Review Roundup: World Premiere of Broadway-Bound WAITRESS Starring Jessie Mueller at A.R.T.

The world premiere, Broadway-bound musical Waitress, based on the motion picture written by Adrienne Shelly, with a book by Jessie Nelson, music & lyrics by Sara Bareilles, direction by Diane Paulus, and choreography by Chase Brock, officially opened last night, August 20th, at American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.) at Harvard University.

The complete cast includes Jessie Mueller as Jenna, Jeanna de Waal as Dawn, Drew Gehling as Dr. Pomatter, Dakin Matthews as Joe, Keala Settle as Becky, Eric Anderson as Cal, Jeremy Morse as Ogie, and Joe Tippett as Earl. Ensemble members are Charity Angel Dawson, David Jennings, Corey Mach, Ragan Pharris, Cullen R. Titmas, and Stephanie Torns.

Let's see what the critics had to say...

Joel Brown, Boston Globe: Jessie Mueller's terrific performance in the new musical "Waitress" at the American Repertory Theater makes one hope she'll still be starring when the show, helmed by ART artistic director Diane Paulus, debuts on Broadway next spring.... The actress brings a weary gravity to the title role of the "desperately sad" Jenna, along with a luminous singing voice that makes clear why Mueller won a Tony Award last year for "Beautiful: The Carole King Musical." Especially in the second act, Mueller elevates an entertaining show that faithfully follows the 2007 movie that starred Keri Russell, including some bits that are only sitcom deep.

Frank Rizzo, Variety: Mueller's performance transcends the show's imperfections. She's funny, frisky and likable. She sings Bareilles' songs beautifully, giving every word significance and interest even as the tunes in the second half slip increasingly into thicker sentiment... Leading the sisterhood of creatives, director Diane Paulus fills the production with clever touches - a scalloped pie-crust proscenium, a fluid and easygoing flow and a natural truthfulness in the performances. Scott Pask's set design authentically evokes the chrome, neon and Naugahyde look of a down-home joint, as do Kenneth Posner's lighting and Suttirat Larlarb's seemingly off-the rack costumes.

Carolyn Clay, The Artery: Adhering closely to the film but replacing its droll interspersing of offbeat pop and classical bursts with an original score, "Waitress" is the singing, dancing equivalent of chick lit. Smartly then, Paulus has matched it to a mostly female creative team, the cleverest choice being that of Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Sara Bareilles as composer/lyricist. Bareilles has never before undertaken a musical, but her pulsing, piano-driven tunes and sincere, ringing ballads both carry the story and set the now quirky, now aching mood. (One cavil: There are too many sentimental numbers in the second act.)

Boston Arts Diary: The amazing thing in this beautifully composed (music and lyrics by Sara Bareilles) and directed (by Diane Paulus) musical is how much gets made out of so little. The simplicity of the setting and the ordinariness of the characters gives this musical an unexpected charm. That it does, like its main character, cook up something delightful out of ordinary ingredients at every turn is what provides its particular magic.

Jack Craib, South Shore Critic: Mueller captures the soul of her character, "messy but kind, lonely most of the time", and has stated elsewhere that "life is like a pie...you have to have a sturdy, flaky, buttery crust in order to hold your filling", and that one shouldn't be afraid of the vulnerability that often accompanies strength. She fills the first act with her longing, and the second act with her gradual awakening to the possible, especially in the number "She Used to Be Mine" ("a part of you that doesn't recognize who you are anymore...I don't recognize me...she is good but she lies, she is hard on herself, mixed up, nasty but kind").

Jan Nargi, BroadwayWorld.com: Mueller is a singing actress with a salt-of-the-Earth quality that works extremely well for this down-home story and country-fried score. She's completely natural whether shrinking from her overbearing husband (Joe Tippett) or falling for her doctor (Drew Gehling) misgivings be damned. She's tender with Joe, the crusty pie shop owner (Dakin Matthews), and funny with her co-workers, Becky (Keala Settle), Dawn (Jeanna De Waal) and Cal (Eric Anderson). Mueller is most affecting, though, when she segues from one-way conversations with her as yet unborn baby into deeply moving self-reflective songs. "She Used to Be Mine" is a tear-inducing pop-rock ballad in which Jenna yearns for the once happy and strong young woman she used to be. "Everything Changes" is a beautiful lullaby of birth and re-birth in which Jenna becomes mother and newborn at the same time.

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