Florida Studio Theatre dishes out 'Waitress: The Musical'

“Waitress: The Musical” is making its regional premiere at Florida Studio Theatre. It’s an all-American tale of life, love and pastry. Adrienne Shelly told it first in “Waitress,” her 2007 film. Sara Bareilles and Jessie Nelson adapted it as this musical in 2015. They added song and dance but told the same sweet story. Their slice of American pie made it big on Broadway. 

Director/choreographer Ben Liebert is serving it up soon at FST. He plans to repeat Broadway’s success but find his own way to tell the musical’s tale. Simply put, it’s the story of Jenna, a small-town waitress with big dreams, a talent for baking pies and a complicated love life. To Liebert, it’s not that simple. We talked about why he can’t wait to share this story with local audiences. And what they can expect when they dig into this musical dessert.

“Waitress: The Musical” is a crowd-pleasing, chart-topping hit — and that’s probably an understatement. Why do so many people love this musical?

There are many, many reasons. Sara Bareilles' amazing pop-folk score is a huge reason. The original 2007 film has a cult following, but these fans are a minor factor. They’ll buy tickets to the musical, but they’re only a fraction of the audience. “Waitress” tells a deeply human story and it’s got a big heart. I think that’s its main appeal. It’s all about people with dreams dealing with the struggles that life throws at them. Who can’t relate to that? And who doesn’t like pie?

I love it. Both the pastry and the number.

That makes two of us.

While we’re on the subject … Why do so many hit movies and shows revolve around dessert?

Because dessert is a treat. You don’t eat it every day — it’s special. Pie, cake and ice cream won’t supply your daily nutrition requirements. But a great dessert will make it a great day. You don’t eat dessert to live; you eat it to make life worth living. Jenna’s pies sweeten the lives of others. She bakes to share her love.

“Waitress: the Musical” is FST’s version of a Broadway blockbuster. That’s a tough act to follow. Some theaters might try to do a Broadway knockoff. That’s not the FST style. I assume it’s not yours. 

Absolutely not. Creating our own version of the show is vitally important at FST. That’s what I tell everyone — the designers, cast, the music team and stage managers. We’re not copycats. We’ll find our own fresh take — and make this show our own.

How are you making that happen?

We began by respecting the creative work that came before us. Throwing that work away and starting from scratch would be a waste. We’re informed by that work, not copying it.

You’re not replicating Broadway. But you’re not reinventing the wheel. 

Exactly. The Broadway show is a solid foundation. We’re building on that foundation at FST, but it’s our own original creation. If people want to see a Broadway knockoff, they can always catch the musical on tour. At FST, they’ll see something new. We’ll tell the story through our eyes and hearts.

OK, so you won’t clone the Broadway production. But what about the scale? Are you going to keep it small or go big?

“Going big” was never an option at FST. The Gompertz is a small, hometown theater— we don’t have enough room to stage a large-scale production. But “Waitress” is a small story in a small town. Our intimate space is a perfect fit for that intimate story. We can’t overpower the audience. So, we’ll pull them into our small story.

If you can’t go big, get personal?

That’s the idea. And on the personal level, the sky’s the limit. The characters’ feelings are larger than life. They pour out in so many raw, tragic, triumphant moment. Our staging will give audiences an up-close experience of those moments.

Let’s talk about those magic moments. What grabs you as a director?

The human connections really grab me. Three waitresses form a bond and support each other — it’s a beautiful sight to see. Jenna’s relationships with her husband and doctor also intrigue me.

How are rehearsals going?

The kitchen set is like a big playground for the actors. They’ve had a lot of fun with the amazing restaurant props. They play around with tables, chairs, counters and pies — and the props come to life in their hands. It sets the tone for the musical’s playful story.

What’s your take right now?

I’d say … the musical’s story is a morality play. But it’s an ambiguous morality play. It explores right and wrong, not as rigid moral absolutes, but what’s right for you — individually. The story takes you to an ethical crossroads. Then it asks you a question: “What choice would you make in Jenna’s shoes? What’s the right choice?” The musical doesn’t tell you. You have to find your own answer.

I know the choice Jenna made in the movie. In a typical rom-com, she’d leave her lousy husband and run away with the nice doctor. That’s what you expect. But she doesn’t.

That choice was right for Jenna. You might not agree.

Hey, at least there’s a happy ending.

But it’s also messy ending. “Waitress: The Musical” is messy from start to finish. There are so many grey areas; nothing’s clear-cut; and there’s no clear path. Life isn’t black and white. The musical isn’t either. That ambiguity was born in Shelly’s amazing original screenplay. Jessie Nelson was Shelly’s friend, and her book is a faithful adaptation. Many lines of dialog are straight from the film.

Amazing source material is often lost in translation in musical adaptations. Why does “Waitress: The Musical” retain the original magic?

Because Sara Bareilles is a wonderful translator. She’s a top-tier composer and lyricist, and she’s fluent in the language of musical theater. Sara’s musical adaptations always flow from a deep reading of the original story. The story of Shelly’s “Waitress” is musical theater gold. You couldn’t ask for better source material. The characters’ feelings run deep — and that’s what drives a successful musical. “Waitress” was a complicated, messy film about people trying to find happiness and follow their dreams. That’s the beating heart of Shelly’s story — and it’s still beating in our show. We just put a band behind it.