Waitress & Mean Girls
I discovered Sara Bareilles in early high school. I had heard Love Song, of course, but I quickly became obsessed with her second album Kaleidoscope Heart. Through the years, I've followed her projects and progress in the music world, which is why I was so excited to see she was writing the music for Waitress, when it was announced way back in 2013. The show started at the American Repertory Theater in Massachusetts and made its Broadway debut during the 2016 season. In the months leading up to its release, I read interview after interview with Sara and listened to the album she released featuring her version of all of the show's songs. Last weekend, I finally saw the touring version of the production and was completely blown away. Despite my familiarity with the behind-the-scenes making of the musical, I didn't actually know the details of the show itself. Waitress, based on the 2007 movie starring Keri Russell, tells the story of Jenna, an expert pie maker, and her two friends, Dawn and Becky, who all work together at Joe's Diner. Jenna is unhappy with her life and in an abusive relationship, Dawn is afraid of finding love and Becky isn't feeling satisfied in her marriage. I expected the musical to focus solely on Jenna's arc, as she unexpectedly gets pregnant, explores her passion for baking and begins an affair with her doctor, but I was pleasantly surprised to discover that at its core, the show is about the many people you come across in your life who love and support you. It specifically gives each woman time to shine and focuses on the bond that ties them together. When Jenna eventually has her child, Dawn and Becky are both in the delivery room with her, cheering her on, as they have been throughout the entire show. They each encourage other to pursue their dreams, even when it's hard to take this advice themselves. Waitress is also funny. I found myself laughing throughout the show, as it pushes boundaries throughout and uses this humor and the fun upbeat music to become a joyful story about pursuing what you really want in life. It also uses baking as a beautiful metaphor woven throughout the entire show, which opens with Jenna using sugar, butter and flour to start her pie. When she's looking for an escape, she enters into an almost trance-like state and starts creating different pies in her head, telling you each of the ingredients, as dancers leap through the scene to bring her what she needs. I kept waiting for the butter or milk or eggs to smash to the floor, but of course, it was perfectly executed. And the music! I'd be remiss to talk about the show without discussing Sara Bareilles' score. Most of the musical has an upbeat pop tempo to it, with a dream-like quality, which is very fitting of its tone. While there's no giant dance number or song that could be described as the "hit" of Waitress, the music quietly does a lot of work throughout. She Used to Be Mine is an incredibly moving ballad that had me brushing away tears during the pivotal scene. Bad Idea is a fun, foot-tapping act one closer and the wistful What's Inside reappears throughout the entire production. When the music is combined with the rest of the show's elements, it all mixes perfectly together, creating a sweet treat for viewers. The touring cast is amazing, so if you have the chance to go see the show in a city near you, make it a priority. But be warned! During intermission, my boyfriend and I were desperately craving a slice of pie, cake or any sweet treat, as the show is filled with mentions of various desserts throughout. After it concluded (and after we did a Google search for nearby bakeries and found nothing), we hightailed it to Corner Bakery for brownies.
As Seen on Screen
Earlier this week, I made a rare Monday night trip to the movie theater to see Amy Schumer's I Feel Pretty for a fun weeknight escape. I wasn't expecting much from the movie itself. Even before hitting theaters, the film had the cards stacked against it, due to a misleading trailer and the fact that Amy herself wasn't one of its writers. So right off the bat, let me say this movie is no Trainwreck, which was funnier, smarter and a better revamp of the romcom genre. I Feel Pretty is written by Abby Kohn and Marc Silverstein, who also teamed up for He's Just Not That Into You, How to be Single, The Vow and the story behind Valentine's Day. As I list all of those movies out, I'm now realizing I saw all of them in theaters and had a similar reaction to each one. The writing leaves something to be desired but I enjoyed the fun escape each one provides. I Feel Pretty surprised me more than these other mediocre flicks, however. In its own ways, it subverted movie clichés to bring the audience (which was much more crowded than I would have anticipated for a Monday night movie that has escaped much buzz) many delightful moments. Here is a quick rundown of some of my favorite parts of the film:
Michelle Williams, who plays Avery LeClaire, really gets to have fun playing the part of the wealthy, misunderstood cosmetic heiress. Throughout the film she (and the rest of her family) are nothing but supportive of Renee (Amy Schumer) and never turn on her, as I expected they would several times throughout the film. Renee and Avery encourage each other to be confident and have some of my favorite scenes in the movie together. My only complaint? Busy Philipps also stars in the film but is given ZERO scenes with her real-life BFF, Michelle. And that is a serious oversight.
