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Waitress the Musical – Everything you Need to Know

(A Sad Broadway Goodbye)

Waitress is a musical with music and lyrics by Sara Bareilles and a book by Jessie Nelson. The musical is based on the 2007 film of the same name, written by Adrienne Shelly. It tells the story of Jenna Hunterson, a waitress in an abusive relationship with her husband Earl. When Jenna unexpectedly becomes pregnant, she begins an affair with her doctor, Dr. Jim Pomatter. Looking for ways out, she sees a pie contest and its grand prize as her chance.
Stage rights to the film were purchased in 2007, and the musical’s creative team was assembled by 2013. The original production of Waitress premiered at the American Repertory Theater in Cambridge, Massachusetts in August 2015, with direction by Diane Paulus and starring Jessie Mueller as Jenna. It made its Broadway debut at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre in April 2016. A U.S. national tour began in October 2017. In 2019, the musical opened at the Adelphi Theatre in London’s West End.

Back Story

The musical is based on the 2007 indie film[1] Waitress.[2] The film was produced on a budget of just $1.5 million, earning over $23 million in global box office receipts.[3] The film starred Keri Russell, and was written and directed by Adrienne Shelly. The film follows Jenna, a waitress and pie chef living in the American South, who unexpectedly becomes pregnant and feels trapped in an unhappy marriage.[4] Looking for a way out, she sees a pie contest and its grand prize as her chance.[5]
Following the 2013 Tony Awards, producers Barry and Fran Weissler announced that a musical version of the film was in the works,[6] with Paula Vogel writing the book, Sara Bareilles writing the music and lyrics, and direction by Diane Paulus.[7] The Weisslers purchased the stage rights to the film shortly after its release in 2007.[8] Paula Vogel withdrew from the project in January 2014.[9] On December 11, 2014, the musical was officially confirmed, and it was announced that the show would receive its world premiere at the American Repertory Theater in Cambridge, Massachusetts, as part of their 2015–2016 season, with Jessie Nelson now writing the book.[10][11] A workshop was held the same month in New York City, with Jessie Mueller, Keala Settle, Christopher Fitzgerald, Bryce Pinkham and Andy Karl, among others, taking part.[12] Nelson, with the blessing of the late Adrienne Shelly’s husband, used some of Shelly’s unfinished scripts to help bring “her voice” to the project.[13]

Full Productions

Production	Venue/Location	First Preview	Opening Night	Closing Night
Cambridge	American Repertory Theatre	August 2, 2015	August 19, 2015	September 27, 2015
Broadway	Brooks Atkinson Theatre	March 25, 2016	April 24, 2016	January 5, 2020
1st National Tour (Equity)	Playhouse Square, Cleveland (First); Ed Mirvish Theatre, Toronto (Last)	October 17, 2017	October 20, 2017	August 18, 2019
Manila	Carols P. Romulo Auditorium, Makati City	November 9, 2018	November 9, 2018	December 2, 2018
London	Adelphi Theatre	February 8, 2019	March 8, 2019	July 4, 2020
Buenos Aires	Avenida Corrientes	April 17, 2019	April 17, 2019	June 16, 2019
2nd National Tour (Non-Equity)	TBC	November 12, 2019	TBC	June 14, 2020
Sydney	Lyric Theatre	2020	2020	TBC
The Netherlands	Schouwburg Het Park, Hoorn (First); Parkstad Limburg Theaters, Heerlen (Last)	TBC	September 25, 2020	May 9, 2021

Details

Cambridge (2015)

Waitress began previews at the American Repertory Theater in Cambridge, Massachusetts, on August 2, 2015, before the official opening on August 19, 2015, for a limited run to September 27, 2015.[14][15] Tickets for the production sold out.[16] The show was directed by Diane Paulus,[17] with choreography by Chase Brock,[18] set design by Scott Pask, costume design by Suttirat Anne Larlarb, lighting design by Kenneth Posner, musical direction by Nadia DiGiallonardo, and sound by Jonathan Deans.[19] The cast featured Jessie Mueller as Jenna, Drew Gehling as Jim, Joe Tippett as Earl, Jeanna de Waal as Dawn, Keala Settle as Becky, Dakin Matthews as Joe, Jeremy Morse as Ogie, and Eric Anderson as Cal.[20]

