Waitress: ART/Boston (SPOILERS)

Posted: 9/14/15 at 3:06pm

When I heard that the film Waitress was being developed into a musical by the revelatory Tony award winning director Diane Paulus and the transcendent pop music composer Sara Bareilles, I have to admit I was both excited and scared (lol).  The excited part of course is because of the two luminaries I just mentioned. Say what you want about music's biggest pop stars crossing over to the musical composer world, but If I had to make a list of the top 5 who I think could and should do it, Sara would be one of them.  Her music is theatrical by design. In my opinion, BRAVE and GRAVITY would be beloved show tunes if they had been featured in a musical.  That and her music and lyrics have the trifecta: they make you smile, they make you cry, and they make you want to move...not to mention lyrics for days!

The scared part, well not sure scared is the right word, but perplexing rather is the film choice. Not to say that Waitress is a bad movie; Although it is a widely unknown film starring Keri Russell, it was a well reviewed movie by critics. But I'm not sure anyone could say it's banalities of small town life are bold enough or wondrous enough to be made into a musical. It's a world where the close up's of the camera really help in making you care about the characters.  The other reason being that these characters are not the most likable, another thing that suits film a lot better than musical theater.  I mean at the film's core is the act of infidelity, a tough thing to have sympathy for, one that didn't work in musical adaptations like The Bridges of Madison County a few seasons ago.

After seeing the show at The American Repertory Theater in Boston last weekend, I can say that both of my initial feelings were proved right.  Waitress the musical IS exciting...and scary (lol), well perplexing.  You'll be glad to hear that Ms. Bareilles' music is often times beautiful. A motif about baking at the beginning of the show that is finished at the very end is so simple and repetitive throughout that it is unlikely you'll be able to quit humming it for the rest of the evening.  The score of course has her signature piano singer songwriter style throughout (great touch in making the woman playing the piano in the band look very much like Sara and then making her visable to the audience). It also jaunts into modern bluegrass, folk, jazz, pop culminating in the eleven o'clock number, "Everything Changes", one of the best show tunes to be written in years about the moment a person's life direction is finally focused and clear and how every life decision after that is informed by that one light bulb moment. Other times, and unfortunately she falls into a trap that so many others have, she starts to doubt her sound and tries to make it "musical theater" which turns into pastiche especially in the the uptempo numbers.  Musical theater has no sound...it is and has always been a reflection of the culture of the times. That being said the opening number is a great uptempo showtune that is both a pop song and a story driven one.

Diane's direction is perfectly balanced.  She juggles the bold musical comedy aspect and very serious tone like an expert. This show has a lot of over the top musical theater moments in it...in fact, a non musical lover might wince at a large portion of the first act.  It is also a very serious play about finding one's own worthiness and what can happen if you marry someone without having that respect for yourself before hand.  Kudos to Bookwriter Jessie Nelson for finding the balance in the script. The musical comedy parts are FUNNY if camp at times.  And besides the story feeling a bit banal and trite at times, especially when it goes into abusive husband or I don't know if I want this baby land, you are won over totally by it.  The combination of the music, comedy, and seriousness works...it takes about 30 mins into the first act to do that though. The second act you are immersed in it fully which is always the goal.

The central performance by Tony Award Winning actress Jessie Mueller is first rate, and her vocal styling of Sara's music is pitch perfect.  She also understands energy so well that she knows how to shift between camp comedy and the realness of a dramatic moment expertly.  Her performance of Everything Changes will land her another Tony Award nomination. She makes a woman with a dull existence beam with personality.  Her costars are so good they almost steal the show from her. Keala Settle as a fellow waitress and best friend who has an affair with their head cook( a hilarious Eric Anderson) is showstopping in almost every seen.  Her song "I didn't plan it" about why she had the affair is a great second act sway from the central story.  Jenna De Waal as the third waitress who has never had a love life at all is I think where the camp goes over the top. It has nothing to do with her performance, she is making it work at every turn, but a song called, "I love you like a table" where a guy she meets online (Jeremy Morse making every right comic move he can) comes to the diner and professes his love for her...the word perplexing comes up here. Drew Gehling as a new doctor in town who falls in love with Jenna (Jessie Mueller) is charming enough if not a little over the top in nerdiness, but he has good chemistry with Mueller. Their affair feels forced though.   And the very funny, if not small chorus, mainly in the doctors office, brings just the right amount of story to create the world of Waitress.

