Sara Bareilles Bids an Emotional Farewell to 'Waitress' After Abrupt Closing on Broadway

Sara Bareilles has written an emotional goodbye to her Broadway musical Waitress after it abruptly closed without the cast getting to have a final performance.

The musical was scheduled to run until January 9, but it was announced tonight that the show played its final performance December 22. After the cancellation of the December 23 performance, it was decided that the show could not continue running due to positive cases of COVID detected in the company and crew.

The show’s final cast was led by Broadway veterans Ciara Renee and Joshua Henry.

Click inside to read Sara Bareilles’ message…

“Our company will not get to take the stage for one last time knowing they are saying goodbye. That is tough,” Sara wrote on Instagram.

She continued, “Other shows are going through this as well, and my heart breaks for this because it’s a ritual that helps us ease the pain of losing something we love. They offer their selves, their souls, their tears, their time, their joy…and they deserve to let go on purpose. I’m so sorry we are saying goodbye in this way but I am SO proud. Of this company. This crew. This band. This creative team. This community of audience members. I am so grateful.”

“I am honored to call these wonderful artists my friends, and I’m changed by those who have loved the show for the messy, kind, imperfectly perfect place it was. Everything changes, so here we go. Take your bows, my loves. Every last one of you. I am cheering and crying in equal measure. The best kind of goodbye. ❤️,” Sara concluded.

Back in September, Sara made her return to Broadway playing Jenna in the reopening cast of Waitress.