Sutton Lenore Foster (born March 18, 1975) is an American actress, singer and dancer. She is known for her work on the

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...

stage, for which she has won the

Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical The Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical is awarded to the best actress in a musical, whether a new production or a revival. The award has been given since 1948, but the nominees who did not win have only been publicly ...

twice, in 2002 for her role as Millie Dillmount in ''

Thoroughly Modern Millie ''Thoroughly Modern Millie'' is a 1967 American musical- romantic comedy film directed by George Roy Hill and starring Julie Andrews. The screenplay, by Richard Morris based on the 1956 British musical ''Chrysanthemum'', follows a naïve you ...

'', and in 2011 for her performance as Reno Sweeney in ''

Anything Goes ''Anything Goes'' is a musical with music and lyrics by Cole Porter. The original book was a collaborative effort by Guy Bolton and P. G. Wodehouse, heavily revised by the team of Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse. The story concerns madcap ant ...

'', a role which she reprised in 2021 for a production in

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

and for which she received a nomination for the

Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical The Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical is an annual award presented by the Society of London Theatre in recognition of achievements in commercial London theatre. The awards were established as the Society of West End Theatre Awa ...

. Her other Broadway credits include '' Little Women'', ''

The Drowsy Chaperone ''The Drowsy Chaperone'' is a Canadian musical theatre, musical with music and lyrics by Lisa Lambert and Greg Morrison, and a book by Bob Martin (comedian), Bob Martin and Don McKellar. The story concerns a middle-aged, asocial musical theater f ...

'', ''

Young Frankenstein ''Young Frankenstein'' is a 1974 American comedy horror film directed by Mel Brooks. The screenplay was co-written by Brooks and Gene Wilder. Wilder also starred in the lead role as the title character, a descendant of the infamous Dr. Victor F ...

'', ''

Shrek the Musical ''Shrek The Musical'' is a musical with music by Jeanine Tesori and book and lyrics by David Lindsay-Abaire. It is based on the 2001 DreamWorks Animation film ''Shrek'', along with elements of its sequels: '' Shrek 2'', ''Shrek Forever After'' ...

'', ''

Violet Violet may refer to: Common meanings * Violet (color), a spectral color with wavelengths shorter than blue * One of a list of plants known as violet, particularly: ** ''Viola'' (plant), a genus of flowering plants Places United States * Viol ...

'', and ''

The Music Man ''The Music Man'' is a musical with book, music, and lyrics by Meredith Willson, based on a story by Willson and Franklin Lacey. The plot concerns con man Harold Hill, who poses as a boys' band organizer and leader and sells band instruments ...

''. On television, Foster played the lead role in the short-lived

ABC Family The American cable television, cable and satellite television network that is now known as Freeform (TV channel), Freeform was originally launched as the CBN Satellite Service on April 29, 1977, and has gone through several different owners (and s ...

comedy-drama ''

Bunheads ''Bunheads '' is an American comedy-drama television series created by Amy Sherman-Palladino and Lamar Damon that aired on ABC Family from June 11, 2012, to February 25, 2013. Starring Sutton Foster, the show centers on a Las Vegas showgirl who g ...

'' from 2012 to 2013. From 2015 to 2021, she starred in the

TV Land TV Land is an American pay television channel owned by Paramount Global through its networks division. Originally a spinoff of Nick at Nite consisting exclusively of classic television shows, the channel now airs a combination of recent and cl ...

comedy-drama '' Younger''.

Early life and education

Foster was born on March 18, 1975 in

Statesboro, Georgia Statesboro is the largest city and county seat of Bulloch County, Georgia, United States, located in the southeastern part of the state. Statesboro is home to the flagship campus of Georgia Southern University and is part of the Savannah–Hine ...

, and raised in

Troy, Michigan Troy is a city in Oakland County, Michigan, United States. Its population was 87,294 at the 2020 U.S. census, making Troy the most populous city in the county and the 13th most-populous municipality in the state. Troy is a northern suburb of Me ...

. At the age of 15, she was a contestant on the reality competition show ''

Star Search ''Star Search'' was an American television show that was produced by T.P.E./ Rysher Entertainment from 1983 to 1995, hosted by Ed McMahon, and created by Al Masini. A relaunch was produced by 2929 Productions from 2003 to 2004. On both versio ...

''Tommasini, Anthony
"A Big Belter Who Found a True Voice"
''The New York Times'', May 5, 2011 and also auditioned for the cast of ''

The Mickey Mouse Club ''The Mickey Mouse Club'' is an American variety television show that aired intermittently from 1955 to 1996 and returned to social media in 2017. Created by Walt Disney and produced by Walt Disney Productions, the program was first televised ...

''. She left Troy High School before graduating (she received her diploma via correspondence courses) to join the national tour of ''

The Will Rogers Follies ''The Will Rogers Follies'' is a musical with a book by Peter Stone, lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green, and music by Cy Coleman. It focuses on the life and career of famed humorist and performer Will Rogers, using as a backdrop the Ziegfeld ...

'' directed by

Tommy Tune Thomas James Tune (born February 28, 1939) is an American actor, dancer, singer, theatre director, producer, and choreographer. Over the course of his career, he has won ten Tony Awards, the National Medal of Arts, and a star on the Hollywood Wal ...