Scott Pask's set design is just eye popping enough without making small town diner folk look too tidy or colorful. and his idea to have the band sit in another section of the restaurant with the window of the farmland/highway behind them that changes seasons is the perfect amount of art/ambiance needed to make the show theatrical.   The lighting by Kenneth Posner in jewel tones that feel like the fillings of pies is not over the top, it is just right. Chase Brock's choreography is a bit too subtle, in fact you'll barely sense the presence of it, which is probably a good thing for this show.  Jonathan Dean's sound design is the only thing that I would say might need a bit of work. But the wordiness of the lyrics and the complexities of Sara's music aren't making it easy for him.

This is a small musical. Not to say that those don't work, but I'll be interested to see if people really attach to this show on Broadway. Even though i did like it and was immersed in it, it wasn't until the eleven o'clock number in act 2 that I really said...ok I now identify with these people...so much that i was absolutely in tears. But this is the rare kind of musical that is both feel good, bittersweet, desperate, dramatic, subtle, with a great score, and an expert creative team...In my opinion it's the little musical that could storm Broadway....i hope it does =))

 

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 9/14/15 at 3:11pm

I strongly disagree with your assertion that there is anything revelatory about the director Diane Paulus. (lol)

Updated On: 9/14/15 at 03:11 PM

[Jarethan]

Posted: 9/14/15 at 5:27pm

I think Diane Paulus is an excellent director.  I think Waitress required very straightforward direction.  Small cast, small story...tell it simply.  I personally loved it...in fact, she has a great track record of r me.

[broadwayboy223]

Posted: 9/14/15 at 6:57pm

I hope a cast album will be released. I would love to hear the music.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 9/14/15 at 8:31pm

I think I have a different definition of "excellent," one that's actually closer to what tge word means. 

[mailhandler777]

Posted: 9/15/15 at 5:12pm

Would be easier to read this if there were actual paragraphs.

[Junior Babcock]

Posted: 9/16/15 at 5:02pm

Saw WAITRESS at last Wednesday's matinee. I was not prepared to like this show as much as I did. I was totally immersed in the story. It moves. It is funny/sad/warm/likeable/shocking/engaging, all at the same time. I hope that Broadway audiences will give it a chance. Dakin Matthews in a supporting role is wonderful. Thank you to Diane and A.R.T. for giving birth to a small, wonderful show.

[NJ_BroadwayGirl]

Posted: 9/24/15 at 1:35pm

FYI, Sara Bareilles is releasing a single of She Used to be Mine on iTunes at midnight Friday. She shared the info on her Instagram/Twitter. Here's a link to the song and it was on Sirius this morning - it sounds great. https://www.directlyrics.com/sara-bareilles-premieres-full-studio-version-of-she-used-to-be-mine-from-upcoming-waitress-album-listen-news.html

 

Anyhow I was coming on here to post the info and saw this story link that talks about her releasing her concept CD this fall, which I think was already known. https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Sara-Bareilles-Will-Release-Album-of-Songs-from-WAITRESS-This-Fall-First-Single-Drops-Tomorrow-20150924

 

[Wee Thomas2]

Posted: 9/24/15 at 5:29pm

Saw this on Sunday.  Is it a great show?  No.  But it's a very good show and I think it will do very well on B'way, especially with the younger female demographic.  

 

I don't see anyone competing with Jessie for the Tony award.

[Ado Annie D'Ysquith]

Posted: 9/25/15 at 9:33am

For anyone who's interested, Sara Bareilles has recorded "She Used to Be Mine" and released it as a single on iTunes. I downloaded it. The cover art shows her "as" Jenna. It's really cute and a nice tease for what's to come.

[Stew123]

Posted: 9/25/15 at 9:38am

Would it be possible to take some songs from Bridges of Madison County and add them into the show? 

[RippedMan]

Posted: 9/26/15 at 12:14am

"She Use to Be Mine" is on Spotify as well, and I cannot stop listening. I haven't really heard anything from the score, and I don't know too much about it, but I really love this song. 

[dramamama611]

Posted: 9/26/15 at 12:38am

There's a lot to like about it, but I fell short of falling in love with it.  I have hopes for more refinements before it opens in NY.

[FBay]

Posted: 9/26/15 at 12:52am

I thought this would be like Beautiful or Aida, great CENTRAL  performance terrible everything else. Great to be proven wrong

 

[Pocahontas 2]

Posted: 1/13/16 at 5:39pm

It looks like a great Broadway season this year.