Australian entertainment icon Natalie Bassingthwaighte has responded to the abrupt cancellation of Waitress, a musical she was leading.
In a series of Instagram stories, Bassingthwaighte acknowledged the tragic cancellation of Waitress, admitting that it’s taken her a “few days to process” the terrible news.
“I just wanted to say, firstly, we have three weeks left, and then we will be done and dusted, which has been hard to comprehend,” Bassingthwaighte began.
“The amount of work and effort that every single person in this cast and crew and, you know, company have put into this show is devastating that it comes to an end so abruptly, but if you do have the time and the money — and I know right in this current climate it’s almost impossible — come and see this beautiful show. You won’t be disappointed.”
Further in her address, Bassingthwaighte highlighted the dire state of musical theatre in Australia, stating that “the arts is dying in this country”.
“My heart is hurting so much for this industry of ours,” she said.
“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.
“The amount of effort and time and love that people have put into these careers, their passion, their dedication. It only spreads to an audience, and it gives humanity reasons to live. I’m kind of numb at the same time that such beautiful work is getting shut down,” she added.
The beloved singer went on to urge her fellow artists and industry members to “hold your head high” and that they “always rise above” tough times.
“Reach out to those that you know in the industry, ‘cos they need your love and support,” she said.
Why was The Waitress‘ Australia tour cancelled?
On Sunday afternoon, Waitress — starring Bassingthwaighte and Rob Mills — announced it was cancelling the remainder of its tour, which included shows in Brisbane and Melbourne, noting that its final show will be in Melbourne on July 19.
In a statement to ABC News, Crossroads Live Australia chief executive John Frost said the decision to axe the production “was not made lightly”.
“While we remain incredibly proud of the production and grateful for the dedication and passion of everyone involved, the challenging economic conditions currently facing audiences have had a significant impact on the live entertainment industry,” Frost said before adding that cost-of-living pressures contributed to “softer box office performance across the country”.
“Unfortunately, we have not been immune to these challenges,” he added.
“Whilst audience enthusiasm for our work remained strong, attendance levels and box office have not been sufficient to support the cost of the production.
“I’m disappointed we can’t take this production further and am immensely grateful to the exceptional Waitress company and everyone who has embraced the show so wholeheartedly.”
The devastating news comes shortly after Beetlejuice the Musical also announced that it will be axing the remainder of its tour midway through its Brisbane leg. As a result, shows planned for Sydney, Perth and Adelaide were cancelled.
Similarly to Crossroads Live Australia and The Waitress, a spokesperson for Michael Cassel Group said cost-of-living pressures and a “more cautious consumer environment” were why the shows were axed.
“For a production of this scale, the current logistical realities of touring across vast distances between Australian cities have created increasing cost pressures that ultimately made continuing the run unsustainable,” a spokesperson told ABC News.
Alongside The Waitress, Crossroads Live Australia also cancelled plans for an Australian tour for Back to the Future: The Musical after its Sydney leg came to a close in January.
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