."Sutton Foster Interview"
broadway.com, January 15, 2005 She then attended

Carnegie Mellon University Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) is a private research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. One of its predecessors was established in 1900 by Andrew Carnegie as the Carnegie Technical Schools; it became the Carnegie Institute of Technology ...

for one year,"Interview"
donshewey.com, May 10, 2002 but left to pursue a theatrical career full-time. In May 2012, she received an honorary doctorate from Ball State University, "in recognition of her outstanding career in theater, television and music and for her contributions to the educational experience and professional growth of Ball State students." Her older brother,

Hunter Foster Hunter Foster (born June 25, 1969) is an American musical theatre actor, singer, librettist, playwright and director. Career After touring in several shows and playing on Broadway, in 2001 he was cast in his breakthrough role of Bobby Strong i ...

, is also an actor.

Career

1995–2001: Early career

After touring in the role of Sandy Dumbrowski in the musical '' Grease'' throughout 1995, Foster transferred to the Broadway production in 1996. She left to appear in the

ensemble Ensemble may refer to: Art * Architectural ensemble * Ensemble (album), ''Ensemble'' (album), Kendji Girac 2015 album * Ensemble (band), a project of Olivier Alary * Ensemble cast (drama, comedy) * Ensemble (musical theatre), also known as the ...

of the Broadway musical ''

The Scarlet Pimpernel ''The Scarlet Pimpernel'' is the first novel in a series of historical fiction by Baroness Orczy, published in 1905. It was written after her stage play of the same title (co-authored with Montague Barstow) enjoyed a long run in London, having ...

'' in 1997, and after that closed she returned as the Star to Be in the revival of ''

Annie Annie may refer to: People and fictional characters * Annie (given name), a given name and a list of people and fictional characters with the name * Annie (actress) (born 1975), Indian actress * Annie (singer) (born 1977), Norwegian singer The ...

''. In 1998, Foster appeared in ''What the World Needs Now'' at the

Old Globe Theatre The Old Globe is a professional theatre company located in Balboa Park in San Diego, California. It produces about 15 plays and musicals annually in summer and winter seasons. Plays are performed in three separate theatres in the complex, which i ...

, before she began touring with ''

Les Misérables ''Les Misérables'' ( , ) is a French historical novel by Victor Hugo, first published in 1862, that is considered one of the greatest novels of the 19th century. In the English-speaking world, the novel is usually referred to by its original ...

'' as Eponine Thenardier. She then understudied the same role on Broadway in 2000."Sutton Foster Listing"
PlaybillVault.com, accessed April 1, 2016 Foster left ''Les Misérables'' to join the ensemble of ''

'' in its pre-Broadway run at the

La Jolla Playhouse La Jolla Playhouse is a not-for-profit, professional theatre on the campus of the University of California, San Diego. History La Jolla Playhouse was founded in 1947 by Gregory Peck, Dorothy McGuire, and Mel Ferrer. In 1983, it was revived under ...

. Original leading lady

Kristin Chenoweth Kristin Dawn Chenoweth (; born Kristi Dawn Chenoweth; July 24, 1968)Kristin Cheno ...

landed a television series shortly after rehearsals began and was replaced with

Erin Dilly Erin Dilly (born May 12, 1972) is an American actress. She is most noted for her portrayal of Truly Scrumptious in the 2005 musical '' Chitty Chitty Bang Bang'', for which she was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Act ...

as Millie and Foster as her understudy. After apparent clashes between the creative team, a "mutual" decision was made for Dilly to leave the production. With only nine days remaining before the first preview, Foster took over the role of Millie Dilmount. During a hiatus (before ''Millie'' was set to open on Broadway), Foster appeared in ''Dorian'' at

Goodspeed Musicals Goodspeed Musicals is a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation and advancement of musical theater and the creation of new works, located in East Haddam, Connecticut. A distinctive feature of the view from the Connecticut River, the ...

, ''The Three Musketeers'' at the

American Musical Theatre of San Jose The American Musical Theatre of San Jose (AMTSJ), previously known as the San Jose Civic Light Opera (SJCLO), was a major professional nonprofit musical theatre company in San Jose, California. Founded in 1934 as the San Jose Light Opera Associatio ...

, and '' South Pacific'' at the

Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera (Pittsburgh CLO) is a nonprofit professional theater company based in the Cultural District of Downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. Despite its name, the organization presents musical theatre classics rather than ...

2002–2010: Breakthrough and stage success

''Thoroughly Modern Millie'' finally opened on Broadway at the

Marquis Theatre The Marquis Theatre is a Broadway theater on the third floor of the New York Marriott Marquis hotel in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. Opened in 1986, it is operated by the Nederlander Organization. There are about ...

in 2002, to positive reviews. ''The New York Daily News'' reviewer said: "newcomer Sutton Foster, who has the pert look, the silver voice and the dazzling legwork to make an extraordinarily winning Millie."

Clive Barnes Clive Alexander Barnes (13 May 1927 – 19 November 2008) was an English writer and critic. From 1965 to 1977, he was the dance and theater critic for ''The New York Times'', and, from 1978 until his death, ''The New York Post.'' Barnes had sign ...

