Sara Bareilles Names Her Favorite Jennas inWaitress– from Nicolette Robinson to Katharine McPhee (Exclusive)

Mar. 15, 2025

Sara Bareilles in ‘Waitress: The Musical’ on Max; Nicolette Robinson with the cast as she makes her Broadway debut in ‘Waitress’ on Sept. 4, 2018 at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre in New York City; Katharine McPhee during her curtain call bows as she returns to “Waitress” at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre on Nov. 25, 2019 in New York City.Photo:HBO Max; Walter McBride/Getty(2)

HBO Max; Walter McBride/Getty(2)

Sara Bareillesis supporting the girls!

In an exclusive interview with PEOPLE, the singer-songwriter, 45, names her favorite leading ladies who have stepped into the role of Jenna in the hit Broadway musicalWaitress.

When the show was playing on Broadway, it notably cycled through the theater industry’s top talent, bringing in newcomers, Hollywood stars and stage veterans. Bareilles, who wrote the music and lyrics for the musical, even did multiple runs as the lead pie maker Jenna.

Asked to name her favorite Jennas, Bareilles says, “I could go on and on. There are so many.Nicolette Robinsonis the first one that comes to mind. I just think she’s a really beautiful actress and she played the role with a kind of simplicity that really, really struck me.”

She continues, “I loveShoshana [Bean]. Of course, Jessie Mueller is an astounding talent, and she created the role. She was our original Jenna. I watched her play this role hundreds of times, and I just think she’s absolutely incredible.”

The actress adds, “You can’t go wrong!”

Sara Bareilles as Jenna in ‘Waitress: The Musical’ on Max.HBO Max

HBO Max

As a crucial part of the creation of the musical, Bareilles notes that she has “watched so many” different performances of the show that left her impressed. “Alison Luff,Jordin Sparks,” she continued to name. “There are so many –Kat McPhee!”

“We’ve had an absolute bevy of incredible women come into this role,” the actress says. “And now the license for the musical has broadened. Regional theaters can do this show and it’s very exciting to see new productions of this show come up. I’m so thrilled. We’ve got our show in Mexico City that’s happening now, so it’s coming in Spanish, which is really exciting too.”

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Jessie Mueller and Sara Bareilles from the cast “Waitress” perform songs from the Original Broadway Cast Recording at Barnes & Noble on Aug. 23, 2016 in New York City.Nicholas Hunt/Getty

Nicholas Hunt/Getty

In addition to the aforementioned Mexico City production,Waitressmade its anticipated streaming debut on Max on Friday, Feb. 14.

Tony Award winner Diane Paulus directed the musical for the stage. It opened on Broadway in 2016 with a starry cast that featured Jessie Mueller as Jenna,Drew Gehlingas Dr. Pomatter, andKeala Settle,Kimiko Glenn, Christopher Fitzgerald and the lateNick Corderoin the ensemble.

The movie cast, however, stars Bareilles as Jenna, as well as Charity Angél Dawson, Caitlin Houlahan, Gehling, Dakin Matthews, Eric Anderson,Joe Tippettand Christopher Fitzgerald.

Sara Bareilles and Drew Gehling in ‘Waitress: The Musical’ on Max.HBO Max

Bareilles first stepped into the role of Jenna for a limited engagement on Broadway in 2017 and then returned in 2018 and 2019. The Grammy winner made her West End debut as a replacement in the role in London in January 2020 with the lateGavin Creel, and then reprised the character in its 2021 Broadway re-staging tocelebrate the theaters reopeningafter the COVID-19 pandemic.

Speaking of the musical finally coming to the small screen, Bareilles told PEOPLE that the long-windedprocess has been a “labor of love.”

“This movie, this musical, just the whole journey of this piece has been a remarkable experience,” said Bareilles. “What I love is that after all this time, we’ve ended up where we’re supposed to be. We were always just like the little engine that could.”

Waitress: The Musicalis streaming now.

source: people.com