Sutton Foster’s foray into television has been a successful one. The two-time Tony winner’s series, Bunheads, has already been picked up for a second season.
The change from Broadway to television has been different for Foster. In an interview with Broadway.com, she said, “I’m coming from a world of theater where every day is the same, and there’s a comfort in that. But on TV, once you’re done with a scene, you’ll never do it again. You’ve got 40 people staring at you with a camera and lights; there’s no time to be scared or to be like, ‘I don’t know how.’ There’s days, obviously, where I’m like, ‘I can’t do it!’ But you work through it and move on to something else.”
One of the main obstacles has been the shooting schedule, much different from a typical theater run. “One of the biggest challenges is the exhaustion factor,” Foster said. “They’ll be like, ‘Okay, your call’s at 5:45.’ What!? [laughs]. I’d go to bed at 8:30, then work a 15-hour day and memorize the dialogue on the show, so the biggest challenges are brain melt and exhaustion. I’ve never been more addicted to coffee and Diet Coke.”
But despite the small-screen success, Foster will always consider Broadway her home. “I hope to have a long, lustrous career,” she said. “People ask me what’s better, Broadway or TV? I can’t pick. That’s not fair. Bunheads has been a great challenge and something I needed creatively. If Broadway will have me, I’ll be back for the rest of my life. Hopefully my life will be very long. I’m aiming for an Angela Lansbury career!”
