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With music and lyrics written by Sara Bareilles and a beautiful perfomance by Jessie Mueller, “Waitress” is a must see. (Courtesy of Flickr).
Claire Del Sorbo
Sara Bareilles has always been one of my favorite musicians. I admire her integrity and how she chooses to be true to her craft rather than lucrative. She has a lovely voice and her songs are catchy. In the musical “Waitress,” currently playing at the Brooks Atkinson in Manhattan, she showcases her versatility as a songwriter.
“Waitress” is a musical directed by Diane Paulus based off the 2007 Adrienne Shelley movie of the same name. Protagonist Jenna Hunterson (Jessie Mueller) lives in the American south working as a waitress in a diner. Feeling suffocated in an unhappy marriage to husband Earl (William Popp), she looks to a pie contest with a $20,000 cash prize as a way out.
After discovering she is pregnant, Jenna withholds the news from Earl in hopes of escaping her marriage and starting life anew with her unborn child. This is when she meets Dr. Jim Pomatter (Drew Gehling), a smart, handsome, witty and successful man with whom Jenna begins an affair with. Her friendships with coworkers Becky (Keala Settle) and Dawn (Jenna Ushkowitz) and diner regular Joe (Dakin Matthews), as well as the birth of her daughter Lulu, give Jenna the hope she needs to begin a new life.
Jessie Mueller’s touching performance as Jenna is one of the highlights of this musical season. At the beginning of the show, the audience is introduced to her dilemmas: discovering her pregnancy and the uncertainty that she faces with it. Her circumstances are heartbreaking, yet the way she rises above them is remarkable. Her story is familiar to some, especially for the many women who have had to find their strength in order to leave unhappy marriages. Mueller’s performance transcends any imperfections “Waitress” has, one of which being that Jenna is the only character with any true depth. Most of the other characters provide comic relief in between Jenna’s weighty story arc. The sassy Becky, geeky Dawn and lecherous Ogie (Christopher Fitzgerald) are fun yet corny stock characters played by commendable actors. However, that’s their sole purpose: to be entertaining in the midst of drama.
Bareilles’ musical debut exceeded my initial expectations. As a pop artist, Bareilles is used to working within the confines of producers to make popular music. However, writing a musical gives her complete creative freedom over the music. Bareilles seized this freedom. The score is wonderful, inspired largely by the sounds of the American south, but also containing some traditional Broadway ballads. The Supremes-esque “When He Sees Me” and the rockabilly “Bad Idea” are some memorable songs, but my favorite of the show has to be “She Used to be Mine.” In this emotionally charged song, Jenna is on the outside looking in, analyzing her character and her complexities: “she is messy but she’s kind, she is lonely most of the time.” In doing so, she frees herself from all of the mistakes that have undercut her own happiness. Mueller’s heart wrenching performance of this song swept up the audience in a flurry of emotions and was the uncontestable pinnacle of the show.
In a season dominated by juggernaut “Hamilton,” “Waitress” has done exceptionally well. Supported by a remarkable leading performance by Mueller and a delightful score from Bareilles, it can absolutely hold its own as a whimsical, pleasant musical. Altogether, “Waitress” is a show about life and overcoming personal obstacles. Much like Jenna, the show tries to go to places it can’t quite reach, but it also shows that the sweetest moments are the simplest.
