鈥淚t was a top five career experience,鈥� Sutton Foster tells 半岛体育 unequivocally.
The star who earned her big break as Thoroughly Modern Millie isn鈥檛 talking about that Tony-winning Broadway performance or her second win as Reno Sweeney in the 2011 revival of Anything Goes, or any of the incredible roles she鈥檚 originated on Broadway鈥攆rom Jo in Little Women to Janet Van De Graaff in The Drowsy Chaperone. (Though, to be fair, she didn鈥檛 say those 飞别谤别苍鈥檛 in her top five.) But in this instance, Foster refers to her stint as The Baker鈥檚 Wife in this past summer鈥檚 Into the Woods at the Hollywood Bowl. 鈥淭he really, really special ones last three shows,鈥� she says with a laugh.
And this year, Foster decided to spend the full summer in California with her husband, Ted, her daughter, Emily, and her two dogs, Mabel and Brody.
Like many in the Broadway community, Foster adopted her pups鈥攁nd with the help of Broadway animal trainer Bill Berloni. At the time, Foster was in tech for Violet and Mabel was a 鈥漝ressing room dog.鈥� 鈥淪he got her courage at Violet,鈥� says Foster of the dog she rescued from a kill shelter. 鈥淪he wouldn鈥檛 cross the hall, where the boys were, and the day she cross the hall the boys were like, 鈥榊ay baby girl.鈥欌€�
Foster believes strongly in pet adoption, which is why she鈥檚 partnered with , which is donating funds to and to keep canines safe in the car.
Since then, Mabel has also been a staple on the Younger set, where Foster stars as Liza Miller. The Tony winner doesn鈥檛 know if she鈥檒l be bringing her to her upcoming Broadway gig at The Music Man. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 just what we need in the middle of Music Man, you hear a dog barking,鈥� Foster jokes.
Here, Foster reveals the work she鈥檚 been doing on Marian Paroo prior to The Music Man鈥檚 Broadway bow, what she hopes for Younger Season 7, and more.
Was Marian on your wish list?
It wasn鈥檛, because she is such a classic soprano role, but that鈥檚 also what made her exciting to me. The challenge of bringing something new to Marian. I think we do think of Marian as a certain way and I鈥檓 always looking for the left turn or the challenge at this point in my career. To be honest, when they started talking to me about it my first reaction was like, 鈥淲ait a minute, there might be something interesting here.鈥� There might be an opportunity鈥攏ot to reinvent her鈥攂ut just bring something new to her.
Have you met with Hugh Jackman yet?
In January this year I was with the team and sang through all the material. I didn鈥檛 know if I could do it. So it was a really interesting process of coming to it. I thought the same way when I got Reno Sweeney. It felt scary and terrifying. But then the more I think about it, the more I read the script, I was like, 鈥極h no, she鈥檚 feisty, she鈥檚 outspoken.鈥� There鈥檚 so much going on with Marian I鈥檓 really looking forward. She鈥檚 complicated. I鈥檓 excited to be able to play her. We鈥檙e actually going to be doing a couple labs, like a lab in September and then there鈥檚 another lab in February. I鈥檓 thrilled the team wants to go back into the show. My approach always is鈥擨 did this with Anything Goes, too鈥攊s, yes, this is obviously a show that has so much history, but I like to approach it as if it鈥檚 never been done before. Because the shoes are too big to fill. I can鈥檛 step into Barbara Cook, Shirley Jones. So how do I find my way into this? I鈥檓 excited, I鈥檓 terrified but excited.
You're still in the midst of Younger, coming up on Season 7. We talk a lot about ? But I want to know what you think Liza鈥檚 end game is. What is her hope for herself?
I think her main priority has always been her career and reclaiming herself. She鈥檚 grown so much and, especially this season, the secret is out. She can be her most authentic self this season. But I also think it鈥檚 bringing up a lot of complications. So I don鈥檛 know what her end game will be. I don鈥檛 see her walking off into the sunset with anybody except herself, or maybe she and Kelsey or Diana starting their own company or something. I don鈥檛 even know if the writers know exactly where it鈥檚 all going to end up. I can鈥檛 believe we鈥檙e heading into Season 7.
