Feature by Ellie Hutchings

“Starring in a musical was something I’d always wanted to do,” says Chelsea Halfpenny. “It’s funny because when you get into one side of the industry, in my case TV, sometimes you just don’t get seen for auditions for stuff on the other side, even though people can often do both. So when I got cast in 9 To 5 The Musical a couple of years ago, that was a total dream come true.”

Chelsea is the niece of Coronation Street, EastEnders and Waterloo Road actress Jill Halfpenny. And, just like her aunt, she started her acting career at a young age, starring in children’s television series Byker Grove - as well as appearing in an episode of Casualty - back in 2004. She has since appeared in

Emmerdale (as runaway teenager Amy Wyatt) and made a return to Casualty - she played the part of Alicia Munroe, a year one foundation officer doctor, from 2015 to 2019. It was post-Casualty that she appeared in 9 To 5, the first musical in which she had ever starred.

Now she’s top-billing in romantic musical comedy Waitress - and is determined to bring everything she learned in 9 To 5 to the new role: “9 To 5 was definitely a learning curve. Although theatre hours are normally only five to 10.30, you spend the whole day gearing up for it and checking in with yourself to make sure you’re feeling fit, both physically and vocally. I’ve always had singing lessons, but I’d never sung in a show before, so learning how to look after my voice was very new to me.

“Waitress feels less physically demanding than 9 To 5 in some ways because even though I’m in the show more, my character is much more chilled out. But it’s more demanding in terms of the energy you need to bring, so I’ve learnt a lot about how much I can do outside of work. I have to preserve my energy so that I can give the audience the best show possible.”

Waitress first opened in the West End in 2019, but owing to Covid cancellations, the UK tour has been long awaited - both by audiences and by Chelsea herself.

“Waitress is one of my favourite shows and definitely my favourite soundtrack. I saw it in the West End and loved it. It felt very real, so it differs to your typical musical, which can sometimes be over the top or unrealistic. 

“The songs are different too, because they’re more like pop songs - although I do love musical theatre songs. So I feel like Waitress meets in the middle with my TV background, because I get to do some great acting and then sing a beautiful song.”

Chelsea is taking on the role of protagonist Jenna, an expert pie-maker who accidentally falls pregnant while trapped in a loveless marriage. After developing romantic feelings for her new doctor, Jenna decides to search for the recipe for happiness, helped along the way by her fellow waitresses and closest confidantes, Becky and Dawn. 

Waitress has a female-led creative team at the helm, including Grammy Award winner Sara Bareilles, Tony Award winner Diane Paulus and acclaimed screenwriter Jessie Nelson. After opening on Broadway in 2016, the show was nominated for four Tony Awards.

So what is it that makes Waitress such a roaring success?

“You can’t help but love the characters. And it’s so funny. I don’t think people expect it to be funny, but it really is.

“Also, it tackles some really hard-hitting topics in a way that some musicals don’t, and I think that strikes a chord. It shows that humans are flawed and that we all make mistakes, which really resonates with people.”

Perhaps it’s this sense of realness and honesty that allows Chelsea to see herself in the character of Jenna.

“I’m similar to her in some ways. I can sometimes avoid problems like she does, and that’s something I’m trying to work on. She’s quite grounded too, and I think I’m like that as a person. And she’s sarcastic - I can definitely be a bit sarcastic!”

One way in which Chelsea and Jenna definitely do differ, though, is regarding their taste in pies: “The thing is, I don’t really like sweet pies, but Jenna doesn’t bake any savoury pies! When I was younger, I used to love a mince & gravy pie because my gran would cook them all the time. I don’t eat meat anymore, but I’d have to say that my favourite pie would be one of Granny’s mince pies!”

Chelsea might not be a fan of the pies in the show, but she makes no secret of her love for the Waitress soundtrack. Although she confesses it’s hard to choose, her favourite song from the show is A Soft Place To Land - a slow number in which Jenna, Dawn and Becky sing about their dreams for a better life. 

“But my favourite songs to be on stage for are the ones where everyone’s on stage. So I love the opening number, which is called Opening Up, as well as the finale.”

Chelsea makes it clear that playing Jenna in Waitress is her dream role, but that hasn’t stopped her from thinking about what she’d like to do next. And it sounds as though another musical may be on the cards.

“I’d love to play another empowering female character, like Elle Woods in Legally Blonde The Musical. She’s funny as well, so I’d definitely enjoy playing her. I also love Mean Girls The Musical; that’s another show I’d love to do.”

But with the Waitress tour continuing until August, for now Chelsea is focusing on the job in hand. “I feel like I’ve only just got started with this show, so I’m really throwing my everything into it. But it’s going really quickly, and I’m already willing it to slow down! Every night is brilliant, the audience reaction has been incredible, and everyone goes away feeling full of love.”

Chelsea Halfpenny stars as Jenna in Waitress The Musical at Birmingham Hippodrome from Monday 16 to Saturday 21 May, and at Wolverhampton Grand Theatre from Tuesday 28 June to Saturday 2 July