I’m a Broadway fanatic, that’s not anything new. What is new is that I can not stop telling people how fantastic Waitress the Musical is on Broadway. These weekend I had the pleasure of witnessing the sweetest Broadway production, Waitress, and it was an experience I will never forget! Having listened to the soundtrack and watched the cast’s promotional performances I was familiar with the storyline and music but wasn’t an immediate fan. Based on the film starring Keri Russel, the musical production breathes new life into an older story.
I was pleasantly and overwhelmingly surprised by how much I enjoyed this production. With music and lyrics by Sara Bareilles, I was blown away by how witty and smartly crafted this musical is. I wasn’t a huge fan of the cast recording, but as I learned this weekend, that’s because you need to witness the performance in order to fully grasp the lyrics and dialogue.
Sara Bareilles is currently starring in the production for ten weeks only (which I did not know when we purchased the tickets for a school trip!) and she is phenomenal. Bareilles is a genuine star with a vocal range unlike anything I had ever head. Sara steps into the role of Jenna, the show’s protaganist who is pregnant and baking her way out of a loveless and abusive marriage. Bareilles delivers a heartwearming and honest performance that carries the entire production.
Although the musical is filled with romantic relationships, the most important relationship in the show is that Jenna has with her best friends. Charity Angel Dawson (Becky) and Caitlin Houlahan (Dawsn) co-star as Jenna’s co-workers and best friends as they support her to follow her baking dreams and leave her abusive husband. Although their characters are plagued with personal problems (Dawn struggles romantically and Becky’s hsuband is disabled), they are the kind of friends every girl dreams of: supportive, honest, and trusting.
The comedic aspect of the show comes from Chris Diamantopoulos who plays Jenna’s married gynecologist who is charmingly awkward in the best way. Dr. Pomatter (Diamantopoulos) and Jenna begin an affair that encourages the audience to root for them even though the relationship is clearly a bad idea. You just might think the relationship will work when Dr. Pomatter sings “I could find the whole meaning of life in those sad eyes.”
My favorite character from the show and arguably the funniest is Ogie played by Christopher Fitzgerald. Ogie’s character is eccentric and a perfect match for Dawn’s quirkiness. Ogie’s character is a crowd favorite as he frequently busts out spontaneous poetry and dance moves to express his feelings. Christopher Fitzgerald, known for his role as Boq in the original production of Wicked, is a treasure to behold. If you’re listening to the cast recording, “I love you like a table” is his standout song and it makes much more sense in the context of the show.
Other bright spots in the production are Jenna’s abusive husband, Earl (bear with me here!) and grumpy diner owner, Joe. Earl played by Will Swenson is dynamic in a way where you can’t quite decide if you dislike him. Although he treats Jenna horribly, he also repeatedly expresses how much he loves her. Swenson is no stranger to playing the “bad guy” as he previously starred as Javert in Les Miserables and there’s a reason he finds himself back as the villian; he’s fantastic at it. Diner owner, Joe is a grandfatherly figure that has quite the romantic past as he discusses with Jenna. Broadway veteran, Dakin Matthews, is lovable and fantastic as a featured actor.
The most important part of this production is the storyline. Jenna finds her strength in her friends, her passion and her freedom. Bareilles brings down the house as she sings “She is messy but she’s kind. She’s lonely most of the time.” Although the storyline is fairly complicated, the focus of the show is on freedom and the strength you can find within. Waitress is powerful, heartbreaking and takes the audience on a journey unlike any other.
If you get the opportunity to see Waitress on Broadway, I would seriously recommend you take the time to see it!