Leading lady Sutton Foster, one of Broadway's darlings, will perform in An Evening with Sutton Foster at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at PlayhouseSquare's Hanna Theatre. The triple-threat actor/dancer/singer had her breakthrough Broadway role as the lovable title character in Thoroughly Modern Millie in 2002.
Since then, she has starred in Little Women, The Drowsy Chaperone, Young Frankenstein, and Shrek: The Musical, which just closed Jan. 3. Her Cleveland concert, part of a five-city tour, will include Broadway hits, jazz, pop and cabaret. (For tickets, which cost $10 to $45, call 216-241-6000 or see http://www.playhousesquare.org.)
Foster recently took a break from her busy schedule to respond to questions in an e-mail interview.
Q: How did your working relationship with Michael Rafter grow into both your debut solo album Wish as well as your upcoming concert tour?
A: Michael and I met during Thoroughly Modern Millie. He was the musical director and conductor for that show. And we had a very special bond between actor and conductor. We began working together on music and concerts six years ago, and we just work very naturally and organically together. Michael is a brilliant musician and I feel he brings out the best in me. We decided to work on putting an album together, which we recorded in May 2008 and released in February 2009. And now we are taking songs from the album as well as songs that I've performed on Broadway and some new material and put them into a concert. I'm so excited about sharing what we've been working on with people across the country.
Q: Is performing in concert a very different experience from performing in a Broadway show? Is it a nice change of pace?
A: It's totally a nice change of pace. I truly love being a performer and I love being on stage. It's different primarily because I'm not playing a character. I'm just being myself. So it's a little scarier. I can't hide behind a costume or crazy makeup . . . so it's a more personal experience.
Q: Please describe some of your favorite pop influences and inspirations that you'll be performing in your concert in Cleveland.
A: I love folk music . . .so there is a huge influence there regarding our arrangements. I grew up listening to John Denver . . . and I knew I wanted to sing one of his songs. We do several musical theater standards as well as some pop songs and a few surprises. It's an eclectic mix, but I'm so proud of every song we have selected.
Q: What would your dream role be, or have you already lived it?
A: Truthfully so many of my dreams have come true. Someday I'd love to play Mama Rose in Gypsy.
Q: What has been your favorite theatrical role so far?
A: I would probably say Fiona in Shrek. It was fun to play a bipolar princess in such a fantastical world.
Q: We hear you are working with your brother Hunter on the musical Bonnie & Clyde: A Folktale. Can you tell us about the status of the project?
A: Yes! Hunter penned the book. I participated in a reading of it back in June of 2009. I know that it is in the works to have a full-fledged production at some point in the future, but nothing is concrete yet. It's a pretty fantastic adaptation [of the 1967 movie Bonnie and Clyde].
Q: I see that both you and Hunter appeared in Les Miserables and Grease on Broadway. Were you in either of these shows together?
A: Yes! We performed in Grease together for three weeks and Les Mis for three days. It was amazing to be able to be in a show at the same time. I would love to be able to do that again.
Q: Growing up with an older brother who got into musical theater, did you make a conscious decision to follow in his footsteps? If so, at what age did you make that commitment?
A: Hunter and I both discovered theater at about the same time. It was when we were living in Augusta, Georgia. There was a local community theater there and we both started auditioning for shows about the same time. I was 10 and he was 15. I think we both encouraged each other to go for it . . .and through the years we have been continuing to support and encourage each other.
Q: You've been hailed as one of Broadway's busiest musical comedy stars. I myself thoroughly enjoyed your giddy, gangly physical humor in Thoroughly Modern Millie. Is being funny something that can be taught or do you have to be born with it?
A: I'm not sure! I think having a sense of humor helps. I definitely have learned a lot through each show and experience about physical comedy and timing . . . and it is something that I'm constantly thinking about and observing in myself and in others.
Q: How is your theater course going that you're teaching at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts?
A: It's awesome! I feel so passionate about teaching. And I just finished teaching a series of master classes at Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana, working with their theater department and students. It's something that I want to become more involved in. I feel passionate about the next generation of musical theater and about the future of theater in general.
Q: What's the best advice you could give young folks trying to break into musical theater?
A: Keep learning, stay open, respect your peers and your teachers and directors. And mostly be yourself. Your greatest asset is your individuality.
Arts writer Kerry Clawson may be reached at 330-996-3527 or kclawson@thebeaconjournal.com.
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