Broadway (2016–2020)

Broadway previews began on March 25, 2016 at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre, with the official opening on April 24,[21] just in time for the April 28 Tony Award cut-off date.[22] Lorin Latarro replaced Brock as choreographer[23] and Christopher Akerlind replaced Posner as lighting designer.[24] For the Broadway production, elements of the book were rewritten, new choreography developed, and a new song written by Bareilles.[8] Manhattan baker Stacy Donnelly and small business owner Dawn Mayo of Everythingdawn Bakery Candles & Treats were hired to ensure that the baking scenes were realistic. Donnelly taught the cast how to work and roll pie dough, as the role of Jenna required Mueller to crack eggs, sift flour and roll out dough on stage. Mayo created all of the prop pies used in the show.[25] Al Roker played the role of “Joe” twice since 2018.[26]
To help immerse audiences, real pies are warming as they enter the theater, creating the aroma of a pie shop; slices of pie are for sale.[27] Cast changes included Nick Cordero taking over the role of Earl,[28] Kimiko Glenn as Dawn, and Christopher Fitzgerald, who took part in the New York workshop, as Ogie.[29] During previews, the production set a new box office record for a single performance at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre, taking in $145,532.[30] The production had required an initial investment of $12 million.[8] During a technical halt at a preview performance, composer and lyricist Sara Bareilles performed two songs, including “Down at the Diner”, previously cut from the production.[31]
Waitress made history on Broadway with the four top creative spots in a show being filled by women (Bareilles, Nelson, Latarro, and Paulus).[32] In addition, the costume designer and musical director were women.[24] Bareilles said she was proud to be part of an all-female team: “It’s really fun to be an example of the way it can look. We’re a bunch of women who are deeply committed to finding a way to build a unified vision.”[33] Only the 1978 Broadway musical Runaways had a similar history, with book, music, lyrics, choreography and direction all by Elizabeth Swados.[24]
The production is scheduled to close on January 5, 2020, after 33 previews and 1,544 regular performances.[21]

U.S. National Tours (2017–present)

A U.S. national tour began at Playhouse Square in Cleveland on October 20, 2017.[34] This production closed on August 18, 2019 and a Non-Equity tour will open on November 12, 2019 and continue through June 14, 2020. [35]
Philippines (2018)[edit]
The first international production, produced by Atlantis Theatrical, debuted on November 2018 at the Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium in Manila featuring Joanna Ampil as Jenna.[36]

West End (2019–2020)

The production debuted in London’s West End on February 8, 2019 (previews) at the Adelphi Theatre and featured Katharine McPhee as Jenna, who had previously played the role on Broadway, and Jack McBrayer as Ogie.[37][38][39]
Lucie Jones took over the role of Jenna on June 17, 2019[40]. It has been announced that Bareilles will reunite with Gavin Creel for the West End between January 27 to March 7, 2020 for a limited six week run[41].
The production is scheduled to close on July 4, 2020, and will then embark on its first ever UK tour; however, there are plans for the show to return to the West End following the end of the tour.[42]

Buenos Aires (2019)

This production debuted in Buenos Aires at the Metropolitan Sura Theatre on April 17, 2019 and featured Josefina Scaglione, Tony award nominee for the 2009 West Side Story Broadway revival, as Jenna (locally translated to Gina). It was the first official Spanish production.[43] The production closed on August 4, 2019.[44]

Australia (2020)

On 14 June 2018, the Gordon Frost Organisation announced that a production of Waitress will open in early 2020 at the Lyric Theatre in Sydney. Casting and further dates are to be announced.[45]

The Netherlands (2020)

On 14 November 2019, it was announced that a production of Waitress will open in September 2020 in The Netherlands featuring Willemijn Verkaik as Jenna. On 10 December 2019, it was announced that Jonathan Demoor will be playing the role of Dr. Pomatter.[46] The production will tour across the country in various theaters.[47] Further casting is to be announced.[48]

Videos of Your Favorite Casts

Jenna Hunterson: Sara Bareilles, Betsy Wolfe, Katharine McPhee, Nicolette Robinson, Shoshana Bean, Jordin Sparks

