- Sutton Foster
Infobox actor
name = Sutton Foster
imagesize = 180px
caption =
birthname =
birthdate = birth date and age|1975|3|18
birthplace =Statesboro, Georgia , USA
occupation = Actor
yearsactive =
website =
academyawards =
tonyawards = Best Leading Actress in a Musical
2002 "Thoroughly Modern Millie "Sutton Foster (born
March 18 ,1975 ) is an American actress,singer , anddancer . She is the sister of actorHunter Foster .Biography
Foster was born in
Statesboro, Georgia and raised inTroy, Michigan . At age fifteen, she was a contestant on the television show "Star Search " and also auditioned for the cast of "The Mickey Mouse Club ". She left Troy High School, where she had been active in the Troy Theatre Ensemble, before her senior year (she received her diploma via correspondence courses) to be in the national tour of "The Will Rogers Follies " directed byTommy Tune . She then attendedCarnegie Mellon University for one year, but left to pursue a theatrical career full-time.Foster's big break was reminiscent of "42nd Street" when, during rehearsals of the pre-Broadway run of "Thoroughly Modern Millie" at the
La Jolla Playhouse inSan Diego , where she was the Understudy and was called on to replace the leading lady. This was hardly her first Broadway caliber production as she had played roles on Broadway and in National tours of such shows as the revival of "Annie" as the "Star to Be", the 1995 Broadway revival of "Grease" as the Understudy to the role of "Sandy", and "Les Miserables" as the Understudy to the role of "Eponine." But still she was basically an "unknown" and any apprehension about having an unknown playing the lead in a nearly $10 million Broadway production was proven unfounded when she opened at theMarquis Theatre to primarily rave reviews. Foster went on to win the 2002 Tony Award for Best Leading Actress in a Musical and theDrama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Musical for her performance.In 2005, Foster starred as Jo March opposite
Maureen McGovern as Marmee in the short-lived musical adaptation of theLouisa May Alcott classic "Little Women", for which she was nominated for her second Tony Award.Foster returned to the
Marquis Theatre on Broadway in May 2006 in "The Drowsy Chaperone ", a spoof of 1920s musicals. She played the role of Janet van de Graff, a famous Broadway starlet who opts to forgo a stage career in favor of married life. Her performance in "Chaperone" earned her a third Tony nomination.In 2007, Foster was offered two television acting roles. The first as the sister of host Johnny on "
Johnny and the Sprites ", a children's musical puppet show. Next came the role of Coco, the girlfriend of central character Bret, in a three episodestory arc on theHBO television series "Flight of the Conchords".Foster recently starred in
Mel Brooks ' new musical production of "Young Frankenstein". She played the German yodeling fraulein Inga until July 6, 2008. [http://www.broadwayworld.com/viewcolumn.cfm?colid=29200]Her next role is "Fiona" in the musical adaptation of "Shrek". The musical is recently had its Pre-Broadway tryout in
Seattle at the5th Avenue Theatre and is scheduled to start previews on Broadway atThe Broadway Theatre onNovember 8 ,2008 , with an official Broadway opening onDecember 14 ,2008 . [Gans, Andrew. [http://www.playbill.com/news/article/120408.html "Seattle Goes Green: Shrek the Musical Makes World Premiere Aug. 14",] playbill.com, August 14, 2008]In 2008, as a thank you to her former high school, Foster returned to her hometown to help future budding stars in their own local production of "Thoroughly Modern Millie".
Music
Sutton Foster is currently working on her debut CD entitled "Wish" which will be released sometime around early 2009, by Ghostlight Records.
She recently performed songs from her debut album at Joe's Pub in New York City.
Work
;Broadway
* "Shrek" (2008)
* "Young Frankenstein" (October 11, 2007 - July 6, 2008)
* "The Drowsy Chaperone " (Apr 3, 2006 - Apr 15, 2007)
* "Little Women" (2005)
* "Thoroughly Modern Millie" (Mar 19, 2002 - Feb 15, 2004)
* "Les Misèrables" (2000)
* "Annie " (1997)
* "The Scarlet Pimpernel" (1997)
* "Grease" (1996);Regional theatre
* "Me and My Girl " (Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera)
* "What the World Needs Now " (Old Globe)
* "Dorian" (Goodspeed Opera House)
* "The Three Musketeers " (San Jose Musical Theatre)
* "South Pacific" (Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera);Filmography
* "p.s. " (2004)
* "Johnny and the Sprites " (2007)
* "Flight of the Conchords" (2007);Discography
* "Wish" Debut Album
* "Shrek The Musical" Original Cast Recording
* "Young Frankenstein" Original Cast Recording
* "The Drowsy Chaperone" Original Cast Recording
* "Little Women" Original Cast Recording
* "TheMaury Yeston Songbook"
* "Thoroughly Modern Millie" Original Cast Recording
* Jule Styne in HollywoodAwards and nominations
;Awards
* 2002 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Musical - "Thoroughly Modern Millie"
* 2002 Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Actress in a Musical - "Thoroughly Modern Millie"
* 2002Fred Astaire Award for Best Actress - "Thoroughly Modern Millie"
* 2002 Tony Award for Best Lead Actress in a Musical - "Thoroughly Modern Millie";Nominations
* 2005 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Musical - "Little Women"
* 2005:Drama League Award nomination for Distinguished Performance - "Little Women"
* 2005 Tony Award for Best Lead Actress in a Musical - "Little Women"
* 2006Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Musical - "The Drowsy Chaperone"
* 2006: Drama League Award nomination for Distinguished Performance - "The Drowsy Chaperone"
* 2006Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Actress in a Musical - "The Drowsy Chaperone"
* 2006 Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Actress in a Musical - "Little Women"
* 2006 Tony Award for Best Lead Actress in a Musical - "The Drowsy Chaperone"
* 2008: Drama League Award nomination for Distinguished Performance - "Young Frankenstein"References
External links
*
*
* [http://www.donshewey.com/theater_articles/sutton_foster.html Article on her role in "Thoroughly Modern Millie"]
* [http://www.americantheatrewing.org/downstagecenter/detail/sutton_foster Sutton Foster] - "Downstage Center" interview at American Theatre Wing.org, May 2005
* [http://www.americantheatrewing.org/seminars/detail/performance_04_03 Performance] - "Working in the Theatre Seminar" video at American Theatre Wing.org, April 2003
* [http://www.tonyawards.com/en_US/interactive/video/index.html#f TonyAwards.com Interview with Sutton Foster]
* [http://simplysutton.proboards56.com/index.cgi Active Sutton Fan Forums]
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