Waitress Star Erich Bergen on Why Matinees Rock, the Final Season of Madam Secretary & More

Last summer, Erich Bergen made his Broadway debut as Dr. Pomatter in Waitress, and now he's back as the pie-loving OB/GYN for a return engagement. "I'm thrilled to be back," Bergen said to Paul Wontorek in a recent interview on Broadway.com's #LiveAtFive. "I would have gone back in a heartbeat, so when I was asked to go back it was an easy answer. There is this diner hangout mentality that happens backstage. It doesn't have the pizzazz of a lot of shows; there's a real homegrown quality to it. Not only is this a good show, but its full of great and hilarious people."

Known for playing Bob Gaudio in Jersey Boys, both on tour and in the Clint Eastwood film, Bergen's Broadway dreams came true when he put on the white lab coat for Waitress. "I grew up in Chelsea and went to New York City Public Schools my whole life. Broadway was my backyard," Bergen said. Although he is no stranger to the stage, Bergen was able to find a new appreciation for two-show days. "I was so dreading the idea of doing matinees and singing at that time of day," he said. "But those are our crowds for Waitress. Wednesday matinees are our hottest crowds, and I'm not kidding. You know how they do midnight shows for Actors Fund? That's like our matinee."

In between his Broadway stints, Bergen returned to the TV world to continue playing Blake Moran in the CBS series Madam Secretary which is about to enter its final season. "I finish in Waitress on July 21st and I start filming Madam Secretary on July 22nd," he said. "It's definitely bittersweet. I'm the luckiest kid in the world; it's crazy to me that I've done six years of a TV show. We've told the story that we aimed to tell and I think ending it this way is perfect. I'm ready for the next thing."

While some people may take a vacation after finishing up a successful six-year TV run, Bergen has other plans "I'm working on this new Broadway project that we're just beginning about the life of Halston, the fashion designer," he said. "There's also a couple of TV things, but the problem is that it's all about timing. I'm very excited about the Halston project, in a decade from now when we're on Broadway, I'll come back here to promote it. I know I should enjoy the holidays or take a break at some point, I don't really want to."

Be sure to catch Bergen in Waitress through July 21.

Watch the full #LiveAtFive episode below!