Waitress A Delightful Tuneful Morsel

Jessie Mueller, Drew Gehling

I HATE MY HUSBAND PIE

In a world where marriage, fidelity and morality seem to have disappeared, Waitress gives a palatable reason why people cheat and connection is the ultimate excuse. Waitress is a tuneful, feel good, chick flick with an exceptionally talented cast. I admit, I completely bought into the emotional manipulation and left the theater completely bereft that I had not bought a pie.

I DON’T WANT EARL’S BABY PIE

Singing sugar, butter, flour as a mantra for life, Jenna (Jessie Mueller) bakes pies for the diner, where she also waits tables. Her husband Earl (Nick Cordero) considers her property, claiming her tips, as if it is his right. When she finds out she is pregnant, she is less than thrilled. She keeps her pregnancy from Earl, in hopes she can find a way out of this loveless marriage. When she goes to her gynecologist, Jenna learns her female doctor has been replaced by Dr. Pomatter (Drew Gehling ), a young married male doctor from Connecticut. The two have chemistry, due to the fact he actually listens to her and gets her psychologically strange named pies. She needs him and he does not feel that from his wife.

Kimiko Glenn, Christopher Fitzgerald

PREGNANT MISERABLE SELF PITYING LOSER PIE

At the diner Jenna, Dawn (Kimiko Glenn) and Becky (Keala Settle) commiserate about their lives, supporting and offering each other the love that is so sadly missing. The trio encourage Dawn, their geeky and boyfriendless friend to date on-line, where she meets the geekier adorable Ogie (Christopher Fitzgerald). Becky whose husband is incontinent and can not have sex, starts an affair with the diner’s manager, Cal (Eric Anderson), whose wife is gay. The diner’s owner the gruff and cynical Joe (Dakin Matthews) tells Jenna about a baking contest where she could win $20,000 and get enough money to leave her brutish husband. In the end she goes into labor right before the contest, Joe ends up in the hospital, as does the doctor’s wife, her husband and her friends. Like any good chick flick all’s well that ends happily.

Jessie Mueller

I CAN’T HAVE NO AFFAIR BECAUSE IT’S WRONG AND I DON’T WANT EARL TO KILL ME PIE

The book by Jessie Nelson is funny and well written, if not a little cartoonish, but then again so is the film by Adrienne Shelly. The score by pop singer-songwriter Sara Bareilles, is appealing, with a country flare and a Broadway score that brings a new voice, that is warmly recieved. Loren Latarro’s choreography is dreamy, while Diane Paulus’s direction is emotionally driven with laughs, tears and a feel good response by the end of the show.

FALLIN’ IN LOVE CHOCOLATE MOUSSE PIE

Mr. Fitzgerald, brings the house down as Ogie. Ms Glenn, is a find and I look forward to seeing her in more shows. Ms. Settle, shines in her brassy gospel turn. Mr Gehling and Ms Mueller have chemistry galore and their sex scenes are piping hot. As always Ms. Mueller brings her moving, emotional connection to song along with powerful pop vocals that make you fall in love with her character, sympathize and root for that happy ending ala mode.

This is a show with heart that in the end the smell of pie, will have you craving more.

Waitress: Brooks Atkinson Theater, 256 W. 47th St.