2015 Broadway (Standard CD)
The first pressing. 22 tracks. Liner notes include full lyrics and a short essay by Sara Bareilles. The disc is a standard CD with no bonus content beyond the printed booklet.
Look for: 90 Records catalog number 90-001.
Musical Theater Reference
Compare Every Major Waitress Cast Recording
Side-by-side notes on Broadway, West End, the filmed production, and more. See how each version interprets Sara Bareilles's score, then print a listening guide for your next deep dive.
Recording Comparison
Pick two productions to see how they differ in cast, orchestra, track count, and arrangement choices.
| Detail | 2015 Broadway | 2019 West End |
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Song Notes
Production History
A short timeline of the major Waitress productions and recordings covered in this guide.
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2013
Workshop Demos
Early demo recordings with Sara Bareilles and the creative team. These capture the score before full orchestrations were finalized. Several songs have different lyrics or shortened bridges compared to the Broadway version.
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2015
Original Broadway Cast Recording
Recorded during the pre-Broadway run at the American Repertory Theater. Features Jessie Mueller as Jenna, with the full 11-piece Broadway orchestra. Released by 90 Records. This is the reference recording most fans and collectors treat as the standard version.
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2019
Original West End Cast Recording
Recorded with the London company at the Adelphi Theatre. Katharine McPhee leads as Jenna. The orchestra is smaller than Broadway, and several songs have reworked intros. Includes a reprise of "What Baking Can Do" not found on the Broadway album.
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2023
Waitress: The Musical (Filmed Production)
A professionally filmed stage production released in cinemas and on home video. Sara Bareilles plays Jenna herself. Uses the Broadway arrangements but adds a brief overture. The vocal tone is noticeably different from the studio cast recordings, especially on "She Used to Be Mine."
Song-by-Song Comparison Notes
Click any song to see how it changes across the major recordings. These notes focus on arrangement, key changes, vocal interpretation, and cut or added material.
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The Broadway version opens with a full orchestra swell before Jenna's first line. The West End recording starts more quietly, with a solo piano for the first eight bars. The filmed production uses the Broadway intro but adds a brief choral hum under the first verse that is not on either studio album.
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The West End recording includes a short reprise of this song after the pie contest scene, which the Broadway album cuts entirely. The workshop demo has a different bridge lyric that was rewritten before Broadway. The filmed production keeps the Broadway arrangement but extends the final note by two bars.
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This is the song where recordings differ most. Jessie Mueller's Broadway version is restrained and conversational. Katharine McPhee adds more vibrato and holds the final chorus longer. Sara Bareilles in the filmed production sings it closer to her original demo, with a thinner vocal mix and less orchestral support. If you are comparing recordings, start here.
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A comedic duet that changes the most in small details. The Broadway recording has a louder band track, which sometimes covers the vocals. The West End version pulls the band back so the jokes land cleaner. The filmed production adds a brief audience laugh track that is not on either studio album.
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The Broadway and West End recordings are nearly identical in arrangement. The main difference is vocal energy: Jack McBrayer on Broadway plays it drier, while the West End Ogie is broader and more physical. The workshop demo has a shorter ending that was extended for the full productions.
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The West End recording adds a brief instrumental break before the final chorus that the Broadway version does not have. The filmed production uses the Broadway arrangement but mixes the vocals slightly forward, which changes the feel of the duet.
Collector Edition Notes
If you are buying physical copies, these are the editions worth knowing about.
2015 Broadway (Vinyl)
A two-LP set released in 2017. Same tracklist as the CD but with a gatefold sleeve and a 12-page insert. The vinyl mastering is slightly warmer than the CD, which some listeners prefer for the ballads.
Look for: 180-gram pressing, black vinyl.
2019 West End (CD)
23 tracks, including the "What Baking Can Do" reprise. Liner notes are shorter than the Broadway edition. The cover art uses a different pie illustration. Some streaming platforms list this as "Original London Cast Recording."
Look for: Rhino / Warner Bros. release.
2023 Filmed Production (Blu-ray)
The home video release includes a bonus feature with Sara Bareilles discussing the score. The audio is a 5.1 surround mix, which is useful for hearing orchestral details that get lost in stereo. No standalone audio album was released for this production.
Look for: Bleecker Street / Fathom release.
About This Guide
Listening Tips for Comparing Recordings
Use the same playback level
Cast recordings are mastered at different volumes. Before comparing, match the volume on your player so one version does not sound bigger just because it is louder.
Start with the ballads
Arrangement differences are easiest to hear on slower songs. "She Used to Be Mine" and "Everything Changes" are good test tracks.
Watch for key changes
Some productions transpose songs to fit a lead singer's range. The West End recording shifts "What Baking Can Do" down a half step compared to Broadway.
Check the track order
Not every recording follows the same song sequence. The West End album places "Soft Serve" later in the set, which changes the pacing of the listening experience.