Dr. Jim Pomatter: Drew Gehling, Chris Diamantopoulos, Jason Mraz, Erich Bergen, Gavin Creel, Joey McIntyre, Jeremy Jordan, Mark Evans

- “Waitress” Broadway Closing Night Speeches, January 5, 2020
- Watch Video
- Mark Evans’ final Waitress bow
- Watch Video
- Jeremy Jordan & Shoshana Bean - "Bad Idea" from Waitress
- Watch Video
- Joey McIntyre Takes His Final Bow In Waitress on Broadway
- Watch Video
- Sara Bareilles & Gavin Creel sing “You Matter To Me” from Waitress The Musical
- Watch Video
- Asuka and Erich Bergen sing "Bad Idea" at Waitress Karaoke
- Watch Video
- Jessie Mueller and Drew Gehling Sing "Bad Idea" from Sara Bareilles' WAITRESS
- Watch Video
- Sara Bareilles and Jason Mraz sing "It Only Takes A Taste" from Waitress The Musical!
- Watch Video
- Jordin Sparks is playing Jenna in WAITRESS
- Watch Video
- Shoshana Bean Sings "She Used to Be Mine" from WAITRESS
- Watch Video
- Waitress star Nicolette Robinson sings "A Soft Place To Land"
- Watch Video
- Bad Idea - Katharine McPhee
- Watch Video
- "Everything Changes" - Betsy Wolfe and the WAITRESS Band
- Watch Video
- Sara Bareilles and Jason Mraz Sing "Bad Idea" as They Unite on Broadway
- Watch Video
- Waitress at the Tony Awards
- Watch Video
- WAITRESS (Broadway) - "Opening Up" [LIVE @ The Today Show]
- Watch Video

The Story

(Where have you been)

Act I

Jenna is a waitress and expert pie baker at Joe’s Diner in the American South who imagines tough situations as pie ingredients (“What’s Inside”). She begins another day at the diner with her boss Cal and waitresses Becky and Dawn (“Opening Up”). After she almost throws up, Becky and Dawn convince her to take a pregnancy test which, to Jenna’s dismay, comes back positive due to a drunken night with her abusive husband, Earl (“The Negative”). Earl comes to the diner and suggests he may make Jenna quit and give up her passion for baking. He takes the tips she’s earned from working so far that day. She decides not to tell him about the pregnancy and recalls her late mother, who also found solace from an unhappy marriage in baking (“What Baking Can Do”).
At her OB/GYN’s office, Jenna is taunted by other pregnant women (“Club Knocked Up”) and meets Dr. Jim Pomatter, a new doctor from Connecticut. Jenna explains she does not want her baby but is going to keep it, and leaves Dr. Pomatter with a Mermaid Marshmallow pie, which, despite the fact that he is off sugar, he eats and loves it (“Pomatter Pie”).
Word of Jenna’s pregnancy reaches Joe, the diner’s curmudgeonly owner, who suggests she enter a local pie-baking contest with a large reward which would allow her to leave her husband. Dawn has turned to online dating but is terrified of what could happen (“When He Sees Me”).
Jenna runs into Dr. Pomatter at the bus stop. He compliments her pie, saying it could “win contests and ribbons and things”. (“It Only Takes a Taste”). Jenna arrives home to learn Earl has been fired. He berates her, and his anger almost turns physical until she confesses she is pregnant. He makes her promise not to love the baby more than him (“You Will Still Be Mine”). Jenna tells Dawn and Becky her plan to enter the pie contest and use the winnings to leave Earl for a new life with the baby. The three waitresses see their dreams of a better life within reach (“A Soft Place to Land”). Jenna begins to give Earl only half her earnings, hiding the other half around the house in order to save up for entering the pie contest.
Dawn’s date Ogie visits the diner and insists he get to know Dawn better (“Never Ever Getting Rid of Me”). Dawn and Ogie realize they both enjoy American Revolution reenactments and how much they have in common. Jenna makes an appointment with Dr. Pomatter, where she impulsively kisses him. Though both are married, they decide to escape their frustrating lives, and have sex in his office (“Bad Idea”).

