Waitress basically changed everything for Sara Bareilles. It turned a pop star into a Broadway titan overnight, and honestly, the theater world has been holding its breath for her second act ever since.
Well, the wait is pretty much over.
We finally have concrete details about Sara Bareilles new musical, and it’s not just some original fable or a quirky rom-com. She is tackling a heavy-hitter of contemporary literature: Meg Wolitzer’s sprawling, decades-spanning novel The Interestings.
If you’ve read the book, you know this isn't exactly "Sugar, Butter, Flour." It’s a dense, sometimes painful look at talent, envy, and the slow-motion tragedy of realizing you might just be mediocre. It's the kind of material that requires a specific kind of melodic empathy, which is exactly why Bareilles is the perfect person to score it.
What is The Interestings Actually About?
A lot of people think this will be a lighthearted romp because it starts at a summer arts camp in the 70s.
It’s not.
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The story follows six teenagers—the self-proclaimed "Interestings"—who meet at Spirit-in-the-Woods. They are talented, pretentious, and deeply convinced they are destined for greatness. The musical follows them from that golden summer through the next several decades of their lives in New York City.
The Creative Powerhouse Behind the Scenes
This isn't just the Sara show. She’s teamed up with Sarah Ruhl, who is writing the book. Ruhl is a Pulitzer Prize finalist and a Tony nominee herself (In the Next Room, Eurydice). Pairing the visceral, hook-heavy songwriting of Bareilles with the poetic, often surrealist leanings of Ruhl is a fascinating choice.
Bareilles has already performed a snippet of the score. Back in March 2025, she debuted a song titled "Enough" at the Maestra Music Amplify concert. Those who heard it say it captures that specific, bittersweet ache of middle age—the feeling of looking back at your 15-year-old self and wondering where that "interesting" person went.
Why Sara Bareilles New Musical Matters Right Now
Broadway is currently in a "revival era." We have Sunset Boulevard, Cabaret, and Waitress itself coming back for a 10th-anniversary tour in 2026. While those are great, there is a desperate hunger for new, original scores that don't rely on existing jukebox catalogs.
Sara Bareilles new musical represents a bridge between pop accessibility and high-concept theater.
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She isn't just writing "pop songs" for the stage. She proved with Waitress that she understands character-driven storytelling. In The Interestings, she has to juggle six distinct voices across forty years. That is a massive technical challenge for any composer.
Breaking Down the Development Timeline
- February 2024: The project was officially announced with Matt Ross producing.
- March 2025: Bareilles previews "Enough" at Sony Hall in NYC.
- Early 2026: Casting rumors begin swirling as the production moves into workshops.
- Late 2026: Expected regional tryout or Off-Broadway premiere.
Honestly, the pacing of this development is healthy. We saw what happened when Waitress was rushed into the American Repertory Theater—it needed significant polishing. Taking two-plus years to develop The Interestings suggests they are leaning into the complexity of Wolitzer’s narrative.
Addressing the Rumors: What About Alice in Wonderland?
There was a lot of chatter a few years ago about Sara working on an Alice in Wonderland project with Duncan Sheik.
Let's clear that up.
That project, which was rumored to be a Netflix movie starring Sabrina Carpenter or a stage piece, seems to have stalled or shifted. While Bareilles expressed interest in performing in a Sheik-led Alice adaptation back in 2018, her primary creative energy is now fully invested in The Interestings. If you're looking for the next "Sara Bareilles musical," The Interestings is the only one on the immediate horizon with her name on the music and lyrics.
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The Challenge of Adaptation
Adapting a 500-page novel into a two-and-a-half-hour musical is a nightmare.
The book deals with things like class disparity and the "wealth gap" within a friend group—one character becomes a world-famous animator while another struggles as a mid-tier therapist. How do you make "envy" sing?
Bareilles has said she wrote the first song for this show before she even finished reading the book. That kind of immediate emotional reaction usually bodes well for a score. It means the themes are already "singing" in her head.
What to Expect Next
If you are a fan of Waitress or Sara’s solo albums like The Blessed Unrest, you should prepare for something slightly more mature and perhaps a bit darker. This isn't a show about a pie-maker finding her way out of a bad marriage. It’s a show about the long, slow grind of time and the friendships that survive it.
Keep an eye on the 2026/2027 Broadway season announcements. Most insiders expect a major regional production to test the waters before it lands in a Shubert or Nederlander house.
Actionable Steps for Fans:
- Read the Source Material: Pick up Meg Wolitzer’s The Interestings now. The musical will likely take liberties, but the core emotional beats will stay the same.
- Watch for Workshop News: Casting calls for "Developmental Labs" usually leak on Equity boards before official announcements. This will give the first hint of who might play the central role of Jules Jacobson.
- Follow Maestra Music: Since Sara debuted her first song there, they are often the first to showcase new material from her theater projects.
This musical is shaping up to be the intellectual heavyweight of the next Broadway cycle. It's a big swing, but if anyone can make the existential dread of being "ordinary" sound like a hit, it's Sara Bareilles.