, reviewing for the ''New York Post'' wrote "Newcomer Sutton Foster's own star turn as Millie is perfectly charming, but as a star she doesn't twinkle, glitter or light up Broadway like a Christmas tree defying a July noon. But she has a good voice and is cutely agreeable." The ''Newsday'' reviewer wrote: "She has a smile that may remind you of

Mary Tyler Moore Mary Tyler Moore (December 29, 1936 – January 25, 2017) was an American actress, producer, and social advocate. She is best known for her roles on ''The Dick Van Dyke Show'' (1961–1966) and ''The Mary Tyler Moore Show'' (1970–1977), which ...

, the gawky comic precision of the young

Carol Burnett Carol Creighton Burnett (born April 26, 1933) is an American actress, comedian, singer, and writer. Her groundbreaking comedy variety show ''The Carol Burnett Show'', which originally aired on CBS was one of the first of its kind to be hosted ...

, the lyricism of a romantic heroine and a smallish but vibrant voice as accurate as it is expressive. As illie another of New York's prototypical small-town girls with big-city dreams,

utton Foster Pip Utton is a British actor and playwright. Utton was born 15 February 1952, raised and educated in Cannock. He authored the award-winning ''Adolf (drama), Adolf'', ''Chaplin'' and ''Only The Lonely''. As one of the leading solo performers in ...

appears unfazed by the burden of a character created onscreen by

Julie Andrews Dame Julie Andrews (born Julia Elizabeth Wells; 1 October 1935) is an English actress, singer, and author. She has garnered numerous accolades throughout her career spanning over seven decades, including an Academy Award, a British Academy Fi ...

. The newcomer takes the big stage with an uninhibited what-the-heck comfort level and the discipline to go with her instincts." ''

Time Magazine ''Time'' (stylized in all caps) is an American news magazine based in New York City. For nearly a century, it was published weekly, but starting in March 2020 it transitioned to every other week. It was first published in New York City on Mar ...

'' wrote: "she's

got the full package: girlish gawkiness and Broadway brass, the legs and the lungs. Foster is a big reason the show is just about the cutest thing to hit Broadway since Annie's dimples, with perkily retro songs by Jeanine Tesori and clever staging by director Michael Mayer..." Foster went on to win the 2002

Tony Award for Best Leading Actress in a Musical The Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical is awarded to the best actress in a Musical theatre, musical, whether a new production or a revival. The award has been given since 1948, but the nominees who did not win have o ...

, the

Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Musical The Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Musical is an annual award presented by Drama Desk in recognition of achievements in the theatre among Broadway, Off Broadway and Off-Off Broadway productions. The awards were established in 1955, ...

, and the

Outer Critics Circle Award The Outer Critics Circle Awards are presented annually for theatrical achievements both on Broadway and Off-Broadway. They are presented by the Outer Critics Circle (OCC), the official organization of New York theater writers for out-of-town newspa ...

for Outstanding Actress in a Musical for her performance. During the run, Foster appeared in concert versions of ''

Chess Chess is a board game for two players, called White and Black, each controlling an army of chess pieces in their color, with the objective to checkmate the opponent's king. It is sometimes called international chess or Western chess to disti ...

'' and '' Funny Girl'', before leaving in 2004. Upon leaving, Foster did a concert version of ''

Snoopy! The Musical ''Snoopy: The Musical'' is a musical comedy with music by Larry Grossman, lyrics by Hal Hackady, and a book by Warren Lockhart, Arthur Whitelaw, and Michael Grace. The characters are from the Charles M. Schulz comic strip ''Peanuts''. This seque ...

'' and returned to the

for a production of '' Me and My Girl'' to wrap up the year. In May 2005, Foster co-starred as Jo March opposite

Maureen McGovern Maureen Therese McGovern (born July 27, 1949) is an American singer and Broadway actress, well known for her renditions of the songs " The Morning After" from the 1972 film '' The Poseidon Adventure''; "We May Never Love Like This Again" from ''T ...

as Marmee in the musical adaptation of

Louisa May Alcott Louisa May Alcott (; November 29, 1832March 6, 1888) was an American novelist, short story writer, and poet best known as the author of the novel ''Little Women'' (1868) and its sequels ''Little Men'' (1871) and ''Jo's Boys'' (1886). Raised in ...

's classic novel ''

Little Women ''Little Women'' is a coming-of-age novel written by American novelist Louisa May Alcott (1832–1888). Alcott wrote the book, originally published in two volumes in 1868 and 1869, at the request of her publisher. The story follows the lives ...

'', for which she was nominated for her second Tony Award. The production closed after just a few months. She returned to Broadway at the Marquis Theatre in May 2006 in ''

'', a

spoof Spoof, spoofs, spoofer, or spoofing may refer to: * Forgery of goods or documents * Semen, in Australian slang * Spoof (game), a guessing game * Spoofing (finance), a disruptive algorithmic-trading tactic designed to manipulate markets __NOTOC__ ...

of 1920s musicals. She played Janet van de Graaff, a famous Broadway starlet who opts to forgo a stage career in favor of married life. The musical had a pre-Broadway run at the Ahmanson Theatre, Los Angeles in November to December 2005. Her performance earned her a third Tony nomination. Foster left the musical in 2007 and co-starred in

Mel Brooks Mel Brooks (born Melvin James Kaminsky; June 28, 1926) is an American actor, comedian and filmmaker. With a career spanning over seven decades, he is known as a writer and director of a variety of successful broad farces and parodies. He began h ...

