Sara Bareilles is back! Well, back to Broadway that is.
The beloved singer-songwriter-actor detailed her journey back to the theatre during an exclusive sneak peek at Return to Broadway, a 30-minute special presented by NBC News NOW and hosted by Joe Fryer. Bareilles, who starred in the ultimate quarantine binge, Peacock's Girls5eva, called stepping back into her Waitress shoes a "surreal" experience after 18 months away from the stage due to the coronavirus pandemic shutdown.
"It's been so intense, deeply emotional, very surreal, completely exciting and joyful," Bareilles explained in the preview. "And then I cannot get over how quickly it starts to feel like, we're back. It's like riding a bike with a mask being vaccinated. It's just like that."
Return to Broadway host Fryer will also interview more of Broadway's biggest stars ahead of the industry's reopening, including Eva Noblezada of Hadestown, Aaron Tveit of Moulin Rouge, theater writer Felicia Fitzpatrick, chairman of The Actors Fund Brian Stokes Mitchell and more. Guests will discuss the many changes impacting Broadway, and what theaters are doing to maintain safety concerns during the ongoing pandemic.
In the clip above, Bareilles cited the new COVID-19 protocols as a "1000 percent relief" for actors.
"To me, I just feel like this is a no-brainer," she added. "We are a progressive industry and we need to hold these high standards."
Return to Broadway is the latest special in the NBC News NOW streaming network's growing slate of original and special programming. Recent specials have included Can You Hear Us NOW?, Stars of Team USA, Cuba's Fight for Freedom: Patria y Vida, Elevate: Success in the She-cession, The Racism Virus, Pride & Protest and more.
Return to Broadway will stream on NBC News NOW on Monday, Sept. 6 at 7 p.m.
(E! and NBC are both part of the NBCUniversal family)