Sutton Foster to Return to Wharton Center for One-Night Performance

Broadway megastar and the namesake of Wharton Center's own Sutton Foster Awards, Sutton Foster returns to Michigan to celebrate her roots and immense talent on Saturday, October 3, 2026, at 7:30PM.

Sutton Foster is a Tony Award winning actress, singer, and dancer whose Broadway credits include starring roles in Once Upon a Mattress, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, The Music Man, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Anything Goes, Shrek, Young Frankenstein, Little Women, and Les Misérables, among many other theatrical roles. Sutton has made a name for herself in the theatre world through winning two Tony Awards and being nominated for five others. She has also won two Drama Desk Awards, three Outer Critics Circle Awards, and the Drama League Award for Distinguished Performance.

On television, Sutton Foster led the critically acclaimed series Younger, as well as Bunheads, and appeared in roles on Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, and much more. As a solo artist, she has toured the country with her hit solo concert and released multiple lauded recordings.

Michigan native Sutton Foster won't be taking the stage alone: joining the Broadway icon for a few numbers will be a featured ensemble of top local high school and collegiate performers, showcasing the next generation of Michigan theater talent, giving local student performers an opportunity to share the spotlight.

The student ensemble was chosen through a competitive selection process. Nominated by their high school drama teachers or recognized as standout nominees from last year's Sutton Foster Awards, these students submitted auditions featuring either a 32-bar vocal selection or a tap dance combination created by Foster's choreographer, Eric Sciotto.

To prepare for the performance, the selected students are undergoing a rehearsal process led by local teaching artists and professional educators at Wharton Center. Giving these students the opportunity to learn, rehearse, and perform alongside a performer of Foster's caliber brings the mission of the Sutton Foster Awards full circle. They aren't just watching Broadway excellence; now they are actively part of it.