Ever since I heard Sara Bareilles’ “Love Song” during gym class in the sixth grade, I have continued to be dumbfounded and inspired by Bareilles year after year, song after song. When she wrote a musical based on the 2007 movie “Waitress” and released an album, featuring songs from the musical, it was a dream come true. Then the show went on Broadway.
Three years later, I had the incredible opportunity to see the musical, live on Broadway, with Bareilles playing the lead, something that has only happened three times before. Needless to say, I was ecstatic
Seeing this come to life onstage only confirmed what I already knew—Sara Bareilles can do anything. This multifaceted woman can write anything from pop, to dark, bluesy tunes, to literal musical theater, and sing all of it to boot.
Her talents extend to acting, too. The main character, Jenna, played by Bareilles, is a waitress and a phenomenal pie-baker. She finds out she is pregnant by her abusive husband. When she meets her new doctor, things get messy. Bareilles makes you laugh, cry, and want to fall in love.
Bareilles’ melodies and lyrics provide a unique feel to this musical—it is not the classic style of musical theater throughout, but more of a pop feel that makes the show loveable to even those who detest the overdone dramatics of musical theater. There is even a small live band onstage replacing the usual pit orchestra.
It is stripped down—a small cast and ensemble, and no complicated, choreographed dance breaks. However, the show never loses humor or emotion because of this.
The song “Never Ever Getting Rid of Me,” sung by Ogie, a man lovestruck with one of the waitresses after only a few minutes, had the entire audience cackling.
Something special must have been going on that night, because I had the pleasure of watching almost everyone, including Bareilles and the man playing Ogie, break onstage. The comedy bits inserted throughout were absolutely golden.
Jenna’s doctor, Dr. Pomatter, is the perfect combination of awkward and sweet; I fell in love with him immediately. His awkward lines were delivered perfectly by Gavin Creel, who had the audience rolling on the floor. Because of Jenna’s hardships and the doctor’s kindness, the moment they finally kiss was bittersweet, but also electric. The tension leading up to “Bad Idea,” when they finally get together, was practically unbearable.
The characters made you fall in love, and the ballads “You Matter To Me” and “She Used to Be Mine” made me, and I’m sure many others, cry. Such a hardworking and kind woman blaming herself and trying to decide what she deserves was heartwrenching.
Bareilles spins this compelling story in a beautiful way that makes you root for the characters. You see their love and the hardship they have been through, and it makes you want them to be happy. Additionally, Jenna’s journey to loving her baby is beautiful and real. She is conflicted and the ending may not be what is expected, but her love for her baby endures.
This is a pretty special show, and well worth a trip to NYC. The balcony tickets we got were well-priced for Broadway. If you ever get the chance to go, this show is heart-stopping.
