Waitress: The Musical
Promotional release poster
Directed by
Written byJessie Nelson
Based onWaitress
by Adrienne Shelly
Produced by
Starring
Edited by
  • David Tregoning
  • Sarah Broshar
Music bySara Bareilles
Production
companies
Distributed by
Release dates
  • June 12, 2023 (2023-06-12) (Tribeca)
  • December 7, 2023 (2023-12-07) (United States)
Running time
144 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Box office$5.4 million[1][2]

Waitress: The Musical (also known as Waitress) is a 2023 American musical comedy-drama film consisting of a live stage recording of Sara Bareilles and Jessie Nelson's 2015 musical of the same name, based on the 2007 film of the same name written by Adrienne Shelly.

The film was produced in the fall of 2021 during its limited run at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre in New York City, as part of the efforts to slowly reopen Broadway in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, with this being the first musical to begin performances near the end of the shutdown. The film features the cast of this remounting, which includes Bareilles (who also serves as a producer), Charity Angél Dawson, Caitlin Houlahan, Drew Gehling, Dakin Matthews, Eric Anderson, Joe Tippett, and Christopher Fitzgerald. Diane Paulus returned to direct the production, with Brett Sullivan directing the live filming and Nelson serving as a film creative advisor.

It premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival on June 12, 2023 and was theatrically released in the United States on December 7, 2023 by Bleecker Street in collaboration with Fathom Events. It received positive reviews from critics.[3][4][5][6]

Plot

Cast

  • Sara Bareilles as Jenna, a waitress and expert pie baker at Joe's Pie Diner[7][8]
  • Drew Gehling as Dr. Pomatter, Jenna's new gynecologist
  • Charity Angél Dawson as Becky, Jenna's friend and coworker
  • Caitlin Houlahan as Dawn, Jenna's friend and coworker
  • Dakin Matthews as Joe, the owner of Joe's Pie Diner
  • Christopher Fitzgerald as Ogie, a customer of Joe's Pie Diner
  • Joe Tippett as Earl, Jenna's husband
  • Eric Anderson as Cal, the manager of Joe's Pie Diner
  • Anastacia McCleskey as Nurse Norma, Dr. Pomatter's assistant
  • Stephanie Torns as Francine, Dr. Pomatter's wife and a resident at the hospital
  • Molly Jobe as Jenna's mother
  • Matt Deangelis as Jenna's father

Production

Following the closure of the original Broadway production on January 5, 2020 at the Brooks Atkinson Theater (now the Lena Horne Theater), the theater district shut down for over a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In response, producer Barry Weissler announced that a remount of the original production, starring Bareilles, would open following the reopening of Broadway theaters.[9] The show returned in a limited engagement on September 2, 2021 at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre, making it the first musical on Broadway to begin performances following the COVID-19 shutdown.[10] The primary reason for its return was to record the production for a future public release, with Steam Motion and Sound producing the film. Several returning cast members star in the production, including Bareilles as Jenna, Gehling as Dr. Pomatter, Tippett as Earl, Dawson as Becky, Houlahan as Dawn, Matthews as Joe, Fitzgerald as Ogie, and Anderson as Cal.[11][12] The run concluded on December 22, 2021, two weeks earlier than planned due to a spike of COVID-19.[13] The film entered post-production the following year and was completed in early 2023.

Release

The film premiered in the Spotlight+ section of the Tribeca Film Festival on June 12, 2023, followed by a special post-screening musical performance by Bareilles. Simultaneously, it also broadcast with sound through the TSX app onto TSX Entertainment's 18,000-square-foot digital screen overlooking Times Square, including the broadcast of an introduction by Bareilles.[14]

Theatrical

In September 2023, Bleecker Street acquired U.S. distribution rights to the film, partnering with Fathom Events for its theatrical release, and scheduled it for release on December 7, 2023.[6] The film's theatrical run lasted until December 21.[15]

Home media

The film was released on digital platforms and VOD on January 9, 2024 and on Blu-ray on February 6, 2024 by Decal.[16][17]

Reception

Box office

The film grossed an estimated $3.2 million during its opening weekend from 1,214 theaters, finishing eighth.[18]

Critical response

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 93% of 15 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 8.3/10.[19] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 74 out of 100, based on 5 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.[20]

References

  1. ↑ "Waitress: The Musical (2023)". The Numbers. Retrieved December 22, 2023.
  2. ↑ "Waitress: The Musical". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved December 22, 2023.
  3. ↑ "Waitress, the Musical - Live on Broadway! | 2023 Tribeca Festival". TriBeCa Productions.
  4. ↑ Culwell-Block, Logan; McPhee, Ryan (April 18, 2023). "Waitress Live Stage Film Starring Sara Bareilles Will Play 2023 Tribeca Film Festival". Playbill.
  5. ↑ Stevens, Matt (April 18, 2023). "2023 Tribeca Festival Unveils a Lineup Filled with Stars Turned Directors". The New York Times.
  6. 1 2 Lodderhose, Diana (September 6, 2023). "Bleecker Street Picks Up U.S. Rights To 'Waitress: The Musical' & Sets Nationwide Release Date". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved September 6, 2023.
  7. ↑ McPhee, Ryan. "Waitress Will Return to Broadway; Sara Bareilles to Star" Playbill, July 7, 2021
  8. ↑ Gans, Andrew (August 3, 2021). "Charity Angel Dawson, Caitlin Houlahan, Christopher Fitzgerald, Drew Gehling, More Will Join Sara Bareilles in Broadway Return of Waitress". Playbill. Retrieved August 4, 2021.
  9. ↑ Passy, Charles (May 5, 2021). "Broadway Shows to Return Sept. 14". The Wall Street Journal.
  10. ↑ Dilella, Frank. "'Waitress' and 'Hadestown' first musicals to reopen on Broadway since COVID shutdown" NY1, September 3, 2021
  11. ↑ McPhee, Ryan. "Waitress Will Return to Broadway; Sara Bareilles to Star" Playbill, July 7, 2021
  12. ↑ Gans, Andrew (August 3, 2021). "Charity Angel Dawson, Caitlin Houlahan, Christopher Fitzgerald, Drew Gehling, More Will Join Sara Bareilles in Broadway Return of Waitress". Playbill. Retrieved August 4, 2021.
  13. ↑ Gans, Andrew (December 23, 2021). "Return Engagement of Sara Bareilles' Waitress Closes on Braodway". Playbill. Retrieved December 24, 2021.
  14. ↑ "Waitress, The Musical Film Screening". TimesSquareNYC.org. June 12, 2023.
  15. ↑ "Waitress Stage Film Extends in Theatres Until December 21". Playbill.com. Retrieved December 19, 2023.
  16. ↑ https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Waitress-The-Musical-Blu-ray/351878/
  17. ↑ https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/WAITRESS-THE-MUSICAL-Live-Capture-Sets-Streaming-Premiere-Date-20240103
  18. ↑ https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/WAITRESS-THE-MUSICAL-Live-Capture-Makes-Box-Office-Top-10-20231211
  19. ↑ "Waitress: The Musical". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved December 21, 2023.
  20. ↑ "Waitress: The Musical". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Retrieved December 8, 2023.
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