Broadway production of Waitress: The Musical to make UK cinema debut

Waitress: The Musical — Captured Live on Broadway is set to premiere in cinemas throughout the UK on 7th December, thanks to a collaborative effort between Bleecker Street and Fathom Events. The film was initially showcased in June at the prestigious Tribeca Film Festival.

This film captures the Tony-award nominated stage performance of the musical, which takes inspiration from Adrienne Shelly’s 2007 cinematic creation. Brett Sullivan has adapted the stage marvel for cinematic audiences, while Diane Paulus helmed the original musical direction. The musical is lauded for its Tony-nominated compositions by Sara Bareilles, who also graces the screen as Jenna. The screenplay is credited to Jessie Nelson. A trailer can be accessed below for further insight.

Alongside Bareilles, the cast of Waitress: The Musical — Captured Live on Broadway boasts of talents like Charity Angél Dawson portraying Becky, Caitlin Houlahan as Dawn, Drew Gehling as Dr. Pomatter, Dakin Matthews taking on the role of Joe, Eric Anderson as Cal, Joe Tippett as Earl, and the Tony-nominated Christopher Fitzgerald enacting Ogie.

Waitress: The Musical revolves around the poignant yet uplifting tale of Jenna Hunterson, a skilled pie maker working at a diner in a small American town. She finds herself trapped in an oppressive and abusive marriage to her husband, Earl. When Jenna unexpectedly becomes pregnant, she begins to see this pregnancy as an unwelcome complication to an already difficult life. Searching for a way out, she starts to see a pie contest in a nearby county and its grand prize as her potential ticket to a new life.

Throughout the story, pies become a metaphor for Jenna’s dreams, feelings, and past memories. Each pie she bakes is whimsically named after the emotion or situation she’s currently experiencing, such as ‘Marshmallow Mermaid Pie’ or the ‘Bad Baby Pie.’

Jenna’s journey becomes more complex when she begins an affair with her new gynaecologist, Dr. Pomatter. Their relationship provides Jenna with a respite from her troubles, but it also further complicates her life.

Supporting characters, like her fellow waitresses Becky and Dawn, add depth and humor to the story, showcasing their own relationships and pursuits of happiness.

The musical addresses themes of empowerment, self-discovery, and the strength of women. The power of friendship, and the importance of dreams, are central to the story. The score, written by Sara Bareilles, deeply resonates with the emotions and journey of the characters, giving voice to Jenna’s struggles, hopes, and dreams.

The musical made its grand debut on the Broadway stage in April 2016 with Jessie Mueller as Jenna and entertained audiences till January 2020. Post the pandemic hiatus, it made a brief reappearance from 2nd September to 20th December in 2021. London’s West End welcomed its rendition in 2019, which unfortunately had to curtain down due to the lockdowns in March 2020. The musical toured the UK from 2021 to 2022.

Backing this production is Lorin Latarro’s choreography, Scott Pask’s set designs, costumes by Suttirat Anne Larlarb, light arrangements by Christopher Akerlind, and audio by Jonathan Deans. Overseeing the musical arrangements is Nadia DiGiallonardo, while screenplay writer Nelson offers her expertise as the creative consultant for the film adaptation.

Whether this release will make it to Australian shores is not yet known.