Grammy winner and Tony and Emmy nominee Sara Bareilles, who will once again step into the central role of her musical Waitress beginning September 2 at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre, chats about the musical's return to Broadway in a new video from the production.
The composer and performer says: "The Broadway community is the heartbeat of New York City… The pulse of the city is born in and out of this 10-block radius here." Bareilles, who is scheduled to play pie maker Jenna through October 17, adds, "Mountains were moved to make it happen, and we're thrilled to say that the diner will get one more round on Broadway."
The post also teases additional casting, to be announced soon.
The limited run of Waitress is currently scheduled through January 9, 2022.
Bareilles earned a Tony nomination for her work composing the score of the show based on the 2007 film. The following year, she stepped into the role of Jenna, replacing original star Jessie Mueller. She ended up playing two more limited engagements throughout the run of the production and did a stint in London’s West End prior to the coronavirus shutdown.
Since making her Broadway debut in the musical, Bareilles has shown off her acting (and singing) chops in NBC’s Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert—for which she earned an Emmy nod—and the new Peacock comedy series Girls5Eva.
Waitress originally opened on Broadway in April 2016 following a world premiere at the American Repertory Theater in Cambridge, Massachusetts. It made history as the first Broadway musical to have women in the top four creative spots: Bareilles, director Diane Paulus, book writer Jessie Nelson, and choreographer Lorin Latarro. Barry and Fran Weissler produce alongside Norton and Elayne Herrick.
