In 2007, a little known Indie Film named “Waitress,” quickly developed a cult-like following. And then the writer, director, and supporting star of the film, Adrienne Shelly, was tragically murdered in her New York City home by a construction worker who worked in the building. Ironically, the film’s theme was about resilience and new beginnings.
But the show goes on. A musical adaptation of the film has hit Broadway with a running start, and judging from the audience’s reactions to it, it’s going to have a long run.
Buy Great Seats to Waitress Here!
The Million Dollar Musical
A long standing tradition at the Broadway box office is the millionaire’s club. Shows get to join it when they reach one million in sales, and just last week, Waitress ticket sales reached the golden mark. In addition, Waitress made history recently as the first Broadway musical to fill the top creative spots with women—four spots in all.
And it’s no wonder. The show boasts an all-star cast of behind the scenes talent. Diane Paulus, who also directed Pippin, directs it, writer Jessie Nelson of I Am Sam is involved, Lorin Latarro of Movin’ Out, choreographed it, and Sara Bareilles wrote the music and lyrics for the show.
And on stage, Jessie Mueller shines in her role of Jenna, a down and out waitress in a roadside diner. Mueller brought audiences to their knees in her title role in “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical.”
Can Pie Pull You Out of the Dumps?
The plot of the play is fairly simple, but according to critics, the richness of Mueller’s performance and the roles of the secondary characters give this play all the charm and whimsy necessary to make it a hit. Jenna is married to an abusive husband who waits for her to get off work every day so he can take the money she earned in tips. She befriends two other waitresses at the diner, a salty opinionated one and a naïve one, and they commiserate with each other’s lots in life. Their boss and cook is a gruffy man who also adds humor and interest to the storyline.
Jenna has a talent for baking pies that are so good, they’ve made her a local celebrity. She uses whatever mood she’s in at the time, which can vary wildly, to name the famous pies. But when Jenna discovers she’s pregnant, she’s suddenly no longer content to live with the abuser. So she uses her magical gift of baking pies to enter a contest that has a grand prize of $20,000. In her mind, she’ll use the money to escape the torment of her personal life.
Whimsy, Talent, and a Great Message
If you’re looking for a lighthearted musical this summer that has a deep down hidden message of resilience, you can’t go wrong with Waitress. Although the music and script are light and at times funny, there are also poignant moments in the play that will appeal to those who like to walk away from a show with something to think about. For example, the boss of the diner sings a song that critics are calling deeply moving, and Mueller herself sings a song that brings some members of the audience to tears. In other words, this is truly one of those Broadway musicals that has something for everyone.
Waitress Ticket Sales are Picking up Fast
As of this writing, we have a good selection of Waitress tickets, but as the tourists flood into New York City, we predict that shows will begin selling out quickly. In other words, if you want to see this year’s hottest musical, you should reserve your seats now.
But we don’t only provide the best seats to all the shows you want to see. In addition, we make it our mission to keep you up to date about everything that is going on in the theatre world. We do that maintaining a blog that informs you about the latest shows and events, and anything you need to know to stay current on theatre happenings. We also keep our fans updated on our social media channels. For instance, you can like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, and join us on our Google+ account. And remember, if you want to buy Waitress tickets while they’re still available, you can get them on our website, or by calling 844-425-0512.
