Sutton Foster Brings Broadway Power to Erie

Contributed photo

The stage at the Mary D'Angelo Performing Arts Center will light up with the Broadway sounds of Sutton Foster, kicking off the 2023-2024 season of events from the Mercyhurst Institute for Arts and Culture.

THURSDAY, SEPT. 21

A new season of culturally relevant, world-class performances hosted by Mercyhurst Institute for Arts and Culture (MIAC) kicks off in September with Tony-award winning powerhouse Sutton Foster. Foster's Broadway acumen is extensive, most recently performing in the role of Marian Paroo in The Music Man, opposite Hugh Jackman (which earned her a seventh Tony nomination) — she has also starred in a laundry list of Broadway favorites including: Violet, Anything Goes, Young Frankenstein, Little Women, and more. If you don't recognize her name from the playbills, you may remember her from her roles in multiple popular television series like Younger, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Gilmore Girls, Flight of the Conchords, and Sesame Street among others.

Brett Johnson, artistic director for MIAC, is excited to be in a position to bring such big talent to the Mary D'Angelo stage. He comments, "Since 2016, MIAC has welcomed a multitude of Broadway legends to Erie. Kristin Chenoweth, Bernadette Peters, Patti LuPone, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Audra McDonald, Chita Rivera, Leslie Odom Jr., Kelli O'Hara, Aaron Tveit, Betty Buckley, and others have enthralled our patrons. Now, we're thrilled to welcome the incomparable Sutton Foster to campus for what promises to be another unforgettable evening of songs and stories."

Touring as a solo artist, Foster has performed in such renowned venues as Carnegie Hall, The Café Carlyle, Feinstein's, and Lincoln Center, and now thanks to MIAC, we're in the position to host her here in Erie. Johnson feels this kind of programming is a key component of the student experience at Mercyhurst University, "Mercyhurst students get free tickets for all MIAC Live performances. For our emerging artists, these events are an invaluable part of their education — we know the best way to learn is not only by practicing your craft but also by watching world-class performers at work."

Attendees can expect a medley of Broadway hits, original solo performances, and truly moving vocal displays. Johnson is excited to start the season with such a bang, "Sutton Foster lights up every stage with her infectious energy and undeniable talent, and I cannot think of a better way to kick off our 2023-2024 MIAC Live season." 

7:30 p.m. // Mary D'Angelo Performing Arts Center, 501 E. 38th St. // $35-$60 // For tickets and info: miac.mercyhurst.edu