Sara Bareilles’ musical ‘Waitress’ to arrive on Broadway in the spring; no word on casting

NEW YORK, N.Y. – The Sara Bareilles musical “Waitress” has found a booth on Broadway.

Producers Barry and Fran Weissler said Thursday that the adaptation of the 2007 film starring Keri Russell will play the Brooks Atkinson Theatre beginning in April.

The show is currently playing at the American Repertory Theater at Harvard University starring Jessie Mueller, who won the Tony Award for best leading actress in a musical last year. No casting was announced for the Broadway run.

It will be directed by Diane Paulus, the artistic director, who has also helmed the recent revival of “Pippin” and the new “Finding Neverland.” Bareilles, who wrote the music and lyrics, is behind such hits as “King of Anything” and “Love Song.”

“Waitress” tells the story of a waitress and pie maker trapped in a small-town diner and a loveless marriage. The musical will have a story by Jessie Nelson, who wrote, directed and produced “Corrina, Corrina” with Whoopi Goldberg and “I Am Sam” with Sean Penn.

Bareilles foray into musical theatre comes amid a surge in singer-songwriters from the world of pop and rock aiming for stages. She joins a list that includes Radiohead’s Thom Yorke, Sting, Cyndi Lauper, Bono and The Edge from U2, Sheryl Crow, John Mellencamp, Sarah McLachlan, Dave Stewart, Tori Amos, Edie Brickell, David Byrne, Fatboy Slim, Burt Bacharach and Elvis Costello.

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Online: http://www.waitressonstage.com