NewsSara Bareilles, Jessie Mueller and Diane Paulus on What It Means to Be a WaitressAhead of the Aug. 2 premiere of the new musical Waitress, the American Repertory Theater sat down with singer-songwriter Sara Bareilles, book writer Jessie Nelson, director Diane Paulus, actress Jessie Mueller and several other members of the creative team to reflect on their experiences in the service industry.
By
Adam Hetrick
July 30, 2015
"I worked as a waitress for a long time—all through my college years, and post-college when I first formed a band. I actually loved being a waitress. It’s hard work, but it’s also really gratifying and social. And that experience has definitely informed some of the Waitress lyrics," Bareilles said.
0
of
Rehearsals, Baking Class and BBQ’s With Bareilles; Go Behind the Scenes at Waitress!
Rehearsals, Baking Class and BBQ’s With Bareilles; Go Behind the Scenes at Waitress!
The American Repertory Theater's upcoming production of the world premiere of Waitress, the new Sara Bareilles musical, will play the Cambridge, MA venue Aug. 2-Sept. 27 with an official opening Aug. 19. The production has released pics from early workshops, cast events and rehearsals!
49 PHOTOS
Sara Bareilles works with Jessie Mueller on a song in rehearsal
Jimmy Ryan
Diane Paulus directing a scene
Nadia DiGiallonardo and Sara Bareilles work on the orchestrations
Jessie Mueller in a workshop
Diane Paulus in action
Rehearsing a scene for the workshop
Gavin Creel and Sara Bareilles perform a song from the show at the American Repertory Theater's 2015 Gala
Sara Bareilles perfroming a song at the A.R.T. 2015 Gala
"When Sara Bareilles does a mic drop."
Day one of rehearsal
Diane Paulus introducing the company and designs
Associate Director Nancy Harrington and Assistant Director Mia Walker presenting the set model designed by Scott Pask.
"Waitress ninjas: Jessie Mueller, Jessie Nelson, Sara Bareilles, Diane Paulus"
Keala Settle, Jeanna De Waal and Jessie Mueller learning to make pie
In the kitchen!
The "I Can't Waitress Blackberry Pie" hand made by Jessie Mueller
Sara Bareilles with regulars of the A.R.T., Natalie and Katharine Weiner
"Sara and Jessie preparing their pie lattice"
A.R.T. staff and Waitress cast meet at the annual end of season, beginning of season BBQ.
Waitress cast members at the annual end of season, beginning of season BBQ.
Everyone introduces themselves at the annual end of season, beginning of season BBQ.
A.R.T. staff and Waitress cast toast the end of the 2014/15 Season and the beginning of the 2015/16 Season!
While Mueller confessed, "I've never been a waitress. I almost can’t believe it. I've catered, but catering is faceless, which is sometimes a nice thing. You're not really serving... For the waitresses in the musical, there is certainly a pride in it. For my character, Jenna, it’s the one place she feels proud; she feels useful. I think it’s the only place she feels like herself, or whatever version of herself she remembers as being good."
"When I was in high school, I worked as the 'dessert girl' in a restaurant during the summer," Paulus said. "I stood behind a counter and was in charge of preparing all the desserts mostly putting out slices of cake, pie, and fancy cookies. I remember one day my boyfriend at the time (now my husband!) came in and passed me a little piece of paper with 'I love you' written on it. I was holding a large platter of cookies. When I saw what he had written, I dropped the entire platter."
"I was a waitress for nine years...," Nelson recalled. That period when I carried the tray was one of the most unexpectedly meaningful times of my life because of the camaraderie I felt with the women I worked with—women I normally would never have known. When I got my first break, and left the restaurant in California, two of the older waitresses flew to New York on opening night to surprise me. We had never seen each other without a name tag or uniform."
Nilan was an award-winning writer, director, actor, producer, educator, and arts leader whose work centered on intersectionality, queer life, and the multiplicity of human experience.
Matthew-Murphy.jpg)
