Sutton Foster.

[On_Avenue_Payt]

Posted: 6/18/09 at 1:06am

What are your opinions on her?

Personally, I love her to death. I think she's easily one of, if not the most talented working stage actress today. She's got such an incredible stage presance, and her vocal choices and pitches are so unique, and she just oozes charisma. She seems like such a playful person too, which makes her really easy to like. Her singing voice is powerful, and she's a really versatile actress. Her comedic timing is really impecable. I've only seen her in Shrek and The Drowsey Chaperone in person, and she was fantastic in both. I've only seen clips of her as Millie in Thoroughly Modern Millie, but she looks fantastic, and on the recording her voice is just brilliant. I would have loved to have seen her in that role. I love her. Not to mention shes is outrageously adorable.



What do you think of her?

[ColorTheHours048]

Posted: 6/18/09 at 1:17am

I would love to see her do something different than her typical quirky heroine. She's been kind of type cast. I realize that it's what's made her a name, but now that she HAS that name, she should try and branch out. Maybe something serious. Or a play, even.

She has a naturally nerdy/quirky cutesiness to her, so it's understandable why people perceive her a certain way in casting, but I think she should make a few departures. Either way, she's a fabulous triple threat.
Updated On: 6/18/09 at 01:17 AM

[On_Avenue_Payt]

Posted: 6/18/09 at 1:21am

Totally agree with you. I'd love to see her do something heavy, just to change it up, cause I think shes deffenitly talented. A straight drama would be perfect for her, and it will break the type-cast she has on her right now. But she's obviously unbelivable at playing that comedic heroine. She's got some pair of pipes on her, though, don't she?

[ColorTheHours048]

Posted: 6/18/09 at 1:29am

"Gimme, Gimme" always gives me chills.

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 6/18/09 at 1:59am

I totally agree.

Her performance in MILLIE was totally a star turn and a fantastic performance in general...but since then she's turned in almost identical performances in very similar roles (save for Jo in LITTLE WOMEN I guess). She's great at doing what she does so I'm not complaining, I'd just love to see her try her hand at something totally different.

She's a great talent though and I think she'll be a go-to leading lady for many years to come. My favorite thing about her has to be her crazy buzzsaw of a vibrato which I'm obsessed with.
Updated On: 6/18/09 at 01:59 AM

[eatlasagna]

Posted: 6/18/09 at 2:12am

i've loved her ever since seeing her as Eponine...

but... it seems like she's in EVERY damn musical/workshop or whatever... and i know that argument well if she can get work good for her... that's not my point... it's almost coming to that point where i just want to see someone else for a change... there is such a thing as overexposure, and to me.. she's almost getting to that point.. but i still love her

[BwayTday]

Posted: 6/18/09 at 3:37am

she's great, I love her and her voice

[Janelle188]

Posted: 6/18/09 at 3:46am

Love her, love her, love her. I truly think she's absolutely adorable and her voice is just beautiful.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 6/18/09 at 4:26am

I fell in love with her during Millie....before the first number had ended.

NOW...I'm tired of seeing her play every part the same way. Yes, she lights up a stage....I just wish she'd show some versatiity.

I didn't actually care for her in Shrek. But, truth be told, there wasn't a whole lot about Shrek I liked at all.

[jordangirl]

Posted: 6/18/09 at 7:41am

I'm in the camp that says "branch out already".

Is she talented at the type of role she's done to date? Yes, there is no denying that. But is there any proof that she's talented BEYOND that? I'd like to believe so, but show me already. Take a chance on something that's not "type".

[AndAllThatJazz22]

Posted: 6/18/09 at 7:52am

This is kind of creepy, but I enjoy watching her when she's not performing too. I love her body language and facial expressions.

[madbrian]

Posted: 6/18/09 at 8:21am

I think she has the uncommon combination of talent, smarts, and luck. While the argument that she should take on a more serious part may be valid, what other actress has originated five major roles in such a short period of time? Since making her mark, she's avoided revivals, and avoided taking over roles. Indeed, others have taken over her roles and been compared to her. So, she has been able to define herself, without the constant comparison to predecessors that so many actresses are subject to.

[danmag]

Posted: 6/18/09 at 8:35am

I just adore her. What a voice.

[BroadwayBound115]

Posted: 6/18/09 at 10:45am

Maybe "Bonnie & Clyde" will be that serious show she needs. I can't imagine that as a 'rolling on the floor with laughter' type show.

[BroadwayAbridged]

Posted: 6/18/09 at 11:27am

but... it seems like she's in EVERY damn musical/workshop or whatever... and i know that argument well if she can get work good for her...

This is really common on Broadway, you have a handful of "it" people who are fantastic but haven't yet (or don't plan to) move into TV/Film, and they end up in every workshop. Catch Me If You Can and Adaams Family both had Nathan Lane in workshops, but obviously only one was going to get him in it. Kerry Butler was in that same spot a year or two ago, workshopping Xanadu, Little Mermaid, I think maybe a Legally Blonde. In her Downstage Center interview about a year and a half ago, she said that almost every musical on Broadway at that moment, she was in a workshop of at some point or other. And it was literally true.

