Waitress (musical)

Waitress is a musical with music and lyrics by Sara Bareilles, and a book by Jessie Nelson. Based on the 2007 film of the same name, written by Adrienne Shelly, the musical tells the story of Jenna Hunterson, a waitress in an unhappy marriage to her husband Earl. When Jenna unexpectedly becomes pregnant she begins an affair with her gynecologist 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, whilst the musicals' creative team was assembled by 2013. The original production of Waitress premiered at the American Repertory Theater in Cambridge in August 2015, with direction by Diane Paulus and choreography by Chase Brock, and starring Jessie Mueller, Drew Gehling and Joe Tippett as Jenna, Jim and Earl, respectively. It made its Broadway debut at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre in April 2016. A US tour is scheduled for 2017.

Background

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,^[4] who was murdered three months prior to the premiere of Waitress^[5] at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival.^[6] 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.^[7] Looking for ways out she sees a pie contest and its grand prize as her chance.^[8]

Following the 2013 Tony Awards, producers Barry and Fran Weissler announced that a musical version of the film was in the works,^[9] with Paula Vogel writing the book, music and lyrics by Sara Bareilles and direction by Diane Paulus.^[10] The Weisslers purchased the stage rights to the film shortly after its release in 2007.^[11] Paula Vogel withdrew from the project in January 2014.^[12] 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.^[13][14] 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.^[15] 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.^[16]

Productions

Waitress began previews on August 2, 2015, at the American Repertory Theater in Cambridge, Massachusetts, before the official opening on August 19, 2015, for a limited run to September 27, 2015.^[17][18] Tickets for the world premiere production sold out.^[19] The show has a book by Jessie Nelson, with direction by Diane Paulus,^[20] choreography by Chase Brock,^[21] 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.^[22] Notable casting for the show included 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.^[23]

During previews at the American Repertory Theater, it was announced that the production would transfer to Broadway in March 2016.^[24] Previews began at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre, on March 25, 2016, with the official opening slated for April 24,^[25] just in time for the 2015-2016 Tony Award cut-off date of April 28.^[26] Tickets for the transfer went on sale on February 15.^[27] Changes to the creative team for the Broadway run, included Lorin Latarro replacing Chase Brock as choreographer^[28] and Christopher Akerlind replacing Kenneth Posner as lighting designer.^[29] For the Broadway production elements of the book were rewritten, new choreography developed and a new song written by Bareilles.^[11] Manhattan baker Stacy Donnelly, was hired to ensure the baking scenes were realistic. Donnelly taught the cast how to work and roll pie dough.^[30] The role of Jenna requires Mueller to crack eggs, sift flour and roll out dough on stage.^[30] To help immerse audiences real pies are warming as they enter the theatre, creating the aroma of a pie shop, with slices of pie also on sale.^[31] Cast changes included Nick Cordero taking over the role of Earl,^[32] Kimiko Glenn as Dawn and Christopher Fitzgerald who took part in the New York workshop as Ogie.^[33] During previews the production set the record for a single performance at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre, taking $145,532.^[34] The production had required an initial investment of $12 million.^[11] During a technical halt at a preview performance composer and lyricist Sara Bareilles performed two songs, including a song previously cut from the production called “Down at the Diner.”^[35]

With music and lyrics by Sara Bareilles, book by Jessie Nelson, choreography by Lorin Latarro, and direction by Diane Paulus, Waitress made history on Broadway with the four top creative spots in a show being filled by women.^[36] In addition the creative posts of costume design and musical direction were held by women.^[29] Sara 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."^[37] The only other musical with a similar history was the 1978 Broadway musical Runaways, which had a book, music, lyrics, choreography and direction solely by one woman, Elizabeth Swados.^[29]

A US national tour is scheduled to begin at the Playhouse Square in Cleveland^[38] on October 17, 2017.^[39]

Synopsis

According to the musical's official site, Jenna Hunterson is "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."^[40]

Music

Waitress features an original score, with music and lyrics by American singer-songwriter Sara Bareilles.^[41] The musical uses a six-member orchestra consisting of keyboard, piano, cello, guitar, bass and drums.^[42] In addition to the show's musical numbers Bareilles also recorded the Broadway's production's turn off your cellphone message, rewriting part of her original song "Cassiopeia".^[43]

Musical numbers

2015 A.R.T., Boston Production

2016 Broadway Production

Recordings

Sara Bareilles recorded her fifth studio album called What's Inside: Songs from Waitress, featuring songs from the musical. It was released on November 6, 2015, through Epic Records.^[45] The album debuted at number ten on the US Billboard 200 chart with 30,000 equivalent album units in its first week of release, giving Barellies her fifth Top ten album.^[46] The lead single from the album, "She Used to Be Mine", was released digitally on September 25, 2015.^[47] 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."^[48]

In April 2016, it was announced that a cast album would be recorded the following month.^[49] The original Broadway cast recording was released as a digital download on June 3, and the physical release followed on July 1, 2016.^[49] The album was produced by Bareilles, alongside Neal Avron and was recorded by DMI Soundtracks.^[50]

Track listing

Characters and original cast

Drew Gehling and Jessie Mueller in 'Waitress' at the American Repertory Theater. (Photo: Jeremy Daniel)

The characters and original cast:

Replacements

• Jenna Ushkowitz began the role of Dawn on July 29, 2016, while Glenn took a leave of absence to film Orange is the New Black.^[51] It was later announced that Glenn had, in fact, departed the show completely. Caitlin Houlahan then replaced Ushkowitz as Dawn on October 20, 2016.^[52]

• Nick Cordero left the production on September 22, 2016, with the role of Earl being taken by William Popp.^[53]

• Keala Settle (Becky) left the show as of October 19, 2016, and was replaced by Charity Angél Dawson.^[53]

Critical response

The show garnered generally 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."^[54]

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."^[55] 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."^[56] 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" though the choreography and direction by Latarro and Paulus respectively were borderline cheesy.^[57]

Major awards and nominations

References

External links

• Official website