About the work
Waitress is a musical with music and lyrics by Sara Bareilles and a book by Jessie Nelson, premiered on Broadway in 2016. Based on the 2007 film of the same name, it was celebrated for its almost entirely female creative leadership.
Plot
Jenna, a gifted pie baker in a small-town American diner, is trapped in an unhappy marriage to her crude husband Earl. When she becomes unintentionally pregnant, she begins an affair with her new obstetrician while dreaming of winning a baking contest to fund a fresh start. Sustained by her female colleagues and the birth of her daughter, Jenna finally finds the courage to take her life into her own hands and free herself from Earl.
Cultural significance
Waitress was a milestone for women on Broadway—with a female composer, book writer, director, and choreographer, it was the first musical with an entirely female creative leadership team. Sara Bareilles's confessional pop songs, above all She Used to Be Mine, gave the story emotional depth. The work became an audience success and represents the growing importance of female voices in contemporary musical theatre.