over the country each week, McQueen seems to embrace the experience. “It’s wonderful to see parts of the country that you wouldn’t really get to go to, normally,” she said. “And it’s also really interesting because you can see how different audiences respond (to the show) all over the country.”

Perhaps it’s McQueen’s family and background in teaching that has so well prepared her for the challenges of touring life. McQueen credits her mother for giving her broad exposure to a variety of experiences growing up. 

“As a child, I dabbled in graphic arts,” McQueen said. “I went to a performing arts high school; my focus was boys. Then I got hit with the acting bug. It was something I really enjoyed.” 

Then McQueen went on to get a Master’s of Science in Teaching, which she put to good use teaching seventh grade writing at a KIPP Academy Charter School in Atlanta. 

“Teachers have been a very big part of my life,” McQueen said. “It’s part of who I am.” Then she said, “Shout out to KIPP Atlanta! When I started to audition again, when I started to make that shift, they created a theater program so I could work part time.”

Teaching seventh grade might prepare anyone for the daily challenges that surround performing in a touring show, but McQueen credits her family’s musical background for her unique perspective on performing arts. 

“From my perspective, from an Afrocentric perspective, music and theater is a part of life. It’s more ritual than performance for me. What I’m connected to is music and performance that celebrates life, death, love, war, unions and people. Even though (Waitress is) a more contemporary musical, it’s all part of the same thing.”

Which returns us to the connectedness of the theme of connectedness in the musical itself.  The Chicago Tribune calls "Waitress," “an empowering musical of the highest order.” By celebrating friendship, womanhood, motherhood and pie, it brings together the purest elements of connectedness, reminding us that, though we have our differences, in our hearts, everyone hopes for the same things. 

"Waitress" will be held at the Bass Concert Hall in Austin through Jan. 27, Tuesday through Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m., and Sunday at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. Tickets start at $30 and are available at Broadway in Austin's website, Texas Performing Arts' website, the Bass Concert Hall ticket office, all Texas Box Office Outlets or by phone at 512-477-6060.