Act II

After her tryst, Jenna discovers Becky and Cal making out at the diner. The married Becky is unashamed of giving in to passion (“I Didn’t Plan It”). Jenna and Dr. Pomatter continue their affair, as do Becky and Cal, and Dawn and Ogie (“Bad Idea (Reprise)”). Jenna wonders if their affair is a mistake, but Dr. Pomatter reassures her (“You Matter To Me”). She begins writing a mental note to her baby.
Several months pass and Dawn and Ogie marry (“I Love You Like a Table”). At the reception, Jenna asks if Cal, despite his affair, is truly happy; he responds that he is “happy enough.” Joe tells Jenna his sincere hopes for her (“Take it From an Old Man”). Earl drags Jenna home and uncovers the money she has been hiding. She meekly tells him she has been saving for the baby, but Earl leaves with the money (“Dear Baby”). Jenna breaks down, lamenting her long-lost control over her life (“She Used To Be Mine”).
Jenna goes into labor (“Contraction Ballet”). She sees Joe at the hospital on his way to surgery; knowing he is dying, he gives her an envelope to open later. Earl, Becky and Dawn, and even Dr. Pomatter’s wife, who is a resident at the hospital, crowd the delivery room, and Jenna cries out in distress, giving birth in darkness. She names her daughter Lulu. Earl reminds her of her promise not to love Lulu more than him, and Jenna finally tells him she wants a divorce. He reacts poorly, and she vows to run him over if she ever sees him again. Dr. Pomatter visits Jenna alone in her room, but Jenna refuses his kiss. Saying she doesn’t want to remain “happy enough”, she ends the affair. As thanks for his positive impact on her life, she gives him a moon pie. Jenna remarks on her change in outlook with Lulu in her life (“Everything Changes”).
Jenna opens Joe’s note to discover he has left her the diner, asking her to name a pie after him. A few years later, the diner has been rechristened “Lulu’s Pies” and Jenna, the owner and head chef, is content that her life has finally turned around (“Opening Up (Finale)”).

Thank You for the Music

Waitress features an original score, with music and lyrics by American singer-songwriter Sara Bareilles.[49] Nadia DiGiallonardo orchestrated the show and conducted the original Broadway orchestra. The musical uses a six-member orchestra consisting of keyboard, piano, cello, guitar, bass and drums.[50] In addition to the show’s musical numbers, Bareilles also recorded the “turn off your cellphone” message, rewriting part of her original song “Cassiopeia”.[51]

Musical Numbers

2016 Broadway Production

Act I [52]

“What’s Inside” – Jenna and Company
“Opening Up” – Jenna, Becky, Dawn, Cal and Company
“The Negative” – Becky, Dawn and Jenna
“What Baking Can Do” – Jenna and Company
“Club Knocked Up” – Nurse Norma and Female Ensemble
“Pomatter Pie” – Band †
“When He Sees Me” – Dawn and Company
“It Only Takes a Taste” – Dr. Pomatter and Jenna
“You Will Still Be Mine” – Earl and Jenna
“A Soft Place to Land” – Jenna, Becky and Dawn
“Never Ever Getting Rid of Me” – Ogie, Dawn and Company
“Bad Idea” – Jenna, Dr. Pomatter and Company

Act II [52]

“I Didn’t Plan It” – Becky
“Bad Idea” (Reprise) – Jenna, Dr. Pomatter, Becky, Cal, Dawn, Ogie and Company
“You Matter to Me” – Dr. Pomatter and Jenna
“I Love You Like a Table” – Ogie, Dawn and Company
“Take It From an Old Man/Gal” – Joe and Company
“Dear Baby” – Jenna †
“She Used to Be Mine” – Jenna
“Contraction Ballet” – Jenna and Company †
“What’s Inside (Reprise) – Company †*
“Everything Changes” – Jenna, Becky, Dawn and Company
“Opening Up” (Finale) – Company

† Not included on Original Broadway Playbill.

*Not included on Original Broadway Cast Recording.