I've loved Sutton in everything I've seen her in. I would like to see her branch into a play or two. She is good at comedy, I would like to see if she could handle a comedy at Shakespeare in the Park (which I bring up only because it's kind of rare to have Broadway productions of Shakespearean comedies nowadays...)

Wasn't Bonnie & Clyde a "fun" show?

[Larcen26]

Posted: 6/18/09 at 11:29am

I think that she is better than the material she has been given. Aside from The Drowsy Chaperone and Millie (and some out there argue with Millie) she has not been given anything of real quality. She generally raises the quality of what she does (Roll in the Hay should not have been a charming of a song as it is when she sings it) but what she has been given is really below par. She is sort of in danger of becoming a poster child for sub-standard musicals.

I personally think that she should start campaigning now to play Petra in the Little Night Music revival. It would give her something mature, let her show her sexy side as opposed to her flirty side, and I have a hunch that she could belt out one hell of a "Miller's Son"

[BroadwayAbridged]

Posted: 6/18/09 at 11:32am

I personally think that she should start campaigning now to play Petra in the Little Night Music revival. It would give her something mature, let her show her sexy side as opposed to her flirty side, and I have a hunch that she could belt out one hell of a "Miller's Son"

That might be pretty great. Has she played sexy before? (Young Frankenstein is a more sterilized version of sexy)

I was thinking--the moment I realized she could actually branch out was Flight of the Conchords. She dates on of the Conchords for half of the first season, and she's so unassuming, so small and homely, which is so totally different from, say, Drowsy Chaperone.

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 6/18/09 at 11:35am

I fell in love with her in Millie and it was a total star turn. Had we lived in a different time, that role would have catapulted her to stardom on TV and film. I just remember being totally enamored with her. I likened it to what it must have been like to see Streisand in "Funny Girl" back in the day. Since then, her choices have gradually bored me to the point I rarely pay attention to her. I am waiting for her to step outside of type and show me a new side. I'll be waiting, as I think she is divine.

[Hank]

Posted: 6/18/09 at 11:39am

"I fell in love with her during Millie...before the first number had ended".
My feelings as well, in fact I saw her six times as Millie, and twice in Drowsy where she again played a 1920's flapper, and that is where I liked her best.
She was also terrific in Little Women, and in her cabaret performance in the American songbook series at Lincoln Center.
However, I'm not a big fan of Shreck either, so I'll just leave it at that.
In the future, I'd like to see her do a revival. I know she did Me and MY Girl at the Pittsburgh CLO a few years back, and I would have loved to have seen that. Also, when she gets a break, I'd love to her her do some more cabaret gigs.

[iflip4musicals]

Posted: 6/18/09 at 12:52pm

I absolutely adore her. I think she is remarkably talented, but I also think she could branch out. At the same time, Jo was a more serious character (than Fiona) and that didn't do so well..... I completely agree that a Shakespeare in the Park production would be divine! I would pay to see that (but of course the whole point is that it's free, I know) I was really blown away by her CD and really feel like it shows more range.

And not sure if "Bonnie and Clyde" will really be a comedy? I think she can do a lot with that role, and I hope it keeps going places!

Also, after seeing clips of the Actors Fund Benefit of Chess, I think she would make a remarkable Svetlana if it came back and she would do a revival.

Updated On: 6/18/09 at 12:52 PM

[millie_dillmount]

Posted: 6/18/09 at 1:04pm

I have seen her in every Broadway musical since Millie (except Little Women), and she is one of my favorite actresses.

I think she will definitely branch out to play more serious roles in time. It is impressive, though, how she has managed to originate five roles, and she will have a long and successful career.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 6/18/09 at 2:17pm

As far as Night Music or other revivals: Sutton has publically stated she has no interest in doing anything other originating roles.

As far as "given" anything of real quality. She doesn't have to say yes....she has a choice. We could not possibly know what, if anything, she has turned down.

[millie_dillmount]

Posted: 6/18/09 at 2:41pm

"Sutton has publically stated she has no interest in doing anything other originating roles."

You mentioned other revivals. So she would not even originate a role in a revival?

I can't wait to see what she'll star in next.

[BroadwayAbridged]

Posted: 6/18/09 at 2:52pm

"Sutton has publically stated she has no interest in doing anything other originating roles."

I forgot about that. But I think that eventually won't be quite as true. Someday, when she's recognized by people other than BroadwayWorld message board trollers, she'll be able to command an entire revival built around her the same way Bernadette and Lupone do, and I bet she'll find that one thing she's interested in.

[Anakela]

Posted: 6/18/09 at 3:01pm

Maybe "Bonnie & Clyde" will be that serious show she needs. I can't imagine that as a 'rolling on the floor with laughter' type show.

The version I saw at NYMF was, actually- it was a comedy, and sold as such.