' musical adaptation of his film ''

'' as the Swedish yodeling fräulein Inga, first at the Paramount Theatre and then on Broadway from October 2007 to July 2008. In 2007, Foster guest-starred on the children's musical puppet show ''

Johnny and the Sprites ''Johnny and the Sprites'' is an American children's musical television show that aired every weekend on the "Playhouse Disney" block on Disney Channel. The show was created by, produced by, and starred John Tartaglia (most famous for his work o ...

'' and in a three-episode

story arc A story arc (also narrative arc) is the chronological construction of plot in a novel or story. It can also mean an extended or continuing storyline in episodic storytelling media such as television, comic books, comic strips, board games, vide ...

on the

HBO Home Box Office (HBO) is an American premium television network, which is the flagship property of namesake parent subsidiary Home Box Office, Inc., itself a unit owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The overall Home Box Office business unit is ba ...

sitcom ''

Flight of the Conchords Flight of the Conchords is a New Zealand musical comedy duo formed in Wellington in 1998. The band consists of multi-instrumentalists Bret McKenzie and Jemaine Clement. Beginning as a popular live comedy act in the early 2000s, the duo's comed ...

''. She left the show to play Princess Fiona in ''

'', which opened on Broadway on December 14, 2008. For this role, Foster won her second

for Outstanding Actress in a Musical and was nominated for her fourth Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical. She played her final performance on January 3, 2010, when the show closed on Broadway. Foster participated in a reading of a work-in-progress new musical, ''Bonnie and Clyde: A Folktale'', in June 2009. Her brother, Hunter is writing the music for this musical.Clawson, Kerr
"Broadway star Sutton Foster coming to Cleveland"
ohio.com, February 2, 2010 Foster's debut solo album ''

Wish A wish is a hope or desire for something. In fiction, wishes can be used as plot devices. In folklore, opportunities for "making a wish" or for wishes to "come true" or "be granted" are themes that are sometimes used. In fiction In fiction a ...

'' was released by

Ghostlight Records Sh-K-Boom Records is an independent record label and producer of recorded and live entertainment, which was founded in 2000 by Kurt Deutsch with the mission of bridging the gap between pop music and theater. In 2004 Sh-K-Boom created their second ...

in February 2009. The songs range from jazz to pop to cabaret to Broadway. In 2010, Foster promoted the album with concert performances in

Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

, the

Orange County Performing Arts Center Orange most often refers to: *Orange (fruit), the fruit of the tree species '' Citrus'' × ''sinensis'' ** Orange blossom, its fragrant flower * Orange (colour), from the color of an orange, occurs between red and yellow in the visible spectrum ...

Orange County, California Orange County is located in the Los Angeles metropolitan area in Southern California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 3,186,989, making it the third-most-populous county in California, the sixth-most-populous in the United States, a ...

, and

Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...

Foster starred as Nurse Fay Apple in the

New York City Center New York City Center (previously known as the Mecca Temple, City Center of Music and Drama,. The name "City Center for Music and Drama Inc." is the organizational parent of the New York City Ballet and, until 2011, the New York City Opera. and th ...

Encores! Encores! is a Tony-honored concert series dedicated to performing rarely heard American musicals, usually with their original orchestrations. Presented by New York City Center since 1994, Encores! has revived shows by Irving Berlin, Rodgers & Ha ...

production of ''

Anyone Can Whistle ''Anyone Can Whistle'' is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and a book by Arthur Laurents. Described as "a satire on conformity and the insanity of the so-called sane," the show tells a story of an economically depressed town w ...

'', which played from April 8 to 11, 2010. Foster made her

Off-Broadway An off-Broadway theatre is any professional theatre venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, inclusive. These theatres are smaller than Broadway theatres, but larger than off-off-Broadway theatres, which seat fewer tha ...

debut in Paul Weitz's comedy ''Trust'' with

Zach Braff Zachary Israel Braff'Scrubs' Star Zach Braff Wows ...

Bobby Cannavale Roberto Michael Cannavale (; born May 3, 1970) is an American actor. He is best known for various television roles, including leading roles in ''Third Watch'', ''Vinyl'', and ''Mr. Robot'', as well as recurring roles in ''Will & Grace'', which wo ...

and

Ari Graynor Ariel Geltman Graynor (born April 27, 1983) is an American actress, known for her roles in TV series such as ''I'm Dying Up Here'', ''The Sopranos'' and ''Fringe'', in stage productions such as ''Brooklyn Boy'' and ''The Little Dog Laughed'', and ...

which began previews July 23, 2010 with an official opening August 12, running through September 12, 2010 at

Second Stage Theatre Second Stage Theater is a theater company founded in 1979 by Robyn Goodman and Carole Rothman and located in Manhattan, New York City. It produces both new plays and revivals of contemporary American plays by new playwrights and established wri ...

