Sugar. Butter. Flour. Those three little words started a revolution on 47th Street, but honestly, it’s a miracle the show ever made it to the stage at all. When you think about the waitress musical Sara Bareilles partnership, it feels like destiny now. It feels inevitable. But back in 2013, the idea of a pop star who had never written a note for theater taking on an adaptation of a cult-classic indie film was a massive gamble.
Bareilles wasn't a "theater person" then. She was the "Love Song" girl. The "Brave" girl. People in the industry were skeptical, yet what she ended up creating wasn't just a hit—it was a seismic shift in how modern Broadway scores sound. She brought a specific, raw, folk-pop vulnerability that didn't feel like "musical theater." It felt like a late-night conversation with a best friend over a messy slice of pie.
The Recipe That Broke Broadway Records
Most people know the show is based on the 2007 film by Adrienne Shelly. It's a bittersweet story. Jenna Hunterson is a waitress trapped in a dead-end town and an even more dead-end marriage. She’s pregnant, she’s scared, and she bakes her feelings into pies with names like "I Can't Have No Affair Because It's Wrong and I Don't Want Earl to Kill Me" pie.
When producers Barry and Fran Weissler approached Bareilles, she didn't jump at it immediately. She had to find her way into Jenna’s head. The result was a score that earned her a Tony nomination and a Grammy nomination, but more importantly, it helped anchor the first-ever all-female lead creative team in Broadway history. We’re talking Sara on music/lyrics, Jessie Nelson on the book, Diane Paulus directing, and Lorin Latarro on choreography. That’s a big deal. It wasn't just "girl power" for the sake of marketing; it changed the DNA of the show.
Why Sara Bareilles Kept Coming Back to the Diner
Here is the thing about the waitress musical Sara Bareilles connection: she couldn't stay away. Usually, a composer writes the tunes, goes to the Tony Awards, and moves on to their next album. Not Sara.
In 2017, she did something pretty gutsy. She stepped into the lead role of Jenna herself. Replacing a powerhouse like Jessie Mueller (who won a Tony for Beautiful) is terrifying. But Sara’s Jenna was different. It was earthier. It was less "polished Broadway" and more "bruised human."
She ended up playing the role five different times.
- Her first stint in 2017 with Chris Diamantopoulos.
- A 2018 run alongside her friend Jason Mraz.
- Another limited engagement in 2019.
- The West End debut in London in 2020 (which got cut short by the world shutting down).
- The 2021 Broadway "Return Engagement" at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre.
That 2021 run was special. Broadway was just waking up from the pandemic. People were crying in the streets. Seeing the composer herself back in the apron, singing "She Used to Be Mine" while the theater smelled like actual cinnamon (yes, they bake real pies in the lobby to get that scent), was peak catharsis.
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The Song That Wasn't Supposed to be the Hit
You’ve heard "She Used to Be Mine." Even if you haven't seen the show, you've heard it at open mic nights or on TikTok. It’s the emotional center of the waitress musical Sara Bareilles legacy.
Interestingly, Sara has admitted she wrote it as a sort of "writing exercise" early on. She didn't realize it would become the anthem for anyone who has ever looked in the mirror and realized they don't recognize themselves anymore. The song is messy. It’s about being "imperfect but she tries." It’s basically the human condition in four minutes.
The 2023 Movie and Why It Matters Now
If you missed the show on Broadway, you basically have no excuse now. In late 2023, Waitress: The Musical was released in cinemas (and later on digital platforms). This wasn't just a shaky bootleg. It was a high-definition, multi-camera "pro-shot" filmed during that 2021 post-pandemic run.
It stars Bareilles, obviously. But the cast around her is the "dream team."
- Drew Gehling as the awkward, charming Dr. Pomatter.
- Christopher Fitzgerald as Ogie (his "Never Ever Getting Rid of Me" is a masterclass in physical comedy).
- Charity Angél Dawson as the fierce Becky.
- Caitlin Houlahan as the shy, lovable Dawn.
- Joe Tippett as Earl (who, fun fact, is Sara’s real-life husband—which makes those tense scenes very interesting to watch).
The film captured something the cast recording couldn't: the silence. The moments where Jenna is just standing there, flour on her hands, wondering if she’s allowed to want more than what she has. It’s a quiet movie-musical that feels surprisingly loud in its emotional impact.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Show
There’s this misconception that Waitress is just a "lighthearted rom-com with pies." It’s really not. If you actually listen to the lyrics Sara wrote for songs like "The Bad He" or "You Will Still Be Mine," they’re dark. The show deals with domestic abuse and the crushing weight of poverty in a way that’s much more nuanced than your average musical.
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Jenna isn't a perfect hero. She makes mistakes. She has an affair with her married doctor. She’s "messy but she’s kind." Sara Bareilles leaned into that messiness. She didn't try to make Jenna a saint. She made her a person.
The Actionable Legacy of Waitress
If you're a fan of the waitress musical Sara Bareilles era, there are a few ways to keep that "sugar, butter, flour" energy alive.
First, watch the 2023 filmed version. It is the definitive record of Sara’s performance. Second, if you’re in the UK, the show is actually touring again in 2026. While Sara isn't in the apron this time, the production keeps her original vision alive.
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Lastly, check out the album What's Inside: Songs from Waitress. It’s Sara singing the entire score as a solo artist. It’s a fascinating look at how these songs started before they were handed over to a full cast.
The diner may have closed its doors on Broadway, but because of that filmed capture and the sheer persistence of Bareilles’s music, Jenna’s story isn't going anywhere. It’s a reminder that sometimes, the best things in life are "mixed up and baked in a beautiful pie."