MovieChat Forums > Waitress (2007) Discussion > Movie vs. Broadway

Movie vs. Broadway

posted 8 years ago by geneandjudyever-35453
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I noticed that there's not yet a thread recognizing the new Broadway show adapted from this film! I was fortunate enough to see the original run of this show in Cambridge in 2015. I had never seen the actual movie until now. I loved the lines from the movie that appeared to inspire many of the songs in Bareilles' score, e.g.,"I Didn't Plan It", "Dear Baby", lines from "You Matter to Me" ("I could find the whole meaning of life in those sad eyes") and "The Negative" ("Come on, negative!"), to name a few. Would love to see the Broadway run but I'm no longer on the east coast. I've heard it's changed so much since Cambridge. One aspect that felt totally different to me (movie vs. stage) was the way that Jenna and Dr. Pomatter ended their relationship. The movie gave me a strange and sad feeling with how Jenna ended it, but it appeared to be more mutual in the stage show. Of course it was just a fling, but the relationship seemed to teach Jenna so much about herself and how she deserves to be treated. I guess that was why something didn't feel right when she was so apathetic about ending it in the film. I'm curious to know others' thoughts about various differences between the movie and the stage show.

Dr. Pomatter: I want to talk to you, somewhere outside of here. Maybe we can have a coffee or something?
Jenna: I can't have coffee, it's on the bad food list you gave to me. What kind of doctor are you?!

[–] spayer 7 years ago

I'm a little surprised no one else has connected the two.

I'm a huge fan of Nathan Fillion, and just looked this up because I knew he was in it. Stayed in the hotel right next to the theater where it's playing in NYC (The Brooks Atkinson - the Hotel Edison) and we had discussed possibly seeing it, but didn't really have time. This was while the show was still in previews. I was JUST NOW back in the City, and had an afternoon...so I got a ticket. I agree about how Sarah captured the story into the music. (Love, love LOVE Ogie!!!! But Dawn's song is great, too!) "The Negative" is such a great song, too!

The thing that I noticed was that in the show, there is a fleeting mention of Jenna's father, and his relationship with her mother. The fact that she came from a dysfunctional family, and her only real relationship was with her mother, tells SOOO MUCH about her and how she wound up in this situation! She must not have felt like men could value her. She does keep saying no one ever thinks of her in "that way", she doesn't think she's beautiful, etc., but that can be sloughed off as modesty. Amazing how one line can make such a difference!

I felt the characters carried pretty well onto the stage. The actors did a really great job of making them their own, but still keeping enough of the originals. I LOVED Joe! He was TERRIFIC! (Don't remember him on Gilmore Girls...The Dean? Oh, well.)

It will make a tour. Make sure you get tickets to the first run, near you, because it might only make one tour. The thing I have found is that most of the tours look EXACTLY like they did in NY. Not all of them, but most. Good luck! It's worth it!