Character guide
Dawn
from Waitress
Dawn is one of Jenna's fellow waitresses in Waitress, Sara Bareilles's 2016 musical, known for her shyness and her unlikely romance with an eccentric suitor.
- Show
- Waitress
- Broadway premiere
- 2016
- Role
- Supporting
- Music by
- Sara Bareilles
Dawn: from the film to Broadway
Broadway compared with the 2007 film
The screen Dawn carries a sad piece of film history: she was played by Adrienne Shelly, who also wrote and directed the 2007 film. Shelly was murdered on November 1, 2006, less than three months before the film's Sundance premiere, and Dawn was her final film role.
On Broadway, Kimiko Glenn originated Dawn in 2016, after Jeanna de Waal created the part at the American Repertory Theater in 2015. The musical gives the anxious waitress her own solo, When He Sees Me, and a comic duet with her persistent suitor Ogie, I Love You Like a Table, and the two marry at the diner.
Dawn: role facts
- Originated on Broadway by
- Kimiko Glenn (2016)
- Notable performers
- Later played on Broadway by Jenna Ushkowitz, Katie Lowes and Colleen Ballinger.
- Voice type and range
- Mezzo-soprano, G3 to E5
- Songs Dawn sings
- Opening Up (with Jenna, Becky, Cal and company)
- The Negative (with Becky and Jenna)
- When He Sees Me (solo)
- A Soft Place to Land (with Jenna and Becky)
- Bad Idea (Reprise) (with company)
- I Love You Like a Table (with Ogie and ensemble)
- Everything Changes (with Jenna, Becky and company)
Who is Dawn?
Dawn is a diner waitress and one of Jenna's closest friends, a self described nerdy homebody who is nervous about dating and convinced she will end up alone. Her storyline centers on a blind date turned unlikely romance with Ogie, whose over the top devotion initially overwhelms her before winning her over.
Alongside Becky, Dawn forms part of the trio of waitresses whose friendship anchors much of the show's warmth and comic relief, offering a counterpoint to Jenna's more central, dramatic storyline while still going through her own meaningful arc of self acceptance.
Dawn's role in Waitress
Dawn is a supporting role built for comic timing and character specificity, most memorably showcased in her song "When He Sees Me," a fast, anxious list song about the terror of a first date. The role rewards a performer who can find both the humor and the genuine vulnerability in Dawn's insecurity.
Kimiko Glenn originated the role on Broadway, bringing distinctive comic energy to the part. Audiences remember Dawn for providing some of the show's biggest laughs while still delivering one of its more quietly touching supporting arcs.
Dawn: frequently asked questions
Who is Dawn in Waitress?
Dawn is one of Jenna's fellow waitresses at Joe's Pie Diner, an anxious young woman who tries online dating but fears every possible outcome, as she sings in When He Sees Me. Her romance with the persistent Ogie, who shares her love of American Revolution reenactments, becomes one of the show's warmest subplots.
Do Dawn and Ogie get married in Waitress?
Yes. After Ogie's persistent, over-the-top courtship wins her over, Dawn marries him at the diner in Act Two, and the couple sing I Love You Like a Table at their wedding.
Who played Dawn in the Waitress movie?
Adrienne Shelly, who wrote and directed the 2007 film Waitress, played Dawn on screen. Kimiko Glenn originated the role in the Broadway musical when it opened in 2016.
What show is Dawn from?
Dawn is a supporting character in Waitress, which opened on Broadway in 2016.
Is Dawn a lead or supporting role?
Dawn is a supporting role, one of Jenna's fellow waitresses.
Who wrote the music for Waitress?
Sara Bareilles composed the music and lyrics for Waitress.
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