Sutton Foster Photo courtesy of Sutton Foster / Arizona Musicfest

Beyond her vocal prowess, Foster's ability to connect with the audience was a highlight of the evening. She shared charming stories about her childhood, career, and personal life. Whether cracking jokes or reminiscing about her life raising a 7-year-old, her natural storytelling ability added depth to the performance.

The set list featured a delightful mix of Broadway songs, standards, and classic pop songs. Foster's soaring vocals and impeccable phrasing shone throughout, including a "Something's Coming" from West Side Story that opened the concert on a high. A soft and slowed down take on "Pure Imagination" from the film Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory allowed Foster to focus on the meaning of the lyrics in the song. She commented on how she hadn't been to the Phoenix area since before COVID and how a lot has happened since then. With lyrics that begin, "The world is in a mess. With politics and taxes and people grinding axes, there's no happiness," she launched into a rousing take on "Slap that Bass" by George and Ira Gershwin that was featured in the film Shall We Dance and later used in the musical Crazy for You.

While she didn't sing any songs from the show she first won a Tony for, Thoroughly Modern Millie, she did deliver a lovely, jazzy take on "I Get a Kick Out of You" from Anything Goes, the musical she won her second Tony for. She followed that with another Cole Porter song, the humorous "Don't Look at Me That Way" from his 1928 musical Paris.

Sutton spoke about how when she was a young girl, she'd listen to cast recordings as she dreamed about having a career on Broadway and how one of her favorites was Jason Robert Brown's Songs from a New World. Her performance of "Stars and the Moon" from that show was exquisite, with clear delivery of the story song to get every nuance and bit of humor out of the lyrics and the emotionally impactful ending. Two lesser-known songs from musicals that also have meaningful lyrics received lovely treatment: "Breeze Off the Water" from The Full Monty and "I Don't Want to Know" from Dear World, which Foster sang with a fiery passion.

Foster mentioned that her daughter Emily, who is now 7, has made her notice things she's never noticed before, such as playgrounds, and also hear music she never heard before. She sang the humorous "Raining Tacos" to highlight one of the songs she now knows and also "Undecided" as proof of what it's like having a young daughter who she can never get out of the house on time due to her not being able to make up her mind.

Foster talked about what it was like doing a show after she had her daughter and how when she did The Music Man it was difficult since they were never on the same schedule but that she'd Facetime with Emily before the show each night when her daughter was getting ready for bed. The beautiful "Goodnight, My Someone" was the song she said had always been her daughter's lullaby, and her delivery showcased the clarity of her vocals. She said her daughter wasn't really into princesses but that she hoped her recent portrayal of the character Winnifred in Once Upon a Mattress was a princess Emily would like since she was a goofy and confident woman and one of the most freeing characters she's ever played. Foster then wrung every ounce of humor and pathos out of the lyrics of that show's comical song, "Happily Ever After."

She mentioned that her mother was a complicated woman who introduced her to a lot of amazing music and that Dan Fogelberg was one of her mother's favorite singers. She then gave a poignant delivery of Fogelberg's "Same Old Lang Syne" and followed that with another pop song, Stevie Wonder's "If it's Magic." Joni Mitchell's "A Case of You" is another beautiful story song and Foster ensured every lyric was delivered with clarity and compassion.

She mentioned her book "Hooked: How Crafting Saved My Life," which she wrote about her crafting and how she likes to crochet. She humorously added "don't call me a knitter, I'll come after you. Crocheters and knitters are like the Jets and the Sharks!" Her mother was a cross stitcher and she said she'd make all kinds of things, like Christmas ornaments and bookmarks, and while her mom has passed away the things she made with her hands will live on forever. She added she used to watch her mother crossstitch and now that is repeated as Emily watches her crochet. Foster's heartfelt and gentle rendition of John Denver's "Sunshine on My Shoulders," which she sang while crocheting an addition to a quilt she brought out in a color selected by an audience member, was followed by "Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be)." Both numbers beautifully captured the personal feeling of that connection between parent and child.

The song "Meantime," which was written by Robert Allen with lyrics by Al Stillman and Carol Burnett introduced in 1962, received a driving rendition. The concert ended with the beautiful "Thank You So Much" from the musical Do I Hear a Waltz? with music by Richard Rodgers and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. A gorgeous encore of "Till There Was You" from The Music Man closed the show on a high.

The musical accompaniment throughout was equally impressive, with a talented accompaniment from her music director Michael Rafter on piano providing rich and dynamic support without overpowering Foster's vocals. The arrangements were beautifully crafted, allowing her voice to take center stage while adding texture and warmth to each song.

Sutton Foster performed at the Arizona Musicfest on January 27, 2024. Information for upcoming Arizona Musicfest concerts can be found at www.azmusicfest.org.