Waitress (2023 film)

Waitress (also known as Waitress, The Musical - Live on Broadway!) is an upcoming 2023 American musical comedy-drama film consisting of a live stage recording of Sara Bareilles and Jessie Nelson's 2015 musical of the same name, based on the 2007 film of the same name written by Adrienne Shelly.

This article is about the 2023 live film recording of the musical. For the 2007 film the musical is based on, see Waitress (film).
Waitress
Directed byDiane Paulus (stage)
Jessie Nelson (live film)
Brett Sullivan (live film)
Written byJessie Nelson
Based onWaitress
by Adrienne Shelly
Produced by
Starring
Music bySara Bareilles
Production
company
Release date
  • June 12, 2023 (2023-06-12) (Tribeca)
Running time
144 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

The film was produced in the fall of 2021 during its limited run at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre in New York City, as part of the efforts to slowly reopen Broadway in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, with this being the first musical to begin performances near the end of the shutdown. The film features the cast of this remounting, which includes Bareilles (who also serves as a producer), Charity Angél Dawson, Caitlin Houlahan, Drew Gehling, Dakin Matthews, Eric Anderson, Joe Tippett and Christopher Fitzgerald. Diane Paulus returned to direct the production, with Brett Sullivan and Jessie Nelson directing the live filming.

It will premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival on June 12, 2023.[1][2][3]

Cast
  • Sara Bareilles as Jenna Hunterson[4][5]
  • Drew Gehling as Dr. Jim Pomatter
  • Charity Angél Dawson as Becky
  • Caitlin Houlahan as Dawn
  • Dakin Matthews as Joe/Josie
  • Christopher Fitzgerald as Ogie Anhorn
  • Joe Tippett as Earl Hunterson
  • Eric Anderson as Cal
  • Anastacia McCleskey as Nurse Norma
  • Molly Jobe as Mother
  • Matt Deangelis as Ensemble
  • Henry Gottfried as Ensemble
  • Max Kumangai as Ensemble
  • Tyrone Davis Jr. as Ensemble
  • Stephanie Torns as Ensemble
  • Andrew Fitch as Ensemble
  • Emily Koch as Ensemble

Production

Following the closure of the original Broadway production on January 5, 2020 at the Brooks Atkinson Theater (now the Lena Horne Theater), the theater district was shutdown for over a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In response, producer Barry Weissler announced that a remount of the original production, starring Bareilles, would open following the reopening of Broadway theatres.[6] The show returned in a limited engagement on September 2, 2021 at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre, making it the first musical on Broadway to begin performances following the COVID-19 shutdown.[7] The primary reason for its return was to record the production for a future public release, with STEAM Motion and Sound producing the film. Several returning cast members star in the production, including Bareilles as Jenna, Gehling as Dr. Pomatter, Tippett as Earl, Dawson as Becky, Houlahan as Dawn, Matthews as Joe, Fitzgerald as Ogie, and Anderson as Cal.[8][9] The run concluded on December 22, 2021, two weeks earlier than planned due to a spike of COVID-19.[10] The film entered post-production the following year and was completed in early 2023.

Release

The film will premiere in the Spotlight+ section of the Tribeca Film Festival on June 12, 2023, followed by a special post-screening musical performance by Bareilles.

References
  1. "Waitress, the Musical - Live on Broadway! | 2023 Tribeca Festival".
  2. https://playbill.com/article/waitress-live-stage-film-starring-sara-bareilles-will-play-2023-tribeca-film-festival
  3. Stevens, Matt (18 April 2023). "2023 Tribeca Festival Unveils a Lineup Filled with Stars Turned Directors". The New York Times.
  4. McPhee, Ryan. "Waitress Will Return to Broadway; Sara Bareilles to Star" Playbill, July 7, 2021
  5. Gans, Andrew (3 August 2021). "Charity Angel Dawson, Caitlin Houlahan, Christopher Fitzgerald, Drew Gehling, More Will Join Sara Bareilles in Broadway Return of Waitress". Playbill. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
  6. Passy, Charles (5 May 2021). "Broadway Shows to Return Sept. 14". The Wall Street Journal.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  7. Dilella, Frank. "'Waitress' and 'Hadestown' first musicals to reopen on Broadway since COVID shutdown" NY1, September 3, 2021
  8. McPhee, Ryan. "Waitress Will Return to Broadway; Sara Bareilles to Star" Playbill, July 7, 2021
  9. Gans, Andrew (3 August 2021). "Charity Angel Dawson, Caitlin Houlahan, Christopher Fitzgerald, Drew Gehling, More Will Join Sara Bareilles in Broadway Return of Waitress". Playbill. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
  10. Gans, Andrew (December 23, 2021). "Return Engagement of Sara Bareilles' Waitress Closes on Braodway". Playbill. Retrieved December 24, 2021.
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