. Foster and

Seth Rudetsky Seth Dennis Rudetsky (born February 28, 1967) is an American musician, actor, writer and radio host. He currently is the host of ''Seth's Big Fat Broadway'' and ''Seth Speaks'' on Sirius/XM Satellite Radio's '' On Broadway''. The show focuses on R ...

participated in the one night only

Actors Fund The Entertainment Community Fund, formerly The Actors Fund, is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization that supports performers and behind-the-scenes workers in performing arts and entertainment, helping more than 17,000 people directly each year. Ser ...

benefit concert version of ''

They're Playing Our Song ''They're Playing Our Song'' is a musical with a book by Neil Simon, lyrics by Carole Bayer Sager, and music by Marvin Hamlisch. In a story based on the real-life relationship of Hamlisch and Sager, a wisecracking composer finds a new, offbeat ...

'' on August 30, 2010, at the Gerald W. Lynch Theater,

John Jay College The John Jay College of Criminal Justice (John Jay) is a public college focused on criminal justice and located in New York City. It is a senior college of the City University of New York (CUNY). John Jay was founded as the only liberal arts ...

, New York. The full cast included Efé, Kaitlyn Davidson, Alex Ellis, Maynard, Matt Loehr, and Jesse Nager, and was directed by Denis Jones.Hetrick, Adam and Gans, Andrew
"Full Cast of Sutton Foster-Seth Rudetsky 'They're Playing Our Song' Announced"
Playbill, August 18, 2010 Foster taught a Spring Semester master class at

New York University New York University (NYU) is a private research university in New York City. Chartered in 1831 by the New York State Legislature, NYU was founded by a group of New Yorkers led by then-Secretary of the Treasury Albert Gallatin. In 1832, the ...

Tisch School of the Arts The New York University Tisch School of the Arts (commonly referred to as Tisch) is the performing, cinematic and media arts school of New York University. Founded on August 17, 1965, Tisch is a training ground for artists, scholars of the a ...

Undergraduate Department of Drama, beginning in January 2010. It culminated in a cabaret performance at

Joe's Pub Joe's Pub, one of the six performance spaces within The Public Theater, is a music venue and restaurant that hosts live performances across genres and arts, ranging from cabaret to modern dance to world music. It is located at 425 Lafayette St ...

in May titled "From Rodgers To Heart". She taught the master class again in Fall Semester 2010, culminating in another performance at Joe's Pub, "Crazy for Gershwin". Both were musically directed by Deborah Abramson. She is now on the faculty of NYU's New Studio on Broadway. Foster taught a week-long

master class A master class is a Class (education), class given to students of a particular Academic discipline, discipline by an expert of that discipline—usually music, but also science, painting, drama, games, or on any other occasion where skills are b ...

session at Ball State University (Muncie, IN) in January 2010. She continued her relationship with Ball State in September 2010 by working with students in the classroom, teaching master classes, and performing workshops for students of the Department of Theatre and Dance. She also guest-starred in an episode of the

NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an Television in the United States, American English-language Commercial broadcasting, commercial television network, broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Enterta ...

legal drama '' Law & Order: SVU'' (opposite comedian

Kathy Griffin Kathleen Mary Griffin (born November 4, 1960) is an American comedian and actress who has starred in television comedy specials and has released comedy albums. In 2007 and 2008, Griffin won Primetime Emmy Awards for her reality show '' Kathy ...

), which aired on March 3, 2010. Foster performed at the 33rd Annual Kennedy Center Honors in a tribute to

Jerry Herman Gerald Sheldon Herman (July 10, 1931December 26, 2019) was an American composer and lyricist, known for his work in Broadway theatre. One of the most commercially successful Broadway songwriters of his time, Herman was the composer and lyricis ...

, singing "

Before the Parade Passes By ''Hello, Dolly!'' is a 1964 musical with lyrics and music by Jerry Herman and a book by Michael Stewart, based on Thornton Wilder's 1938 farce ''The Merchant of Yonkers'', which Wilder revised and retitled ''The Matchmaker'' in 1955. The musi ...

." She performed at the Kennedy Center Honors the following year in a tribute to

Barbara Cook Barbara Cook (October 25, 1927 – August 8, 2017) was an American actress and singer who first came to prominence in the 1950s as the lead in the original Broadway musicals ''Plain and Fancy'' (1955), ''Candide'' (1956) and ''The Music Man'' (19 ...

. She made a third appearance at the Kennedy Center Honors in 2013, performing for the tribute to

Shirley MacLaine Shirley MacLaine (born Shirley MacLean Beaty, April 24, 1934) is an American actress, author, and former dancer. Known for her portrayals of quirky, strong-willed and eccentric women, MacLaine has received numerous accolades over her seven-dec ...

. Foster performed a concert tour, ''An Evening With Sutton Foster'' from September 2010 to May 2011, performing songs from both her Broadway career and her solo album.

