Two-time Tony Award winner Sutton Foster (Thoroughly Modern Millie, Anything Goes) is returning to Broadway as the title character in the musical Violet. Produced by Roundabout Theatre Company, Violet is set in the deep South of 1964 and concerns the relationship between a physically scarred young white woman (Foster) and a young black soldier. Foster previously starred in an Encores! staging of the Brian Crawley and Jeanine Tesori musical in the summer of 2013. Violet begins performances at the American Airlines Theatre Theatre on March 28 and runs through August 10, with an opening night set for April 20.
To celebrate Foster’s return to the Great White Way, BroadwayBox looks back on her acclaimed theatrical career via our favorite YouTube videos
After minor roles in a few Broadway musicals, Foster won her first Tony Award in 2002 singing and dancing her face off as Millie Dillmount in Thoroughly Modern Millie. This performance from the Rosie O’Donnell show is unparalleled—things get really crazy around the 2:40 mark.Next, she played Jo in the musical adaptation of Little Women, earning her second Tony nomination. The highlight of the short-lived show was her big solo “Astonishing.”
Then, Foster starred in the Broadway musicals Drowsy Chaperone (third Tony nomination), Young Frankenstein and Shrek (fourth Tony nomination). In Shrek, Foster made a big Broadway entrance with the powerful and comedic number “I Know It’s Today.”
Cut to 2011 and Sutton Foster takes on the iconic role of Reno Sweeney in Roundabout Theatre Company’s revival of the Cole Porter classic Anything Goes. Foster picked up her second Tony Award and after watching her perform the title number below, you’ll know why.
After winning that second Tony, Foster headed to California to star in ABC Family’s ballet dramedy Bunheads—which is fine because TV audiences got to learn about one of Broadway’s best kept secrets.
While waiting on official word of Bunheads’ cancelation, Sutton Foster headlined Encores! one-night-only concert presentation of Violet. And now, nearly six months later, Foster will return to the Great White Way in the Broadway staging of Violet. Check out the clips from Encores!’ production below.
BONUS: In 2003, Foster co-starred as Svetlana in the Actors Fund’s presentation of Chess, and her killer rendition of the “Someone Else’s Story” needs to be heard and appreciated.
