"Waitress: The Musical" shows that life isn't always a piece of cake — or pie.
The Tony-nominated Broadway musical that was adapted from the 2007 film "Waitress" will be back in movie theaters Thursday through Dec. 11. Featuring upbeat tunes and sentimental ballads by composer/lyricist Sara Bareilles, the comedy/drama is a story of love, moral dilemmas and sudden change.
The musical follows Jenna Hunterson, a waitress at a small-town diner who has a passion for baking pies. After unexpected news forces her to acknowledge her unhappy marriage, she works toward her dream of escape and stumbles into a forbidden romance.
Bareilles stars as Jenna in the filmed production, which comes courtesy of Bleecker Street and Fathom Events, along with Drew Gehling of the original 2016 Broadway production and the cast of the 2021 restaged Broadway show.
Before you catch the musical on the big screen, here are six of Bareilles' lyrics that give a taste of the musical.
"Some things never change": The second song in the musical, "Opening Up," transports audiences to a bustling workday at Joe's Diner. This refrain is sung by Jenna and the ensemble of diner staff, including Jenna's friends and fellow waitresses Becky and Dawn. Each of the trio confronts this monotonous life differently — with contentment, denial and dissatisfaction.
"I can fix this. I can twist it into sugar, butter-covered pieces": Following the discovery of an unwanted situation, Jenna copes with her tumultuous life by baking pies. In "What Baking Can Do," she sings to her late mother, who also made sugary treats to persevere alone through hardship. Jenna seeks comfort in her creative talents — the one thing in her control.
"A dream is a soft place to land": Jenna hatches a plan to enter a pie-baking contest and use the winnings to skip town. She, Becky and Dawn all face problems in their relationships with others and themselves. While they recognize that many dreams are fleeting, they hold onto hope for blissful futures in "A Soft Place to Land."
"I need a bad idea": Jenna and her romantic interest, Dr. Jim Pomatter, reveal their desires in "Bad Idea." They recognize their feelings are unethical, but struggle with doing the "right" thing. The two must decide between not living for themselves or taking a huge risk.
"She is gone, but she used to be mine": Caught between her dreams and reality, Jenna reflects on the girl she once was in "She Used to Be Mine." She admits how much of herself she's given away to other people and desperately wants to reclaim her life.
"Everything changes": Near the end of the musical, Jenna has a pivotal realization. The song "Everything Changes" is a direct contradiction to the line "Some things never change" at the beginning of the show. Whether this change is for better or for worse — you'll have to watch the show to find out.