Recordings

Bareilles recorded her fifth studio album, What’s Inside: Songs from Waitress, featuring songs from the musical. It was released through Epic Records on November 6, 2015.[53] The album debuted at number ten on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart with 30,000 equivalent album units in its first week of release, giving Barellies her fifth top-ten album.[54] The lead single from the album, “She Used to Be Mine”, was released digitally on September 25, 2015.[55] Speaking about the release of the album, Bareilles stated that her decision to record an album of the songs came because it “proved impossible for me to imagine handing over the songs to the show before selfishly finding a way to sing them myself.”[56]

The original Broadway cast recording was released as a digital download on June 3, and the physical release followed on July 1, 2016.[57] The album was produced by Bareilles with Neal Avron, and recorded by DMI Soundtracks.[58]

Track Listing

No.	Title	Performer(s)	Length
1.	“What’s Inside”	Jessie Mueller, Ensemble	1:32
2.	“Opening Up”	Mueller, Keala Settle, Kimiko Glenn, Eric Anderson, Ensemble	2:32
3.	“The Negative”	Settle, Glenn, Mueller	2:28
4.	“What Baking Can Do”	Mueller, Ensemble	3:30
5.	“Club Knocked Up”	Aisha Jackson, Stephanie Torns, Molly Hager, Charity Angél Dawson	0:46
6.	“Pomatter Pie”	The Waitress Band	1:01
7.	“When He Sees Me”	Glenn, Mueller, Settle, Ensemble	3:43
8.	“It Only Takes a Taste”	Drew Gehling, Mueller	3:09
9.	“You Will Still Be Mine”	Nick Cordero, Mueller	2:18
10.	“A Soft Place to Land”	Mueller, Settle, Glenn	2:57
11.	“Never Ever Getting Rid of Me”	Christopher Fitzgerald, Glenn, Ensemble	2:16
12.	“Bad Idea”	Mueller, Gehling, Ensemble	3:07
13.	“I Didn’t Plan It”	Settle	2:40
14.	“Bad Idea (Reprise)”	Gehling, Mueller, Settle, Anderson, Glenn, Fitzgerald, Ensemble	1:03
15.	“You Matter to Me”	Gehling, Mueller	4:21
16.	“I Love You Like a Table”	Fitzgerald, Glenn, Ensemble	1:56
17.	“Take It from an Old Man”	Dakin Matthews, Ensemble	2:37
18.	“Dear Baby”	Mueller	0:37
19.	“She Used to Be Mine”	Mueller	4:27
20.	“Contraction Ballet”	Mueller, Ensemble	1:02
21.	“Everything Changes”	Mueller, Settle, Glenn, Ensemble	3:02
22.	“Opening Up (Finale)”	Company	1:44

Casts

The characters and original casts:

Character	American Repertory Theater (2015)	Broadway (2016)[28]	US Tour (2017)	Philippines (2018)
Jenna Hunterson	Jessie Mueller		Desi Oakley	Joanna Ampil
Dr. Jim Pomatter	Drew Gehling		Bryan Fenkart	Bibo Reyes
Earl Hunterson	Joe Tippett	Nick Cordero	Nick Bailey	George Schulze
Becky	Keala Settle		Charity Angel Dawson	Bituin Escalante
Dawn	Jeanna de Waal	Kimiko Glenn	Lenne Klingaman	Maronne Cruz
Joe/Josie	Dakin Matthews		Larry Marshall	Steven Conde
Ogie Anhorn	Jeremy Morse	Christopher Fitzgerald	Jeremy Morse	Nino Alejandro
Cal	Eric Anderson		Ryan G. Dunkin	Dean Rosen
Nurse Norma	Amber Iman	Charity Angel Dawson	Maiesha McQueen	Emiline Celis-Guinid
Lulu	Giana Ribeiro Addison Oken[59]	Claire Keane McKenna Keane	Harper Schmid Meredith Wakefield	Bruna Berenguer-Testa Zoe Garcia

Character	West End (2019)	Buenos Aires (2019)	The Netherlands (2020)
Jenna Hunterson	Katharine McPhee	Josefina Scaglione	Willemijn Verkaik
Dr. Jim Pomatter	David Hunter	Guido Balzaretti	Jonathan Demoor
Earl Hunterson	Peter Hannah	Felipe Colombo
Becky	Marisha Wallace	Natalia Cociuffo
Dawn	Laura Baldwin	Maida Andrenacci
Joe/Josie	Shaun Prendergast	Mario Pasik
Ogie Anhorn	Jack McBrayer	Roberto Peloni
Cal	Stephen Leask	Christian Alladio
Nurse Norma	Kelly Agbowu	Flor D’Elia
Lulu	Fifi Christophers Arabella Duffy

