Reviewed by Joel Beers
La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts
Thru Oct. 13
RECOMMENDED
Ever since its pre-Broadway try out sold out the American Repertory Theatre, people have been trying to figure out how Waitress could have such an ordinary story with such ordinary characters dealing with such ordinary problem and achieve such extraordinary commercial success—recouping its initial investment in just 10 months, running for over 1,500 performances on Broadway, launching multiple national tours.
Possible explanations ranged from respect garnered for being the first Broadway show with an all-female creative team to the popularity of composer Sara Bareilles, a pop singer with two monster hits to her credit at the time.
Based on the Southern California regional premiere at the La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts, another explanation seems viable: Waitress really is an extraordinary musical. At least, it feels that way in this immensely entertaining production directed by Abbey O’Brien, and featuring top-notch talent from the leads down to the ensemble. It’s a feel-good musical that genuinely makes you feel good. But figuring out just how it does that is more difficult than it might seem.
It’s not the story. The lead character, Jenna (a mesmerizing Desi Oakley, who played Jenna in the musical’s first national tour), is a waitress who makes killer pies — the most sought after items on the menu at the small-town diner where she works. While she may be in control in the kitchen, her personal life is a mess. Her husband, Earl (Brian Krinsky), is abusive, and — following a drunken night with him — she discovers she’s pregnant. Winning a pie-making contest could give her the cash she needs to escape, but will she find the courage to leave? And what’s the deal with the new doctor who’s suddenly taken over her case?
Parallel plots involving Jenna’s fellow waitresses, Dawn (Rianny Vasquez) and Becky (Dominique Kent), give the rest of the cast something to do besides urging Jenna to leave her husband — whether or not she can afford to. And while the new doctor (the perfectly cast Ben Jacoby) plays a large role in Jenna’s personal journey, the core of the story remains her struggle for freedom and self-worth. That makes it an important story that surely resonates with many, but it’s not exactly new terrain
Maybe the music accounts for the show’s popularity. But while the songs vary from humorous and catchy to emotionally complex — and sound great in performance —except for the one soon to be mentioned, none were ringing in my head five minutes after leaving the theater.
Even crediting the musical’s main concerns — friendship, liberation from conjugal tyranny, female empowerment, and mother-daughter legacy — as the reason for its success is problematic because other than Jenna really hating the fact that she’s pregnant, none are approached in particularly novel or surprising ways..
So what’s the secret behind Waitress? I’d like to say it’s the cameo appearance by Jared Gertner toward the end of the first act that is so good and so funny people should throw money at him for the rest of his life just for walking down the street. But this is his first go-round in this show so he can’t be the reason for its past success.
Since Waitress is about a brilliant baker, a cooking metaphor may help explain its popularity. Perhaps it’s due to an ingredient it lacks — one that spoils far too many musicals: bullshit. In this context, bullshit means forced sentimentality that whips up tidy, sanitized resolutions, glossing over the messiness of life.
Jessie Nelson’s book and Sara Bareilles’ lyrics unapologetically embrace that messiness. None of the characters are heroes: Jenna is indecisive, her low self-worth keeps her in an abusive relationship, while others make bad decisions, cheat, and stumble along the way. But they aren’t villains either. They’re flawed, yet not defined solely by those imperfections.
Waitress doesn’t disguise the imperfections or try to knead them into a perfect shape. Instead, it presents life as it is, offering an authenticity that many musicals lack. Maybe that’s the true secret to its success: it doesn’t have a secret. Rather than sugarcoating life, it serves up a big, messy slice of it — imperfect but entirely relatable. And with far better pies than your local 7-Eleven.
La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts, 14900 La Mirada Boulevard, La Mirada. Thurs., 7:30 pm; Fri., 8 pm; Sat., 2 & 8 pm; Sun. 1:30 & 6:30 pm; thru Oct. 13. . Fri.-Sat.; 8 pm Sun., 7 pm; thru Oct. 6. www.lamiradatheatre.com Runtime: two hours and 35 minutes
