Waitress the Musical
Fresh from a sold out run at Boston’s American Repertory Theatre, WAITRESS makes its highly anticipated Broadway premiere. Funny, uplifting and surprisingly poignant, this irresistible slice of life features original music and lyrics by 5 time Grammy ® nominee Sara Bareilles (Love Song), a book by acclaimed screenwriter Jessie Nelson (I Am Sam) and direction by Tony Award® winner Diane Paulus (Pippin, Finding Neverland).
Waitress at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre on Broadway
First Preview 25, Mar 2016
Opening Night 24, Apr 2016
Closing 05 Jan 2020
Reviews
Jenna, a waitress and expert pie maker stuck in a small town and a loveless marriage. Faced with an unexpected pregnancy, Jenna fears she may have to abandon the dream of opening her own pie shop forever until a baking contest in a nearby county and the town’s handsome new doctor offer her a tempting recipe for happiness. Supported by her quirky crew of fellow waitresses and loyal customers, Jenna summons the secret ingredient she’s been missing all along courage.
The Broadway cast includes Eric Anderson, Christopher Fitzgerald, Drew Gehling, Kimiko Glenn, Dakin Matthews, Keala Settle, with ensemble members Charity Angel Dawson, Jeremy Morse and Stephanie Torns. Inspired by Adrienne Shelly’s beloved film, WAITRESS is an empowering celebration of friendship, motherhood and finding the strength to pursue even the wildest dreams.
Cast
Sara Bareilles– Jenna
Christopher Fitzgerald – Ogie
Charity Angel Dawson – Becky
Eric Anderson – Cal
Drew Gehling – Dr. Pomatter
Caitlin Houaham – Dawn
Dakin Matthews – Joe
William Popp – Earl
Creative
Book by Jessie Nelson
Music by Sara Bareilles
Lyrics by Sara Bareilles
Based upon the motion picture written by Adrienne Shelly
Directed by Diane Paulus
Choreographed by Lorin Latarro
Scenic Design by Scott Pask
Costume Design by Suttirat Larlarb
Lighting Design by Kenneth Posner
Sound Design by Jonathan Deans
General Manager: National Artists Management Company
Musical Supervisor: Nadia DiGiallonardo
Back Story
The musical is based on the 2007 indie filmWaitress. The film was produced on a budget of just $1.5 million, earning over $23 million in global box office receipts. The film starred Keri Russell, and was written and directed by Adrienne Shelly, who was murdered three months prior to the premiere of Waitress at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival. The film followed Jenna, a waitress and pie chef living in the American South, who unexpectedly becomes pregnant and feels trapped in an unhappy marriage. Looking for ways out she sees a pie contest and its grand prize as her chance.
Following the 2013 Tony Awards, producers Barry and Fran Weissler announced that a musical version of the film was in the works, with Paula Vogel writing the book, music and lyrics by Sara Bareilles and direction by Diane Paulus. The Weisslers purchased the stage rights to the film shortly after its release in 2007. Paula Vogel withdrew from the project in January 2014. 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, Cambridge, Massachusetts, as part of their 2015-16 season, with Jessie Nelson now writing the book. A workshop was held the same month in New York, with Jessie Mueller, Keala Settle, Christopher Fitzgerald, Bryce Pinkham and Andy Karl, among others, taking part. Nelson, with the best wishes of the late Adrienne Shelly’s husband, used some of Shelly’s unfinished scripts to help bring “her voice” to the project.
More on Waitress at Theatregold DataBase HERE