2011–2014: ''Anything Goes'' and branching out

Foster played Reno Sweeney in the Broadway revival of ''

'', which began performances on March 10, 2011, at the

Stephen Sondheim Theatre The Stephen Sondheim Theatre, formerly Henry Miller's Theatre, is a Broadway theater at 124 West 43rd Street in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. Owned by the Durst Organization and managed by the Roundabout Theatre C ...

and officially opened on April 7, 2011. Foster won her third

and second

Drama Desk Award The Drama Desk Award is an annual prize recognizing excellence in New York theatre. First bestowed in 1955 as the Vernon Rice Award, the prize initially honored Off-Broadway productions, as well as Off-off-Broadway, and those in the vicinity. Fo ...

and

Tony Award The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual cer ...

for her performance. Foster's final performance was on March 11, 2012, when she was replaced by Stephanie J. Block. Foster left to film the television comedy-drama ''

'', which premiered on ABC Family on June 11, 2012. Foster played the lead role in this short-lived 2012

drama, developed by

Amy Sherman-Palladino Amy Sherman-Palladino (born January 17, 1966) is an American television writer, director, and producer. She is the creator of the comedy-drama series ''Gilmore Girls'', ''Bunheads'', and ''The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel''. Sherman-Palladino has rec ...

, the creator of ''

Gilmore Girls ''Gilmore Girls'' is an American comedy-drama television series created by Amy Sherman-Palladino and starring Lauren Graham (Lorelai Gilmore) and Alexis Bledel (Rory Gilmore). The show debuted on October 5, 2000, on The WB and became a flagshi ...

''. She played former Las Vegas showgirl Michelle, who impulsively marries a man, moves to his small town, and begins teaching ballet lessons at her new mother-in-law's dance studio. She won the

Gracie Award The Gracie Awards are awards presented by the Alliance for Women in Media Foundation (AWM) in the United States, to celebrate and honor programming created for women, by women, and about women, as well as individuals who have made exemplary cont ...

and received a nomination at the

3rd Critics' Choice Television Awards The 3rd Critics' Choice Television Awards ceremony, presented by the Broadcast Television Journalists Association (BTJA), honored the best in primetime television programming from June 1, 2012, to May 31, 2013, and was held on June 10, 2013, at Th ...

for Best Actress in a Comedy Series. The series was cancelled after a single season. In the spring of 2012, she returned to Ball State, teaching classes, mentoring the interdisciplinary team that wrote the musical ''The Circus in Winter'', and co-directing the Department of Theatre and Dance's Spring 2012 production of ''The Drowsy Chaperone''; she also spoke at commencement and received an Honorary Doctorate of Fine Arts degree for her continued engagement with Ball State students. Foster continued her relationship with Ball State in October 2012, performing in the staged reading of ''The Circus in Winter'' at the National Alliance for Musical Theatre's Festival of New Musicals at

New World Stages New World Stages is a five-theater, Off-Broadway performing arts complex in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City. It is between 49th and 50th Streets beneath the plaza of the Worldwide Plaza complex at Eighth Avenue. ...

in New York.Hetrick, Ada
"Sutton Foster, André De Shields and Nancy Opel Join Casts of NAMT Festival Musicals"
Playbill, September 19, 2012 In 2013, Foster starred as Kerry in ''

Psych ''Psych'' is an American detective comedy-drama television series created by Steve Franks for USA Network. The series stars James Roday as Shawn Spencer, a young crime consultant for the Santa Barbara Police Department whose "heightened observ ...

'' actor

James Roday James Roday Rodriguez (born James David Rodriguez, April 4, 1976) is an American actor, director and screenwriter. He is best known for starring on the USA Network series ''Psych'' as hyper-observant consultant detective and fake psychic Shawn S ...

's comedic thriller ''

Gravy Gravy is a sauce often made from the juices of meats that run naturally during cooking and often thickened with wheat flour or corn starch for added texture. The gravy may be further coloured and flavoured with gravy salt (a simple mix of salt an ...

''. In 2014, she appeared opposite

Robin Williams Robin McLaurin Williams (July 21, 1951August 11, 2014) was an American actor and comedian. Known for his improvisational skills and the wide variety of characters he created on the spur of the moment and portrayed on film, in dramas and come ...

in the comedy ''

The Angriest Man in Brooklyn ''The Angriest Man in Brooklyn'' is a 2014 American comedy-drama film directed by Phil Alden Robinson and starring Robin Williams, Mila Kunis, Peter Dinklage, James Earl Jones, and Melissa Leo. It is a remake of the 1997 Israeli film ''The 92 Mi ...

''. From March to August 2014, Foster starred in the

Roundabout Theatre Company The Roundabout Theatre Company is a leading non-profit theatre company based in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, affiliated with the League of Resident Theatres. History The company was founded in 1965 by Gene Feist, Michael Fried and Elizabet ...

production of the musical ''

'' at the

American Airlines Theatre The American Airlines Theatre, originally the Selwyn Theatre, is a Broadway theater at 227 West 42nd Street in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. Built in 1918, it was designed by George Keister and developed by brothe ...

. Foster received her sixth Tony Award nomination for her performance.

2015–present: ''Younger'', London debut, and Broadway return

She made her Carnegie Hall debut in April 2015, with guest appearances from

Joshua Henry Joshua Anthony Charlton Henry (born September 2, 1984) is a Canadian-American actor and singer of stage and screen. He is best known for portraying Haywood Patterson in Kander and Ebb's 2010 musical '' The Scottsboro Boys'', for which he rec ...

and

Megan McGinnis Megan McGinnis (born December 5, 1979) is an American Broadway Actress, who performed in the role of Éponine, in the revival of Les Misérables. She created the role of Jerusha Abbott in the Off-Broadway production of Daddy Long Legs. She played ...

