Waitress (Choral Highlights) (arr. Greg Gilpin): SSA Choral Octavo

Greg Gilpin's arrangement captures the intimacy and vulnerability of Bareilles' songwriting while giving SSA choirs a chance to explore contemporary musical theater that feels alive on the concert stage. The orchestrations from the Broadway production translate beautifully to smaller ensembles, and the emotional core of each highlight is preserved without oversimplifying the harmonies. This is the kind of repertoire that reminds students why they sing in the first place.

These highlights have the warmth of intimate storytelling wrapped in rich pop-influenced harmonies. Singing them feels like inhabiting small, honest moments from the musical: confessions, realizations, and quiet moments of connection between characters.

This collection works beautifully for SSA and SSAA choirs looking to expand beyond traditional choral repertoire into contemporary musical theater. It suits directors who want to program something their students connect with emotionally and can perform with genuine investment, whether in a concert setting or as part of a larger musical theater showcase.

• Attend to the lyrical phrasing over strict rhythmic precision, especially in the verses. These songs breathe like pop ballads, not musical theater showstoppers.
• Balance the SSA voicing so the soprano lines don't dominate the harmonic texture. The middle and lower voices carry essential color in Gilpin's arrangement.
• Reference the original cast recording to absorb the emotional intent of each number. Bareilles' delivery informs how these lyrics should land with your choir.
• Mark strategic breaths as a section to avoid cutting off sustained notes prematurely. The arrangements often favor held chords that need room to resonate.

Consider programming one or more highlights in a concert devoted to contemporary musical theater, or weave individual numbers into a broader thematic program about resilience and transformation. The entire collection also works as a cohesive suite if your choir is prepared to commit to the full seventeen pages, creating a mini musical theater experience without staging requirements.

• Navigating pop-influenced harmonic language (seventh chords, borrowed chords, chromatic voice leading)
• Balancing melody and supporting parts in contemporary song arrangements
• Connecting lyrical content to emotional interpretation and phrasing
• Reading and executing divisi passages with clarity and blend