Sassy Scintallating Sutton Foster
Nov. 15th, 2014 06:32 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
nikiwhiteIt's hard to imagine a time when the name Sutton Foster didn't make theatre lovers gush on social media in similar fashion to fans' current exploding of feeds over Taylor Swift's latest album. At 39, the actress and singer has proven she can simultaneously sing, dance, and flat-out charm her way into hearts with almost disturbing ease, and if you don't know why this is, I must rectify it immediately, because it's the equivalent of not recognizing the name Taylor Swift!
The two time Tony-Award winner, who's been nominated for Best Leading Actress almost every time she hasn't won the trophy, was on Broadway this year in the limited engagement of Violet, whose soundtrack was featured here before. The undeniable star-power she brought to the show was made even more remarkable because Foster has not made a name for herself by playing angsty, acerbic wits, like that title character. In fact, every other character apart from Violet has required her to boast a megawatt smile and behave like a woman hell-bent on nailing the talent portion of a beauty pageant, while being so amiable that you'd expect her to take home the Miss Congeniality Award too. Of course, it helps that Foster possesses a brassy, pure voice that can effortlessly switch between ferocity and tenderness, and feels that making the lyrics come to life is more important than sounding pretty (though, as far as I know, she's been professional enough to never hit a wrong note in her career).
When Sutton was four, she was introduced to dancing, which became her first love; she wasn't bit by the acting bug until she turned 10 and played the title role of Annie in a community theater production. Purportedly, she auditioned for one of the supporting character orphans, and so was originally devastated to learn she'd snagged the lead, because we all know how disappointing failures like that can be, right?
After being on the show Star Search (think of it as an early American Idol), she
After one last understudy part--the lovelorn Eponine in a touring production of Les Misérables--she landed a chorus bit in the show Thoroughly Modern Millie, but a few weeks before it hit Broadway, it was Annie all over again. Ms. Foster was asked to play the lead, instead of a supporting cast character. Somehow undaunted by being an unknown actress starring in a nearly $10 million production, she said yes, won her first Tony, and never understudied for anything again.
From 2005 to 2010, Foster went on to originate the roles of
Her second Tony Award was bestowed for her portrayal of songstress Reno Sweeney in the Anything Goes revival, and the Tony committee have recognized her with Best Leading Actress in a Musical nominations for everything but the Mel Brooks' redux, including Violet.
Now it's time for you to see some of Sutton's work! It's also time for me to apologize for the video onslaught that's about to befall you; sorry! (Not really sorry.)
Here's that little star-making performance as Millie Dilmount at the 2002 Tony Awards. A little-known, sadistic fact about the Tony's: nominated musical casts aren't given the day of the ceremony off (unlike the casts of plays, who pre-record their selections), so once they've given it their all onstage, they have to perform the most emotional/high-energy number on national television. So watch Ms. Foster and company sing and tap dance after already doing so roughly half an hour before the cameras rolled!
In this next piece, called "Astonishing", (no pressure with a title like that, right?), from Little Women, Sutton effortlessly runs the gambit from displaying the universal uncertainty and terror in pursuing your passion, to embracing the freedom of choice in a burst of vocal acrobatics.
Because some things must be seen to be believed, here's the Tony Awards performance of "Anything Goes", wherein Sutton leads the world's longest tap dance sequence ever created after singing her head off!!
And finally, there's a slim chance you may have seen Sutton star in the criminally canceled TV show Bunheads, and for the many of you who didn't, here's some background before I show you what you missed. It only ran from 2012 to 2013, thanks to the ABC Family We-can't-market Network. But back to Ms. Foster, who played a former ballerina turned Vegas showgirl turned ballet teacher, and thus had opportunities to showcase those formidable singing chops and _non-tap skills.
If you weren't one already, the only way you haven't been made a Foster fan is if you bypassed any of those performances! By now the Broadway baby has earned her claim to fame ten times over, and the theatre community's burning question isn't what will she do next, but what will she dazzle us with next?
Thoroughly Modern Millie:
Amazon or iTunes
Little Women:
Amazon or iTunes
Wish*:
Amazon or iTunes
An Evening with Sutton Foster: Live at the Café Carlyle*:
Amazon or iTunes
*If you liked what you heard in the videos, but aren't a fan of Broadway, you may find the pop, country, jazz and original compositions featured in those last two albums to be more fitting.
