Australian show Waitress closes early and Sydney shows cancelled.

The Australian production of Waitress will no longer continue its national tour, with planned performances in Sydney now cancelled.

The musical, starring Natalie Bassingthwaite and Rob Mills, was due to run at the Sydney Lyric from August 1, following a season at Melbourne’s Her Majesty’s Theatre.

Crossroads Live Australia chief executive John Frost confirmed on Sunday that the final show will take place in Melbourne on July 19.

Rob Mills and Natalie Bassingthwaite star in the musical Waitress. (Attached: Jeff Busby)

“This decision was not made lightly,” Mr. Frost said in a statement.

“While we remain incredibly proud of the production and grateful for the dedication and enthusiasm of everyone involved, the challenging economic climate that audiences are currently experiencing has had a significant impact on the live entertainment industry.”

Mr Frost said cost of living pressures and economic uncertainty had contributed to “lower box office returns across the country, putting significant pressure on productions of all sizes”.

“Unfortunately, we are not immune to these problems,” he said.

“Although audience enthusiasm for our work remained strong, attendance levels and box office receipts were insufficient to cover the cost of production.

“I’m disappointed that we can’t move this project forward, and I’m incredibly grateful to the exceptional Waitress company and everyone who embraced the show so wholeheartedly.”

Another curtain closes

The news comes about a week after Beetlejuice the Musical announced it would be ending its Australian tour early, midway through its Brisbane leg.

As a result, all remaining shows in Sydney, Perth and Adelaide were cancelled.

Producer Michael Cassel Group cited rising cost pressures and a “more cautious consumer environment” as reasons for the early closure.

Australian run of Beetlejuice ends early

The Beetlejuice musical is ending early in its run in Australia, citing high running costs.

“For a production of this scale, the current logistical realities of traveling vast distances between Australian cities created increasing cost pressures, which ultimately made the continuation of the run unsustainable,” the spokesperson said.

The two cancellations are yet another blow to the Australian musical theater scene in recent times.

Back to the Future: The Musical, also produced by Crossroads Live, ended its Sydney run in January after producers abandoned plans for a national tour.

Italian opera Aida recently canceled performances at the Adelaide Festival, which were due to take place in February next year.

Following news of Beetlejuice’s cancellation, the Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance said in a statement that the live action scene was “under pressure.”

“This decision highlights the precarious nature of creative work and the gap between the ambitions set out in Australia’s current national cultural policy and the lived reality for those working in the industry,” the spokesperson said.

“Abrasive cancellations like this highlight the need for stronger protections, greater accountability and better government support to ensure cultural work is valued and workers are not left unprotected.”