Everyone has their own insecurities. The movie does a great job of leaning into each character's struggle with self-confidence in a very genuine and honest way. Avery struggles to get people to take her seriously because of her voice. Mallory (played by Emily Ratajkowski) struggles with self-esteem because people underestimate her intelligence. Ethan (played by the charming and sweet Rory Scovel) struggles with body insecurities, but is always quietly honest with Renee, creating a nice fold to her over-the-top confidence and making their scenes together very beautiful. In the end, you leave the theater wanting to march confidently into the world.
And, of course, one of the reasons I went to see the movie in the first place was to watch Amy Schumer be hilarious on the big screen again. She completely commits to everything her character and does and executes some excellent pratfalls along the way. One of my favorite scenes was when she tries three times to run through a screen to make a dramatic entrance to give the final speech of the movie. I also enjoyed all of her scenes at SoulCycle, which I felt personally attacked by, as I came incredibly close to falling off my bike the one and only time I ever tried the cultish cycling class.
Bonus Pick: Amy Schumer sat down with Vulture to go more in-depth into the movie's message, the trailer backlash and her brief appearance on 30 Rock, many years ago.
Haven't You Heard?
If you're looking for an upbeat soundtrack to get you through the rest of the week, you're in luck. On Friday, the Mean Girls Broadway cast album was released in full online. I saw the musical in November when it was in previews in Washington, DC and really enjoyed the show. By now, I think everyone knows the premise. Even my dad finally saw the movie last year! Cady moves to suburban Illinois to start high school, is befriended by Janis and Damian, falls into the popular crowd led by Regina, Gretchen and Karen, makes some questionable life choices in pursuit of Aaron and justice for the rest of the school, becomes popular and learns that in the end women should support each other, instead of tearing each other down. The Broadway version follows the same format and has a similar tone, as Tina Fey wrote the book for the show as well. The soundtrack, with lyrics written by Nell Benjamin and music by Jeff Richmond, is catchy and fun. When I first saw the show, there was so much going on, between the fast-paced dialogue, flashy set design and fun choreography, that I struggled to fully comprehend what was happening lyrically, which is one of the many reasons I'm enjoying the soundtrack so much. The songs have a Tiny Fey tone to them, so they fit nicely into the show itself. Revenge Party, which I've pretty much been singing non-stop, Where Do You Belong and I'd Rather Be Me are standouts. Barrett Wilbert Weed (Janis) remains my favorite in the cast and on the soundtrack. Nell Benjamin was also the songwriter behind the Legally Blonde soundtrack, which did a great job of providing character development in songs like So Much Better, Chip on My Shoulder and Legally Blonde. I struggle to find a song that is as effective in Mean Girls, most likely because the dialogue in the musical itself is so strong and does a lot of the heavy lifting. In a twist on the classic Broadway format, the Mean Girls soundtrack backs up the book, with quips, catchy melodies and some tap dancing thrown in.
Bonus Pick: This SNL sketch, featuring Tina, the cast of Mean Girls and a guest appearance by Lin-Manuel Miranda, had me giggling on Sunday morning.
Required Reading
The June issue of The Atlantic features a very interesting article about Marti Noxon and the importance of seeing "angry women" on our TV screens. Marti has always been interested in fleshing out female characters. She worked on Buffy the Vampire Slayer and was an executive producer on the series during the controversial sixth season, which leaned into Buffy's struggles with depression and her streak of self-destructive behavior. The piece takes an interesting look at Marti's past work, her TV philosophy and the status of complex, female antiheroes in pop culture. She's currently working on a new TV series called Dietland, which premieres next month. In the story, Sophie Gilbert writes, "When Noxon showed an early episode of Dietland to a male friend, he was part impressed, part appalled at how prescient it was. 'He kept saying, ‘Did you know? All this was coming?’ ' she says, standing amid the wreckage of Kitty’s office. He was alluding to the past year’s explosive allegations about abusive men in the entertainment industry. 'Of course I didn’t.' She shrugs. 'But I’ve been alive.'"
