Waitress is a musical based on the 2007 film of the same name. With music and lyrics by Sara Bareilles and book by Jessie Nelson, the musical was the second documented case of an all-female creative team in Broadway history. The musical follows Jenna, a waitress and master pie-maker in an abusive relationship with her husband Earl. When Jenna becomes pregnant, she begins an affair with her doctor, and enters a pie baking contest hoping that the grand prize as a chance to leave her troubles behind.
The musical premiered on Broadway in April 2016 at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre, and was nominated for four Tony Awards. It ran for more than 1,000 performances before closing in early January 2020. The show remounted on Broadway in September 2021 for a limited-time engagement with Sara Bareilles in the lead role, and once again closed in December 2021. The show has also been performed on the West End and tours in the United States and United Kingdom.
History with the Macy's Parade[]
Waitress was one of four Broadway musicals to perform as a pre-Parade act for the NBC broadcast of the 2016 Parade. The performance featured a medley of "What Baking Can Do," where Jenna reflects on herself and her mother finding solace in baking, and "Opening Up," the show's finale number.
The performance was introduced by lyricist Sara Bareilles, who commented on her gratitude for making her Broadway debut as being of the show.
Parade Cast[]
- Jenna - Jessie Mueller
- Becky - Charity Angél Dawson
- Dawn - Caitlin Houlahan
- Dr. Pomatter - Drew Gehling
- Cal - Eric Anderson
- Christopher Fitzgerald - Ogie
- Lulu - Ella Dane Morgan
- Ensemble - Thay Floyd, Henry Gottfried, Molly Hager, Aisha Jackson, Molly Jobe, Max Kumangai, and Anastacia McCleskey