The two time Tony-Award winner, who's been nominated for Best Leading Actress almost every time she hasn't won the trophy, was on Broadway this year in the limited engagement of Violet, whose soundtrack was featured here before. The undeniable star-power she brought to the show was made even more remarkable because Foster has not made a name for herself by playing angsty, acerbic wits, like that title character. In fact, every other character apart from Violet has required her to boast a megawatt smile and behave like a woman hell-bent on nailing the talent portion of a beauty pageant, while being so amiable that you'd expect her to take home the Miss Congeniality Award too. Of course, it helps that Foster possesses a brassy, pure voice that can effortlessly switch between ferocity and tenderness, and feels that making the lyrics come to life is more important than sounding pretty (though, as far as I know, she's been professional enough to never hit a wrong note in her career).
When Sutton was four, she was introduced to dancing, which became her first love; she wasn't bit by the acting bug until she turned 10 and played the title role of Annie in a community theater production. Purportedly, she auditioned for one of the supporting character orphans, and so was originally devastated to learn she'd snagged the lead, because we all know how disappointing failures like that can be, right?
After being on the show Star Search (think of it as an early American Idol), she
- Understudied the female lead in Broadway's Grease,
- studied voice for a year at Carnigie Mellon,
- took up on-going private voice lessons, and
- generally went unnoticed in the theatre community.
After one last understudy part--the lovelorn Eponine in a touring production of Les Misérables--she landed a chorus bit in the show Thoroughly Modern Millie, but a few weeks before it hit Broadway, it was Annie all over again. Ms. Foster was asked to play the lead, instead of a supporting cast character. Somehow undaunted by being an unknown actress starring in a nearly $10 million production, she said yes, won her first Tony, and never understudied for anything again.
From 2005 to 2010, Foster went on to originate the roles of
- Jo March in the adaptation of the classic novel Little Women
- Janet van de Graff in the musical comedy spoof The Drowsy Chaperone,
- the eyecandy in Mel Brooks' Young Frankenstein, and
- Princess Fiona in Shrek the Musical.
Her second Tony Award was bestowed for her portrayal of songstress Reno Sweeney in the Anything Goes revival, and the Tony committee have recognized her with Best Leading Actress in a Musical nominations for everything but the Mel Brooks' redux, including Violet.
Evidentiary Vocals
Now it's time for you to see some of Sutton's work! It's also time for me to apologize for the video onslaught that's about to befall you; sorry! (Not really sorry.)
Here's that little star-making performance as Millie Dilmount at the 2002 Tony Awards. A little-known, sadistic fact about the Tony's: nominated musical casts aren't given the day of the ceremony off (unlike the casts of plays, who pre-record their selections), so once they've given it their all onstage, they have to perform the most emotional/high-energy number on national television. So watch Ms. Foster and company sing and tap dance after already doing so roughly half an hour before the cameras rolled!
In this next piece, called "Astonishing", (no pressure with a title like that, right?), from Little Women, Sutton effortlessly runs the gambit from displaying the universal uncertainty and terror in pursuing your passion, to embracing the freedom of choice in a burst of vocal acrobatics.
Because some things must be seen to be believed, here's the Tony Awards performance of "Anything Goes", wherein Sutton leads the world's longest tap dance sequence ever created after singing her head off!!
And finally, there's a slim chance you may have seen Sutton star in the criminally canceled TV show Bunheads, and for the many of you who didn't, here's some background before I show you what you missed. It only ran from 2012 to 2013, thanks to the ABC Family We-can't-market Network. But back to Ms. Foster, who played a former ballerina turned Vegas showgirl turned ballet teacher, and thus had opportunities to showcase those formidable singing chops and _non-tap skills.
If you weren't one already, the only way you haven't been made a Foster fan is if you bypassed any of those performances! By now the Broadway baby has earned her claim to fame ten times over, and the theatre community's burning question isn't what will she do next, but what will she dazzle us with next?
Select Discography
Thoroughly Modern Millie:
Amazon or iTunes
Little Women:
Amazon or iTunes
Wish*:
Amazon or iTunes
An Evening with Sutton Foster: Live at the Café Carlyle*:
Amazon or iTunes
*If you liked what you heard in the videos, but aren't a fan of Broadway, you may find the pop, country, jazz and original compositions featured in those last two albums to be more fitting.
