Grammy nominee Sara Bareilles' previously reported Waitress musical is losing a collaborator. Acclaimed playwright Paula Vogel, who was writing the book for the show, has pulled out of the production due to scheduling conflicts, according to The Boston Globe. A new book writer will be announced at a later date, and Tony-winning director Diane Paulus is still on board.
Paulus told the Globe that Bareilles, whose album The Blessed Unrest is nominated for the 2014 Album of the Year Grammy, is “incredibly gifted” and said that the songstress is “really excited about writing for the musical theater.” Paulus and Bareilles have been developing the tuner since last summer at the American Repertory Theater, where Paulus is the artistic director.
Waitress tells the story of a pregnant server in the South, who is trapped in an abusive marriage and looking for a happy ending, which she may or may not find when a charming doctor moves to town. The 2007 indie film starred Keri Russell, Nathan Fillion, Jeremy Sisto and Andy Griffith, premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and was a hit with critics, but also made news after the murder of its writer and director Adrienne Shelly.