Australia Soon

Notable Broadway Replacements

Jenna Hunterson: Sara Bareilles, Betsy Wolfe, Katharine McPhee, Nicolette Robinson, Shoshana Bean, Jordin Sparks
Dr. Jim Pomatter: Chris Diamantopoulos, Jason Mraz,[60] Erich Bergen, Gavin Creel,[61] Joey McIntyre,[62] Jeremy Jordan,[63] Mark Evans [64]
Earl Hunterson: Will Swenson, Joe Tippett
Dawn: Jenna Ushkowitz, Katie Lowes, Colleen Ballinger
Joe/Josie: John Cullum, Bill Nolte, Lee Wilkof, Al Roker,[65] June Squibb,[66] Larry Marshall
Ogie: Alex Wyse, Eddie Jemison (reprising his role from the film), Noah Galvin, Todrick Hall

Notable West End Replacements

Jenna Hunterson: Lucie Jones, Sara Bareilles
Dr. Jim Pomatter: Gavin Creel
Dawn: Ashley Roberts, Hannah Tointon
Ogie: Blake Harrison, Joe Sugg

Response

The show garnered generally mixed-to-positive reviews in both runs. Frank Rizzo, reviewing the Boston production for Variety, wrote: “…making Earl so relentlessly horrible makes Jenna’s inability to leave him not just indecisive but something more worrisome… Meanwhile, there’s little evidence for the good doctor being Jenna’s lost soulmate, despite his loving bedside manner,… Mueller’s performance transcends the show’s imperfections. She’s funny, frisky and likable. She sings Bareilles’ songs beautifully… director Diane Paulus fills the production with clever touches – a scalloped pie-crust proscenium, a fluid and easygoing flow and a natural truthfulness in the performances.”[67]
For the Broadway production, many critics found Bareilles’ score and Mueller’s performance to be the highlights of the show. Charles Isherwood of The New York Times gave a mixed review of the show, but called Mueller’s performance “a high point of the Broadway season”.[68] Time Out New York gave the production four stars and said “…Waitress has an excellent ratio of sweet to tart; supporting characters who provide crustiness (Dakin Matthews’s grumbly store owner) and flakiness (Christopher Fitzgerald’s loony admirer of another waitress); and cooked-to-perfection staging by Diane Paulus. The whole dish is—please forgive me—love at first bite.”[69] David Rooney of The Hollywood Reporter said “…the material is anchored at every step by Bareilles’ melodious pop score and Mueller’s supremely natural performance as Jenna. While the stock characters that surround her may be familiar, they’re a winsome bunch played by sterling performers…”[70]

Awards and Nominations

Year	Award Ceremony	Category	Nominee	Result	Ref
2016	Tony Award	Best Musical		Nominated	[71]
		Best Original Score	Sara Bareilles	Nominated
		Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical	Jessie Mueller	Nominated
		Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical	Christopher Fitzgerald	Nominated
	Drama Desk Award	Outstanding Musical		Nominated	[72]
		Outstanding Actress in a Musical	Jessie Mueller	Nominated
		Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical	Christopher Fitzgerald	Won
		Outstanding Outstanding Book of a Musical	Jessie Nelson	Nominated
		Outstanding Music	Sara Bareilles	Nominated
		Outstanding Lyrics	Sara Bareilles	Nominated
	Drama League Award	Outstanding Production of a Broadway or Off-Broadway Musical		Nominated	[73]
	Drama League Award	Distinguished Performance Award	Jessie Mueller	Nominated	[73]
	Outer Critics Circle Award	Outstanding New Broadway Musical		Nominated	[74]
		Outstanding Actress in a Musical	Jessie Mueller	Nominated
		Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical	Christopher Fitzgerald	Won
		Outstanding New Score (Broadway or off-Broadway)	Sara Bareilles	Nominated
2017	Grammy Award	Best Musical Theater Album		Nominated	[75]