Following its world premiere at the 2023 Tribeca Film Festival, Bleecker Street has acquired the U.S. rights to Sara Bareilles and Jessie Nelson’s “Waitress: The Musical,” which is set for a nationwide release on Dec. 7, the studio announced Wednesday.
“Waitress: The Musical” will transform the Tony-nominated production to the big screen for audiences. Bareilles stars as Jenna Hunterson, a waitress and pie maker who finds herself stuck in a small town and loveless marriage. However, when Jenna gets the opportunity to take part in a baking contest outside of her town, she leaps at the chance to change her life.
Alongside Bareilles, “Waitress” stars Eric Anderson, Charity Angél Dawson, Christopher Fitzgerald, Drew Gehling, Caitlin Houlahan, Dakin Matthews and Joe Tippett. Michael Roiff, Barry and Fran Weissler, Bareilles, Nelson, and Paul Morphos serve as producers, with Alecia Parker as an executive producer.
The musical was one of the longest-running shows in recent Broadway history, based on the 2007 motion picture written by Adrienne Shelly. “Waitress” returned for a limited engagement in 2021 to celebrate the reopening of Broadway in the fall of 2021.
The April 2016 production of “Waitress” became the first Broadway musical to sport four women in the top creative team spots; with a book by Jessie Nelson, music and lyrics by Bareilles, choreography by Lorin Latarro and direction by Diane Paulus.
Brett Sullivan directed the film for the stage by Tony Award-winner Diane Paulus, with Jessie Nelson as creative advisor. The acquisition was negotiated by Kent Sanderson, Miranda King, and Avy Eschenasy on behalf of Bleecker Street with FilmNation Entertainment.