Inspired by Adrienne Shelly’s beloved film and brought to life by a trailblazing female-led creative team, including a book by acclaimed screenwriter Jessie Nelson, an original, uplifting score by Grammy winner Sara Bareilles and direction by Tony winner Diane Paulus, Waitress is the irresistible Broadway hit about resilience, friendship and hope that has captured hearts worldwide.
Here is the fourth and final of the group interviews from the Waitress: The Musical media call with Rob Mills and Global Associate Director & Choreographer Abbey O’Brien.
ROB MILLS on how much he loves the show:
“I’m obsessed with the show. It’s so beautiful. There’s something so simple about it, something so authentic and organic in the characters. They’re just normal people. Sometimes when we see musicals, they’re fantastical versions of people. There’s the Wicked, the Moulin Rouge [where] everyone is very heightened. It’s so lovely to see a simple, beautiful piece that every human being that comes to see the show can relate to. And I know that it really got me in the feels when I first saw it [on Broadway 10 years ago], not only because of the beautiful ballad that we all know from the show in the second act, but there’s something very human about Dr Pomatter as well, struggling in relationships and we all struggle with relationships.
Something I talk about in my book that I wrote a few years ago about trying to be a better man, or what that what that means. I think there’s this great archetypes in this musical of all the different types of men, old stoics like Joe; simple, good men like Cal; a bit of an abusive but mainly lost and sad man in Earl; and a guy maybe who’s lost his way in Dr Pomatter as well. It is obviously a very female led musical, but there’s some really good little archetypes of men to look out for as well.
[Waitress] continues my love for musicals with female leads. Been a part of Wicked, Legally Blonde, Ghost the Musical, even & Juliet, like they’re all very female led character arcs throughout the whole thing. I just love being the passenger to tell these beautiful female stories. So yeah, girlfriend, you guys. Oh, my God, I feel like I’m a wing attack in netball [laughs].”
ROB on finally stepping into the role after seeing it on Broadway:
“I think having just the creative team over from America has been great to learn again, how they how they do it overseas. And then for me, playing this character, I’m far more comedy, again, very similar to maybe Shakespeare from & Juliet, but even more so, also dynamically vocally for me it’s a new thing. I’ve been singing Bon Jovi [on] tour for the last year and a half, and it’s the opposite end of the spectrum singing. It’s a challenge. I’m learning new things about dynamics and different kinds of stage presence, and there’s lots of little nuance moments throughout the show that I’m really, really loving. But it’s just a pure, joyful show. Also, it’s heartbreaking for me, but I love it.”
ROB on working with Natalie Bassingthwaighte:
“She’s very much a Jenna, [who] sees the best in people, even if sometimes she doesn’t see the best in herself. That’s why [Jenna’s] so relatable. She’s fantastic in the show, and a bloody hoot to hang out with. She has this inner joy [and] she manages to find the goodness in everything, in every day.”
ROB on returning to his hometown of Melbourne:
“I tried to move to Sydney, and I found out I got the job, like, ‘you’re moving to Melbourne’ and I was like ‘woo, only my seventh move in eight years.” But that is part of the gig. We’re here till mid-July, and then we’re back to Sydney. Georgie [Tunny, his fiancé] is here this week, which is lovely. But Melbourne’s always going to be my home, and I just love this theatre. It’s great to be back here, walk the halls and see all the shows that have been here before, with all the signatures on the wall backstage. So, I hope everyone comes along and gets to experience the joy and the beauty that is Waitress.”
ROB on plans for Sara Barielles to see the Australian production:
“I don’t think Sara is coming, but she’s been sending us lovely messages of encouragement and congratulations, which is incredible. It is her baby, along with it the other creative team, but [I’m] just blessed to have to be able to sing these songs that she wrote.”
ROB on his favourite choice of pie and if he bakes:
“I love an apple, rhubarb [and] cinnamon [but] I’m actually not a baker. I think I’ve definitely baked before, but it’s probably just an instant cake mix kind of thing into a cake that probably was terrible. I do love to cook, though. I love a recipe. I love also finding out what’s in the fridge, in the cupboard. Georgie is like, ‘there’s nothing in the cupboard’. I’m like, ‘there is.’ And I’ll go and make something delicious. I’m a mystery box kind of guy.”
ROB on if the pies in the show are edible:
“Yeah, I eat a lot of cream, so I gotta watch the calorie intake. There’s a lot of cream in the marshmallow pie I eat.”
ABBEY on how long she has been part of the show:
“I have been a part of this show since 2014 and started off on the choreography team, helping create the movement of the show, and then over time, started working on the directing side of things, the storytelling and re-staging these productions all around the world. We’ve done the show in three different languages now, Japanese, Spanish and French, and if you consider Australia a language, because there’s a beautiful accent here. Each time we do this in a new place, we are adding – no pun intended –, but new ingredients based off of those amazing, beautiful actors and that culture in that community. So, we do sprinkle a little bit of that country and culture into our show. Sometimes we change a sense of humour to joke lines and whatnot to fit where we are.”
ABBEY on the show’s choreography:
“This show ultimately stems on humanity and pedestrian style movement, and that’s what makes this show so unique. You’re not going to see kicks, turns, tricks, anything along those lines that feels flashy. It should feel very human. We take moving a coffee cup, and we put counts to it and a bit more heart in it, and it and it becomes this beautifully stylised movement that helps tell the story of the diner in this small town community. It really just gives the show a beautiful breath. Is kind of the goal of what we’re doing with the movement.”
ABBEY on why ‘the heart’ so important for this show:
“Another thing that sets the show apart from others, is that this show truly is about intimate, truthful and honest connections, and whatever that may look like through messy moments in life [and] through beautiful, celebratory moments of life. I try to tell our cast all the time that the audience should be feeling like they’re peeking into the diner, that they’re not in the diner with us, but they’re witnessing something very special and unique, and that’s what we want you to take away, is that you’re part of this small town community and these beautiful families and stories that we create on that stage.”
ABBEY on if she bakes:
“I love baking. I hear that pies are not quite as common as they are in America. When you walk in [the theatre], you should be smelling a beautiful apple pie, and it is magical. And as the show goes on, and Jenna hits the peak of decision making and finds her freedom by choosing herself finally. Finally, as you open those doors at the end of the show, it gives you an even more heightened sense of smell, which is an amazing detail of our show.”
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Waitress the Musical is playing at Her Majesty’s Theatre, Melbourne until July 9, then playing at Sydney’s Lyric Theatre from August 1st.
Read our review here.
Tickets and more information via waitressthemusical.com.au
Photos supplied/ by Jeff Bubsy
TINSEL and TAP SHOES 