\u201cIt\u2019s been hard to comprehend – the amount of effort that every person in this cast and crew and company have put into this show. It\u2019s devastating that it comes to an end so abruptly,\u201d Bassingthwaighte said in a video posted on her Instagram Stories.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy heart is hurting so much for this industry of ours, across the board.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s not just musical theatre: It\u2019s theatre. It\u2019s festivals. It\u2019s shows of any kind. The arts is dying in this country, and that hurts my heart beyond anything,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
![\"Rob](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/16c88076e59565a5e64d96c48a7038f06ad7480d.jpg\")
Rob Mills as Dr. Pomatter and Natalie Bassingthwaighte as Jenna perform during a production media call of Waitress. Credit: Brittany Long\/Getty Images<\/p>\n
In a series of posts made on her Instagram account, Bassingthwaighte told her followers the industry needed support.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe amount of effort, time and love that people have put into these careers. Their passion, dedication, it only spreads to an audience and it gives humanity reasons to live.<\/p>\n
\u201cI know right in the current climate it is almost impossible.\u201d<\/p>\n
Although Bassingthwaighte said her concern was for others in the industry, she admitted she was struggling.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m kind of numb, at the same time, that such beautiful work is getting shut down,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n
\u201cEverything is just… it\u2019s just such a hard time.\u201d<\/p>\n
Bassingthwaighte\u2019s co-star, former Australian Idol content turned Australian musical theatre performed Rob Mills was abrupt in his response.<\/p>\n
\u201cOh s**t. You better come see it and I better look for a job!\u201d he wrote on Instagram.<\/p>\n
According to the Waitress website, the musical \u201cmust close\u201d on July 19.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s just the latest musical to suffer an axing in Australia.<\/p>\n
In recent months, Back to the Future and Beetlejuice have also been cut short, failing to attract the high ticket sales needed to make the productions financially viable.<\/p>\n
Even Titanique, which was a smash hit in Sydney, closed without a tour, despite waitlists for other cities being available before the \u201cmust close\u201d announcement was confirmed.<\/p>\n
Waitress, Back to the Future, Beetlejuice and Titanique are all hit musicals overseas, so it appears the issue isn\u2019t the shows that producers are selecting.<\/p>\n
In Australia, tickets to major musicals usually vary from $50 – $200, with sales often active in an attempt to fill up mid-week shows.<\/p>\n