. This was part of a new tour effort ''An Evening With Sutton Foster: Broadway In Concert'', which continued through 2016. She returned to Encores! in July 2015 to play Queenie in

Andrew Lippa Andrew Lippa (born December 22, 1964) is an American composer, lyricist, book writer, performer, and producer. He is a resident artist at the Ars Nova Theater in New York City. Early life Lippa was born in Leeds, England, to English parents. ...

's '' The Wild Party''. She later was cast as the lead character of Liza Miller in the

single-camera comedy-drama pilot '' Younger'', created by

Darren Star Darren Star (born July 25, 1961) is an American writer, director and producer of film and television. He is best known for creating the television series ''Beverly Hills, 90210'' (1990–2000), ''Melrose Place'' (1992–1999), ''Sex and the City' ...

. It was originally set to be released January 13, 2015 but she stated on January 31 in an interview at TETA TheatreFest 2015 in Houston, Texas that the release was delayed. The series premiered on March 31, 2015, and was renewed for a second season, which began airing in January 2016, shortly after it was renewed for a third season, set for a release at the end of the year. In July 2016, season three began filming, and the series was renewed for a fourth season. Season three aired to positive reviews in late 2016, and season 4 aired in summer 2017 with further positive reviews. In 2016, she starred opposite

Aaron Tveit Aaron Kyle Tveit (; born October 21, 1983) is an American actor. Tveit originated the lead role of Christian the composer in the stage adaptation of ''Moulin Rouge!'' on Broadway, a performance for which he won the 2020 Tony Award for Best Acto ...

and

Betty Buckley Betty Lynn Buckley (born July 3, 1947) is an American actress and singer. Buckley is the winner of a Tony Award, and was nominated for two Daytime Emmy Awards, two Grammy Awards, and an Olivier Award. In 2012, she was inducted into the American T ...

in the

Stephen Schwartz Stephen Lawrence Schwartz (born March 6, 1948) is an American musical theatre lyricist and composer. In a career spanning over five decades, Schwartz has written such hit musicals as ''Godspell'' (1971), ''Pippin'' (1972), and ''Wicked'' (20 ...

revue ''Defying Gravity'' in

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

. She appeared in the Off-Broadway revival of ''

Sweet Charity ''Sweet Charity'' is a musical with music by Cy Coleman, lyrics by Dorothy Fields and book by Neil Simon. It was directed and choreographed for Broadway by Bob Fosse starring his wife and muse Gwen Verdon alongside John McMartin. It is based on ...

'' as Charity Hope Valentine at the Pershing Square Signature Center from November 2, 2016 (previews) to January 8, 2017. Also in 2016, Foster played the role of Violet in the miniseries '' Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life'' opposite her ex-husband, Christian Borle. The two perform a musical within the Summer episode about the history of Stars Hollow. She appeared on the game show ''

Match Game ''Match Game'' is an American television panel game show that premiered on NBC in 1962 and has been revived several times over the course of the last six decades. The game features contestants trying to match answers given by celebrity panelist ...

'', broadcast on

ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster ** Disney–ABC Television ...

in June 2016. She also made guest appearances on ''

The Good Wife ''The Good Wife'' is an American legal and political drama television series that aired on CBS from September 22, 2009, to May 8, 2016. It focuses on Alicia Florrick, the wife of the Cook County State's Attorney, who returns to her career in law ...

'' and '' Mad Dogs''. In 2017, she once again returned to Ball State, this time to co-direct the Department of Theatre and Dance's Spring production of ''Shrek: The Musical''. During December 2017, she performed as a guest artist for the

Mormon Tabernacle Choir The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square, formerly known as the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, is an American choir, acting as part of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). It has performed in the Salt Lake Tabernacle for ov ...

's annual Christmas concerts. In December 2017 Foster, along with Jonathan Groff, performed a selection of songs from many shows. This is the "Live From Lincoln Center" performance from The Appel Room at Lincoln Center, which originally aired on PBS on April 20, 2018. From July through October 2021, Foster reprised her role as Reno Sweeney in ''Anything Goes'' at the

Barbican Theatre The Barbican Centre is a performing arts centre in the Barbican Estate of the City of London and the largest of its kind in Europe. The centre hosts classical and contemporary music concerts, theatre performances, film screenings and art exhibi ...

in London, earning rave reviews from British critics. For her performance, Foster was nominated for the

. The production was broadcast in UK cinemas on 28th November and 1st December 2021. The recorded performance also played at US cinemas on March 27 and 30, 2022 and later aired on the PBS series ''

Great Performances ''Great Performances'' is a television anthology series dedicated to the performing arts; the banner has been used to televise theatrical performances such as plays, musicals, opera, ballet, concerts, as well as occasional documentaries. It is pr ...

''. In October 2021, she published a book titled
Hooked
" in which she opens up about how she used crafts, specifically cross-stitching, collaging and crocheting, to get through significantly challenging milestones in her life. She shares how using crafts as creative outlets helped her deal with painful experiences in her life and remain present and resilient. In December 2021, she returned to Broadway, starring as Marian Paroo opposite

Hugh Jackman Hugh Michael Jackman (born 12 October 1968) is an Australian actor. Beginning in theatre and television, he landed his breakthrough role as James "Logan" Howlett / Wolverine in the 20th Century Fox ''X-Men'' film series (2000–2017), a role ...

in a revival of ''

''. For her performance, Foster received her seventh nomination for the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical and also won the

Drama League Award The Drama League Awards, created in 1922, honor distinguished productions and performances both on Broadway and Off-Broadway, in addition to recognizing exemplary career achievements in theatre, musical theatre, and directing. Each May, the awards ...

for Distinguished Performance.

