Waitress: The Musical more than justifies its existence by finding new layers to a familiar story. The musical, now streaming on Max, is based on the 2007 movie of the same name written and directed by Adrienne Shelly. While the film is excellent, it wasn’t seen by nearly enough people when it first came out. Max made the smart call to add Waitress to its library ahead of the musical’s release, where it’s already landed on the streamer’s top ten.
Like the original movie, which starred Keri Russell, the musical focuses on the titular pie maker Jenna, with composer and lyricist Sara Bareilles taking on the role. Waitress debuted on Broadway in 2016, with this live stage recording filmed in 2021. Alongside Bareilles, Waitress: The Musical stars Charity Angél Dawson and Caitlin Houlahan as Becky and Dawn, Jenna’s friends and co-workers at Joe’s Pie Diner. Joe Tippett plays Earl, Jenna’s abusive husband, while Drew Gehling stars as Dr. Pomatter, Jenna’s gynecologist. The two start an affair soon after she learns about her unwanted pregnancy.
Waitress: The Musical Offers A Fresh Take On The 2007 Movie
The Performances Are A Highlight
Waitress: The Musical‘s story is roughly the same as what’s portrayed in the 2007 movie. However, the musical manages to put its own spin on the film, enhancing its quirky, bittersweet tone while honoring Shelly’s original script. The most notable way Waitress: The Musical does this is by focusing on women’s experiences to great effect, particularly through the relationship between Jenna, Becky, and Dawn.
It would be easy to have the three women be blindly supportive of each other, but Waitress: The Musical is too nuanced for that; instead, the three are unafraid to call each other out when needed. The friendship feels far more realistic as a result, though this shouldn’t come as a surprise, considering the musical boasted an all-female production team.
Alongside Bareilles’ work as composer and lyricist, the musical features a book by Jessie Nelson, direction by Diane Paulus, and choreography by Lorin Latarro.
Dawson and Houlahan are both great in their roles, with Dawson’s vocals especially impressive. I also walked away surprised by how much I enjoyed Tippett and Gehling’s performances. Tippett has a hard job in that Earl could easily become a caricature – a blandly cruel man who exists solely as an antagonist for Jenna. Awful as Earl is, Tippett gives the character surprising depth that makes it easier to understand what Jenna once saw in him.
Meanwhile, Gehling puts an endearing spin on Dr. Pomatter, playing up his awkwardness and taking advantage of opportunities for physical comedy. It’s somewhat of a tough role as well because the story really falls flat if we can’t root for Dr. Pomatter and Jenna. Luckily, Bareilles and Gehling have great chemistry, and some of their scenes are refreshingly sexy for a stage musical.
Sara Bareilles Shows Off Her Dramatic Prowess As Jenna
Her Performance Proves Waitress: The Musical Belongs On Film
However, as great as many of the other performances are, there’s no doubt this is Bareilles’ showcase. She has more than proven herself as a comedic actress with her work in the criminally under-watched Girls5eva, but Waitress: The Musical shows she’s stellar at drama as well. While Bareilles is great in the bigger moments (“She Used to Be Mine,” of course), she’s perhaps even more impressive in the smaller ones. Jenna’s minute expression changes as Earl tears her down, for example.
It’s in these moments that Waitress: The Musical shows just how well-suited it is to a filmed stage recording. It’s worth remembering that even great musicals don’t always translate well to film – it can be hard to capture the spectacle of what’s happening on stage in tandem with actors’ individual performances. Thankfully, Waitress: The Musical has none of these problems. It’s such an intimate, purposefully small musical to begin with that the transition to film feels incredibly natural.
Film director Brett Sullivan smartly favors close-ups that showcase both the actor’s stellar work and, at times, the delicious-looking pies you will absolutely be craving by the end. However, there are just enough wider shots to capture the impressive diner set, which feels lived-in and layered.
I particularly enjoyed the creative choice of having the musicians on stage alongside the actors, which contributes to the organic feel throughout.
Obviously, the musical’s director, Diane Paulus, deserves a lot of credit here as well. In that diner set, the pie of the day written on the board switches with every scene – a neat detail that highlights the level of care across the board. The moments where everything else fades away as Jenna creates pies in her head are visually dreamy and give effective insight into Jenna’s mindset. I particularly enjoyed the creative choice of having the musicians on stage alongside the actors, which contributes to the organic feel throughout.
Waitress: The Musical’s Small Issues Are Easy To Overlook
With Any Luck, It Will Encourage Viewers To Check Out The Original Movie
Of course, Waitress: The Musical isn’t perfect. While some of the songs are undoubtedly catchy, they’re perhaps hurt by just how good “She Used to Be Mine” is, a song whose life has extended far beyond the musical, as many of the great ballads do. Some of the tonal swings are a little jarring – the story doesn’t shy away from Earl’s abuse, which should be applauded, but some jokes come a little too quickly after. Dawn’s boyfriend and eventual husband, Ogie, is a lot of fun but a very big character who sometimes feels like he belongs in a different musical altogether.
Still, the performances are so great and the emotions so believable that these are minor quibbles. Perhaps the biggest praise I can give Waitress: The Musical is that I walked away from it with even more respect for Shelly’s original film, while also eager to check out this interpretation again in the future. In that way, Waitress: the Musical offers the best of both worlds: a refreshing new take on a critically beloved but under-seen movie.
Waitress: The Musical
9/10
- Release Date
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December 7, 2023
- The performances are excellent
- It stays true to the spirit of the original movie
- It works well as a filmed stage musical
- Some of the tonal shifts are a little jarring