Meet Jenna, a waitress and expert pie-maker who dreams of a way out of her small town and rocky marriage. Pouring her heart into her pies, she crafts desserts that mirror her topsy-turvy life such as "The Key (Lime) to Happiness Pie" and "Betrayed By My Eggs Pie." When a baking contest in a nearby county - and a satisfying encounter with someone new - shows Jenna a chance at a fresh start, she must find the courage to seize it. Change is on the menu, as long as Jenna can write her own perfectly personal recipe for happiness.
Brought to life by a groundbreaking, all-female creative team, this Tony Award-nominated hit features original music and lyrics by 6-time Grammy nominee Sara Bareilles ("Love Song," "Brave"), a book by acclaimed screenwriter Jessie Nelson (I Am Sam) and direction by Tony Award winner Diane Paulus (Pippin, Finding Neverland).
"Waitress is a little slice of heaven!" says Entertainment Weekly, and is "sweet, sassy and passionate," according to New York Magazine. Don't miss this uplifting and hilarious musical.
Musicals commonly have a second-act problem. 'Waitress' is one of the few that actually gets better as it goes along. Paulus' direction grows more supple, the quirks of the characters become more richly inhabited, the music travels to more poignant places and Mueller's performance just goes from strength to strength....Admittedly, the comic coincidences and plot conveniences don't stand the test of realism and the ending is sentimental in a non-rom-com way. But the show's heart is earned through the beauty and integrity of Mueller's work....In an era glutted with gifted musical theater performers, she stands out as a luminous everywoman.
Director Diane Paulus ('Pippin') does a fine job guiding actors to lively performances. But her staging is heavy-handed. The pie metaphor is unobtrusive on film, but it's force-fed on stage. Musicals, like dough, get stiff when overworked. Still, the show strikes a chord, in large part thanks to Mueuller's sweet and touching performance. In this fairy tale the girl loses the guy - and good riddance. Everybody wins. So do audiences with Mueller onstage.
| 2015 | Boston |
American Repertory Theater World Premiere Production Boston |
| 2016 | Broadway |
Original Broadway Production Broadway |
| 2017 | US Tour |
First National Tour US Tour |
| 2019 | West End |
Original West End Production West End |
| 2021 | Broadway |
Broadway Revival Broadway |
| 2021 | US Tour |
US Tour |
| Year | Ceremony | Category | Nominee |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Actress in a Musical | Jessie Mueller |
| 2016 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Book of a Musical | Jessie Nelson |
| 2016 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical | Christopher Fitzgerald |
| 2016 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Lyrics | Sara Bareilles |
| 2016 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Music | Sara Bareilles |
| 2016 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Musical | Waitress |
| 2016 | Drama League Awards | Distinguished Performance Award | Jessie Meuller |
| 2016 | Drama League Awards | Outstanding Production of a Broadway or Off-Broadway Musical | Waitress |
| 2016 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding Actress in a Musical | Jessie Mueller |
| 2016 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical | Christopher Fitzgerald |
| 2016 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding New Broadway Musical | Waitress |
| 2016 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding New Score (Broadway or off-Broadway) | Sara Bareilles |
| 2016 | Tony Awards | Best Musical | Waitress |
| 2016 | Tony Awards | Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical | Christopher Fitzgerald |
| 2016 | Tony Awards | Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical | Jessie Mueller |
Videos