While I like musicals, my wife loves them so when we heard that Waitress: The Musical which is based on the movie from 2007 was getting a theatrical release, we really wanted to check it out. I have seen the 2007 movie and found it to be a lot of fun, but I will admit that I never knew there was a musical based on it until I found out about this!
How to Download Waitress: The Musical
You can download or stream the film from a digital platform. Click on the Download button at the end of this review and make your choice. If you like musicals, check out our reviews of Mean Girls or Wonka.
The Musical Review
That led me down a rabbit hole where I was reading up about how this was one of the first musicals that was used to try and re-open Broadway after the pandemic! All the stuff I was reading got me pumped up and when I heard that my theatre was only showing this for a limited time, I ordered tickets as soon as I could.
Following the Movie Plot
If you have seen the movie, Waitress: The Musical pretty much follows the same path. Our main character is a lovely woman called Jenna who works as a waitress at Joe’s Pie Diner. In the stage show, she is played by the very talented Sara Bareilles who is just so awesome and likable.
Jenna’s Struggles
Jenna for as nice as she is, has a super rough life. Jenna’s husband, Earl is an abusive piece of garbage. I know I just saw this somewhat recently, but Earl is right up there with the characters I hate the most. I think they do such a great job of making you love Jenna that when you see Earl being so mean and abusive to her, it truly makes you hate him even more and want her to get away.
Complications and Pies
The way that Jenna feels so trapped is something I am sure that makes this such a relatable movie for many people. Well, even though she does not like Earl, a drunken night ends up with her getting pregnant! If that does not make her life complicated enough, she ends up having a steamy affair with her baby doctor!
A Story of Hope and Happiness
Her life is a complicated mess, but there is one thing she is in full control of and that is making amazing pies. There is a big pie contest with a cash price and Jenna sees this as her way out of the situation she is in. I know that this sounds ridiculous and like every other cheesy rom-com, but Waitress: The Musical is more than that, it is a story with a ton of heart and ultimately, it is the story of a woman who just wants to be happy.
Supporting Cast and Connections
We have a great supporting cast here. The people Jenna works with at the diner are all kinds of fun and they make up a great core group of characters. People and the connections they have are what make this such a lovely kind of story to sit through. Yes, it has some hard moments, but you cannot help but feel that something better is coming Jenna’s way.
Musical Enjoyment
If you like musicals and your theatre is showing this, I highly recommend that you check it out. The musical numbers are a ton of fun and fit with the story so very well. As far as what version I liked best goes, I have to say that I do think if I had to watch this or the 2007 movie, I may be more inclined to watch the 2007 version, but my wife says the opposite so I guess it depends if you are a big musical fan or not if you will like this version better.
