Bringing Local Talent to Broadway

Five-year-old daughter of Madison High School’s choral teacher, Mrs. Elefante, makes her Broadway debut starring as Lulu in Waitress the Musical. Young star, Cate Elefante, is working with talented Broadway performers, including Tony Award winning Jessie Mueller and Jenna Ushkowitz from Glee, in the hysterical yet dazzling show with music written by the one and only Sara Bareilles. Cate has been involved in theater for the majority of her young life, and with the support of her talented mother and gifted musician of a father, Joe Elefante, she has been introduced to the Broadway experience.

Waitress is a comical musical depicting the life of a low-income, miserable waitress named Jenna who is pregnant with the child of her dead-beat, abusive husband. The show is about the life lessons she learns throughout her pregnancy, while also fulfilling her job at a diner and baking amazing pies. The story builds on the idea that she will win a pie baking contest and use the prize money to divorce her husband and raise her child on her own, but her plans get a little more complicated when she falls in love with her gynecologist.

Working with the cast of Waitress, Cate has had the opportunity to meet celebrities like Sara Bareilles, Jessie Nelson, and Emma Stone, who came to watch the performance on September 24. While she shares the role with another young actress, Ella Dane Morgan, her small role in the performance may serve as the gates opening to further chances for Cate to expand her theater career, especially since she is starting out so young.

Mrs. Elefante discussed her daughter’s role in the show and future with MDO. “Her agent sent her on an audition at the end of August. The casting agent filmed her audition and then showed it to the director (Diane Paulus). We got a phone call a week and a half later that she was down to the last three girls and they were choosing two. Then she was called in to meet with Diane Paulus and we found out that evening that she booked it! She had about four rehearsals that lasted 1-2 hours and then she opened on September 15. She does four shows a week. She loves performing and we can certainly see a future on the stage. Right now, she’s looking forward to performing in her kindergarten recital in June!”

The original Waitress is a movie produced by Jessie Nelson. The musical was based off of the movie, directed by Adrienne Shelly. The music and lyrics for the musical were both written by renowned pop singer Sara Bareilles. Some of Sara’s songs most recognizable songs include “Brave” (2013), “I Choose You” (2013), and “Love Song” (2007). Other famous movies directed by Jessie Nelson include “Love the Coopers,” “Fred Claus,” and “Because I Said So.”

The Elefante family wishes Cate the best of luck if she chooses to pursue a career in theater as she grows up!