Waitress: The Musical

One of the best movie versions of a Broadway musical that I've seen in a long time. This musical closely follows the original movie and the music is glorious. I've seen it on stage and seeing it as a movie is just as fabulous as in person. I'm so thankful that they made a movie so that I can watch it any time I feel like. The cast works well together, the ensemble is great, and the band is great. If you're looking for a fun, adult themed musical that keeps your toes tapping, your fingers snapping, and your mouth laughing, I say watch this - it's SO worth it! And after you watch it, try not to buy the original Broadway cast soundtrack!

I just finished watching the musical and I was blown away. I don't often say that. The last time was going to see 'Phantom of the Opera' and "Les Miserables' on stage. I watched this by myself in front of my big screen TV and my heaven, the talent, the emotions, the production. The music, the lyrics. I want to watch the show again for all that. Sara Bareilles is amazing and so natural a singer/actor, you feel every emotion she felt all through the story.

The story of just trying to feel a bit of happiness, living with an abuser (they come in many guises) and friendship among disparate personalities comes together in this production. The sets are simple but perfect, the quick seamless changes of scene, too. I laughed and then cried at the end because I saw and felt that the sense of finding true happiness is within everyone's reach and it doesn't necessarily come with being swept away by a perfect love. I mean, you hope for it but it's not the be-all and end-all. And the surprise of someone in your life you never thought would be a big influence for change does reflect real life as I have lived it.

Just wonderful. I executed my own standing ovation in the privacy of my living room. Couldn't help myself.

At some point, when they pull out her baking station on stage for the umpteeth time you can't help but roll your eyes and groan. Don't get me wrong, it's a cute musical. The characters are extremely stereotypical, but pleasant. It can be fun to watch them interact.

However how many times can you stand watching the main character explain her feelings in baking terms, while baking? I know many great musicals resolve around a central theme. But it's on the nose. Very on the nose. We're supposed to root for the main character and her dream of escaping a difficult situation through bakery, however at some point her relentless baking and recipes with increasingly unhinged names and ingredients just starts becoming gratingly annoying.

The music isn't particularly great either. It's fine. Nothing that I'd want to listen to on repeat. The biggest problem is that it all sounds like typical Sara Barailles fare, written for her, but sung by other people. Her typical vocal stylings are frequently imitated by other characters, because that's how the songs were written, but it all becomes very samey.

Overall I'd say it's like a pie that's too sweet. The impression is delicious, but you soon realize it's too sweet. You try to persevere, but before long the pie becomes cloying and unpleasant.

As a massive fan of the musical and specifically the OBC, I was nervous to hear the pro shot would feature Sara and a couple other replacements. I was pleasantly and happily surprised. Sara and Joe's dynamic, particularly because they are actually together in real life, is unique and breathtaking. The cinematography gave respect to the musical and made the baking scenes seem like a music video but it a good way. Sometimes proshots will include awkward angles or cuts and thankfully, Waitress did not. Some things I appreciated specifically were the added Nurse Norma one-liners that made even me who knows the entire script burst out laughing. Sara's voice who normally sounds too pop-like for me was actually perfect and "She Used to be Mine" made me cry. The dialogue overall felt slower than what it would have been on the stage, particularly Jenna and Earl's scenes, but I got used to it as the movie progressed. Overall, this musical is a joy. It's beautifully crafted and deals with real and raw people. I'm so happy it has an excellent pro shot to go along with it.

This musical production is essentially the same story in the 2007 movie "Waitress" with Keri Russel. This 'movie' was filmed in a theater with a live audience, and it has all the looks and feel, including moveable sets, of a real stage play.

Sara Bareilles is 40-something Jenna. She is a waitress and pie-baker at the local pie and short order food place. She is married to a real cad. (Incidentally her real-life husband plays her husband here.) They aren't close in any manner but after a night of drinking and frivolity she finds herself pregnant.

Most of the story involves her interactions with her co-workers, her maternity doctor, and her regular customers. It is her journey to come to grips with who she really is and what she wants out of life. Including, a few months later, for her daughter.

Bareilles, who also produced and wrote songs, is really good in the role. All the singing is good, it seems veterans of the stage were in all the roles. Although I had a career as a Scientist, in graduate school I was in a four week, 28-performance musical so watching this brought back good memories. There is something about a stage play, a musical with live singing, that is more personal and more enjoyable than a slick movie.

I thoroughly enjoyed this. On DVD from my public library. My wife skipped, she isn't a fan of musicals.