Grammy winner Jennifer Nettles will return to Broadway later this year, taking on the lead role of Jenna in the musical Waitress, People reports.
Nettles, of country act Sugarland, will perform in the musical from Oct. 19 through Nov. 24. Sara Bareilles is currently in the role of Jenna through Oct. 17. Bareilles also crafted the music and lyrics for the show.
“Sara is a dear friend of mine and when Waitress first came out, I was so excited for her,” Nettles told People. “Loved the project, loved the show, loved the material and wanted to be able to be a part of this beautiful legacy that my friend had created. But we were just never able to make it work in terms of timing. So to be able to now be a part of it, and this beautiful celebration of Broadway’s reopening? It’s just like, the stars have aligned. The right thing happens at the right time.”
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Nettles previously starred as Roxie Hart in the musical Chicago in 2015, and more recently, crafted the album Always Like New, which offers her own spin on several classic songs from musicals including Hamilton, Guys and Dolls, Annie and more.
The world was first introduced the character Jenna through Keri Russell’s role in the 2007 indie film Waitress. The movie follows the character Jenna Hunterson, who uses her baking talent to help her escape an abusive relationship. Waitress the musical first premiered on Broadway in 2016.
“There are so many layers to Waitress that make it so meaningful to me,” Nettles told People. “It is heartwarming, heartbreaking at times, and absolutely heart-inspiring. I’m thrilled to be able to finally get to wear the apron.”