Waitress

Waitress at Des Moines Civic Center

Jenna knows pie crust and sugar ratios better than anyone, but she also knows what it feels like to be stuck. Waitress follows a woman who dreams her way out of a difficult marriage one pie at a time, turning flour and fruit into escape routes and hope. Sara Bareilles wrote the music and lyrics, building a score that moves between heartbreak and determination without ever apologizing for either. Sunday, December 20, 2026, at 1:00 PM, Des Moines Civic Center hosts a story about finding the courage to choose yourself.

The music does what great musical theater should: it makes you feel what Jenna feels. Bareilles captures longing, strength, humor and defiance in songs that stick with you long after the applause fades. Theater works best when the emotions on stage mirror something real, and this musical doesn't pretend starting over is easy or simple.

This is the afternoon to bring someone who understands what it means to want more, to dream bigger, to finally believe you deserve better. Maybe you've been that person. Maybe you still are. Either way, Jenna's story offers something worth experiencing together.

Make this your reason to get together for a musical. Find tickets for Waitress at Des Moines Civic Center.