Sara Bareilles Wows Sold Out Crowd During 'Waitress' CD Release Party At New York City Center

By Billie Rama, CBSNewYork.com

NEW YORK -- Grammy-nominated singer, songwriter Sara Bareilles brought down the house Thursday at her "What's Inside: Songs from Waitress" special album release show at the New York City Center.

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Bareilles spotlighted her new songs from the upcoming Broadway musical "Waitress."

The musical is based on the 2007 movie of the same name written by the late Adrienne Shelly.

Bareilles entertained the audience with her witty repartee as well as her show tunes, telling the crowd that her first attempt at writing a musical wasn't nearly as successful as "Waitress."

Bareilles got a round of laughs when she told a story about the time she toured with good friend and Sugarland lead singer Jennifer Nettles. The pair decided to pen songs for a musical they called "Lesbians." Bareilles said one of the first songs entitled "Lesbians on Parade," was an homage to the "Lilith Fair," a popular music festival in the 90's that only featured female musicians.

She then lamented the fact that most of the audience had probably never heard of the Lilith Fair.

Halfway through the show, she sang the first single from the album, "She Used To Be Mine." The crowd gave her a standing ovation which nearly moved her to tears.

Cast members from the show, including Tony award winner Jessie Mueller, who plays the main character Jenna, were in the crowd, as well as Keala Settle, Kimiko Glenn and Drew Gehling who sang a duet with Bareilles.

In addition to songs from Waitress, Bareilles belted out her classic hits "Love Song" and "Brave."

She also wowed the crowd with a touching rendition of Otis Redding's "(Sittin' On) The Dock Of The Bay."

The concert was a treat for Bareilles and Broadway fans alike.

Waitress, the story about Jenna, an expert pie maker stuck in an unhappy marriage, had a sold-out preview run at the American Repertory Theater in Cambridge this past summer and opens on Broadway at the Brooks Atkinson Theater April 24, 2016.

Previews begin March 25.