Natalie Bassingthwaighte has spoken out after the sudden cancellation of Waitress, the musical she was leading during its Australian tour.
The production will now end its Melbourne season early, with planned Sydney performances no longer going ahead.
In a video posted to Instagram, the Aussie performer said she needed time to process the news.
“It’s been hard to comprehend – the amount of effort that every person in this cast and crew and company have put into this show. It’s devastating that it comes to an end so abruptly,” she said.
She encouraged audiences to attend the remaining Melbourne performances, as the production now enters its final weeks.
The cancellation is the latest in a series of major musical theatre closures in Australia, with industry figures pointing to rising costs and weaker ticket sales.
“My heart is hurting so much for this industry, across the board. It’s not just musical theatre: It’s theatre. It’s festivals. It’s shows of any kind. The arts is dying in this country, and that hurts my heart beyond anything,” she said.
Bassingthwaighte also referenced other recent cancellations and said the industry was facing a difficult period, but encouraged other performers and those in the industry to stay resilient.
On Sunday, producers confirmed Waitress would no longer continue its national tour.
“Regrettably, the Sydney season of WAITRESS will not proceed,” a statement on the show’s website said.
“We understand that this is disappointing news and we sincerely thank you for your understanding and ongoing support.”
The website now confirms the show “MUST CLOSE” at Melbourne’s Her Majesty’s Theatre on July 19.
Based on the 2007 film of the same name, Waitress features music by singer Sara Bareilles and starred Bassingthwaighte alongside Rob Mills.
Mills also reacted to the news on social media.
“Oh s**t. You better come see it and I better look for a job!” he wrote.
Producer John Frost said the decision was driven by difficult economic conditions.
“Cost-of-living pressures, interest rate rises and domestic and international economic uncertainty have contributed to softer box office performance across the country placing considerable pressure on productions of all sizes,” he said.
“Unfortunately, we have not been immune to these challenges. Whilst audience enthusiasm for our work remained strong, attendance levels and box office have not been sufficient to support the cost of the production.”
Tickets for the show ranged from $69.90 to $179.90.
The closure follows other recent cancellations in the sector, including Beetlejuice The Musical, which also ended its Australian run early, and earlier productions that were unable to proceed beyond initial seasons due to rising costs.
Images: Instagram