Personal life

Foster met actor

Christian Borle Christian Dominique Borle (born October 1, 1973) is an American actor and singer. He is a two-time Tony Award winner for his roles as Black Stache in ''Peter and the Starcatcher'' and as William Shakespeare in ''Something Rotten!''. Borle also ...

in college, and married him on September 18, 2006. The couple divorced in 2009. Foster and Borle still remain friends and continue to support each other's work. On September 19, 2013, Foster confirmed that she became engaged to screenwriter

Ted Griffin Ted Griffin (born December 21, 1970) is an American screenwriter whose credits include '' Ravenous'', ''Matchstick Men'', and ''Ocean's Eleven''. Born in Pasadena, California, Griffin graduated from Colgate University in 1993. He was schedule ...

. She and Griffin married on October 25, 2014. In April 2017, Foster announced that she and her husband adopted a baby girl, born March 5, 2017. Foster is a self-proclaimed dog lover and has had three dogs since her Broadway debut: Linus, Mabel, and Brody. She makes artwork which she sells online and occasionally at art exhibits. She has collaborated with visual artist Julien Havard, who previously worked as her dresser for nine years, beginning with ''Thoroughly Modern Millie''. In December 2021, Foster tested positive for

COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by a virus, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first known case was COVID-19 pandemic in Hubei, identified in Wuhan, China, in December ...

and was forced to miss performances of ''The Music Man''. Her swing, Kathy Voytko, stepped in for her to prevent the show from shutting down.

Filmography

Film

Television

Theatre

Discography

* '' An Evening with Sutton Foster: Live at the Café Carlyle'' (2011) * ''

'' (2009) *''Take Me to the World'' (2018) Tours *An Evening with Sutton Foster (2010–11) *An Evening with Sutton Foster: Broadway in Concert (2015–16)

Awards and nominations

Over her career, she has been recognized by the

Tony Awards The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual cer ...

and

Laurence Olivier Awards The Laurence Olivier Awards, or simply the Olivier Awards, are presented annually by the Society of London Theatre to recognise excellence in professional theatre in London at an annual ceremony in the capital. The awards were originally known as ...

for her work on the Broadway stage and London theatre for: *

56th Tony Awards The 56th Annual Tony Awards ceremony was held at Radio City Music Hall on June 2, 2002 and broadcast by CBS. "The First Ten" awards ceremony was telecast on PBS television. The event was co-hosted by Bernadette Peters and Gregory Hines. The cerem ...

: Best Actress in a Musical, win for ''

'' in 2002 * 59th Tony Awards: Best Actress in a Musical, nomination for '' Little Women'' in 2005 *

60th Tony Awards The 60th Annual Tony Awards were held at Radio City Music Hall on June 11, 2006. The award ceremony was broadcast live on the CBS television network in the United States. The 2006 Tony Awards did not feature a host, but instead over 60 stars pres ...

: Best Actress in a Musical, nomination for ''

'' in 2006 *

63rd Tony Awards The 63rd Annual Tony Awards, which recognized Broadway productions of the 2008-2009 season, were presented on June 7, 2009 at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. The ceremony was broadcast by CBS, hosted by Neil Patrick Harris. The cut-off d ...

: Best Actress in a Musical, nomination for ''

'' in 2009 *

65th Tony Awards The 65th Annual Tony Awards was held on June 12, 2011 to recognize achievement in Broadway productions during the 2010–2011 season. They were held at the Beacon Theatre, ending a fourteen-year tradition of holding the ceremony at Radio City M ...

: Best Actress in a Musical, win for ''

'' in 2011 * 68th Tony Awards: Best Actress in a Musical, nomination for ''

'' in 2014 *

75th Tony Awards The 75th Tony Awards were held on June 12, 2022, to recognize achievement in Broadway productions during the 2021–22 season. The ceremony was held at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, with Ariana DeBose serving as host of the main ceremo ...

: Best Actress in a Musical, nomination for ''

'' in 2022 * 2022 Laurence Olivier Awards: Best Actress in a Musical, nomination for ''

'' in 2022.

References

External links

* * * * *
Article on her role in ''Thoroughly Modern Millie''

Sutton Foster
– ''Downstage Center'' interview at American Theatre Wing.org, May 2005
TonyAwards.com Interview with Sutton Foster

Riverfront Times interview with Sutton Foster about her upbringing
{{DEFAULTSORT:Foster, Sutton 1975 births 20th-century American actresses 21st-century American actresses Actresses from Georgia (U.S. state) Actresses from Michigan American female dancers American dancers American women singers American musical theatre actresses American stage actresses Carnegie Mellon University College of Fine Arts alumni Dancers from New York (state) Drama Desk Award winners Living people Singers from Georgia (U.S. state) Singers from Michigan New York University faculty People from Statesboro, Georgia People from Troy, Michigan Tony Award winners