Sutton Lenore Foster (born March 18, 1975) is an American actress, singer and dancer. She is known for her work on the Broadway stage, for which she has won the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical 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 yo ...

'', and in 2011 for her performance as Reno Sweeney in '' Anything Goes'', a role which she reprised in 2021 for a production in

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, 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 dow ...

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 ''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 live ...

'', '' The Drowsy Chaperone'', ''

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 ...

'', '' Shrek the Musical'', '' Violet'', 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 and satellite television network that is now known as Freeform was originally launched as the CBN Satellite Service on April 29, 1977, and has gone through several different owners (and six different name changes) during its h ...

comedy-drama '' Bunheads'' 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, 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''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'' directed by Tommy Tune."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 Ball State University (Ball State, State or BSU) is a public university, public research university in Muncie, Indiana. It has two satellite facilities in Fishers, Indiana, Fishers and Indianapolis. On July 25, 1917, the Ball brothers, indust ...

, "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, is also an actor.

Career

1995–2001: Early career

After touring in the role of

Sandy Dumbrowski ''Grease'' is a musical with music, lyrics, and a book by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey. Named after the 1950s United States working-class youth subculture known as greasers, the musical is set in 1959 at fictional Rydell High School (based on ...

in the musical '' Grease'' throughout 1995, Foster transferred to the Broadway production in 1996. She left to appear in the ensemble of the Broadway musical '' The Scarlet Pimpernel'' in 1997, and after that closed she returned as the Star to Be in the revival of '' Annie''. In 1998, Foster appeared in ''What the World Needs Now'' at the Old Globe Theatre, 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 origin ...

'' 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. 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 Actr ...

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, ''The Three Musketeers'' at the American Musical Theatre of San Jose, and ''

South Pacific The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean (or, depending on definition, to Antarctica) in the south, and is bounded by the continen ...

'' 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 ...

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 abou ...

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, 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), whi ...

, the gawky comic precision of the young Carol Burnett, 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 Fosterappears 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 F ...

. 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 Ma ...

'' wrote: "she's utton Fostergot 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 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Musical, 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 newsp ...

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 dist ...

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

'', 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 '' The Drowsy Chaperone'', a spoof 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 ...

' 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, vid ...

on the HBO sitcom '' Flight of the Conchords''. She left the show to play Princess Fiona in '' Shrek the Musical'', 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'' was released by Ghostlight Records 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 = List of sovereign states, Count ...

, 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, ...

, and Washington, D.C. Foster starred as Nurse Fay Apple in the New York City Center's

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 & ...

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 th ...

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 ...

and Ari Graynor which began previews July 23, 2010 with an official opening August 12, running through September 12, 2010 at Second Stage Theatre. 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 benefit concert version of '' They're Playing Our Song'' 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 art ...

, 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, th ...

's Tisch School of the Arts Undergraduate Department of Drama, beginning in January 2010. It culminated in a cabaret performance at Joe's Pub 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 session at

(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 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 lyrici ...

, 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. 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 '' Anything Goes'', which began performances on March 10, 2011, at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre 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. F ...

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 c ...

for her performance. Foster's final performance was on March 11, 2012, when she was replaced by

Stephanie J. Block Stephanie Janette Block (born September 19, 1972) is an American actress and singer, best known for her work on the Broadway stage. Block made her Broadway debut in 2003, originating the role of Liza Minnelli in '' The Boy from Oz''. After readi ...

. Foster left to film the television comedy-drama '' Bunheads'', 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, 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 flag ...

''. 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 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 T ...

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 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 obser ...

'' actor James Roday'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 sa ...

''. 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 Min ...

''. From March to August 2014, Foster starred in the Roundabout Theatre Company production of the musical '' Violet'' 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 br ...

. 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 and Megan McGinnis. 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'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 Cit ...

. 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 ...

in the Stephen Schwartz revue ''Defying Gravity'' in

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands. With an area of , Australia is the largest country by ...

. 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'', broadcast on ABC in June 2016. She also made guest appearances on '' The Good Wife'' 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 ...

'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 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 p ...

''. 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 for Distinguished Performance.

Personal life

Foster met actor Christian Borle 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 scheduled ...

. 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 identified in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. The disease quick ...

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) * '' Wish'' (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 c ...

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 a ...

for her work on the Broadway stage and

London theatre 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 major s ...

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 ceremo ...

: Best Actress in a Musical, win for ''

'' in 2002 *

59th Tony Awards The 59th Annual Tony Awards ceremony was held on June 5, 2005 at Radio City Music Hall and broadcast by CBS television. Hugh Jackman hostedJones, Kenneth" 'Doubt' Is Best Play, 'Spamalot' Best Musical; Butz, Irwin, Clark, Jones, Nichols Win 2005 ...

: Best Actress in a Musical, nomination for ''

'' 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 pre ...

: Best Actress in a Musical, nomination for '' The Drowsy Chaperone'' in 2006 * 63rd Tony Awards: Best Actress in a Musical, nomination for '' Shrek the Musical'' 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 Mu ...

: Best Actress in a Musical, win for '' Anything Goes'' in 2011 *

68th Tony Awards The 68th Annual Tony Awards were held June 8, 2014, to recognize achievement in Broadway productions during the 2013–14 season. The ceremony was held at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, and was televised live on CBS.Gans, Andrew"68th Ann ...

: Best Actress in a Musical, nomination for '' Violet'' 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 cerem ...

: Best Actress in a Musical, nomination for ''

'' in 2022 *

2022 Laurence Olivier Awards The 2022 Laurence Olivier Awards were held on 10 April 2022 at the Royal Albert Hall and hosted by Jason Manford. They were the first Oliviers to be held since 2020 due to the complete shutdown of UK theatres in 2020/2021 as a result of lockdown ...

: Best Actress in a Musical, nomination for '' Anything Goes'' 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