Sara Bareilles, the creative force behind Waitress the Musical, previews her next stage project set for a 2027 U.S. premiere while channeling personal grief into new music.
Memories from Waitress in London
Bareilles reflects on her time starring in and writing Waitress during its West End run. “When I think about my time in London doing this show, it was a literal dream come true,” she shares. Living in a Covent Garden flat, she commuted daily to work with a cast she adored, including her best friend, describing it as an out-of-body experience.
London’s vibrant theatre scene captivated her, drawing global audiences to the West End production. “What I remember loving about London is that I really felt the scope of it, the global interest in theatre,” Bareilles notes. The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the show’s momentum, preventing a strong finale.
Since its 2019 West End debut, Waitress demonstrates enduring appeal with two UK tours. The current tour features Carrie Hope Fletcher and Les Dennis. The story centers on Jenna, a pie-maker seeking escape from a loveless marriage through a local baking contest, inspired by the 2007 film.
Bareilles highlights its themes of female friendship and empowerment. “It deals with a lot of dark material but also has this spotlight on female friendship,” she explains. Jenna finds salvation through her agency and friends, not romance—a fresh narrative at the time. “Friendship is the other great love of your life,” Bareilles emphasizes, as rich and nuanced as any romance.
She performed alongside Gavin Creel, who passed away in 2024. “Gavin was a total social butterfly,” she recalls, organizing cast gatherings like potato chip parties during intermissions.
Channeling Grief into Music
Bareilles works on her seventh studio album, teasing the lead single “Home” in March. Inspired by a podcast conversation between Stephen Colbert and Anderson Cooper on loss, the songs address pandemic-era challenges. “It’s a collection of songs that have started formulating since the beginning of the pandemic,” she says.
Personal struggles fuel the project: losing two close friends to cancer, a fertility journey, and broader concerns about American identity. “I feel a lot of grief around the American identity and what we’re watching our administration put on this world,” Bareilles reveals. The album balances grief with hope. “Telling these stories is a radical act,” she asserts, amid widespread cumulative grief.
New Musical: The Interestings
Theatre enthusiasts anticipate The Interestings, Bareilles’ adaptation of Meg Wolitzer’s 2013 novel. A song emerged before she finished reading it. The narrative tracks summer arts camp friends from 1970s adolescence into middle age, exploring love, jealousy, loss, and growth.
“It’s got all the complexities, left turns, childhood aches… It’s one of the most hilarious and poignant novels I’ve ever read,” Bareilles praises. No UK production is confirmed yet.
Bareilles urges audiences to experience Waitress amid tough times. “What do you have on that’s better than go see Waitress? The world feels really scary and hard… a place to be reminded that these other qualities still exist: the hope, the resilience, the community, the gathering, the joy, the laughter.”
