Tony-award winner assists with University Theatre production

Check out a photo gallery of "The Drowsy Chaperone."

Sutton Foster has brought a taste of Broadway to the University Theatre. The Tony-award winning actress has come to Ball State to assist with the direction of "The Drowsy Chaperone," a production which she starred in during its Broadway run.

Sutton has been affiliated with Ball State's theatre department for seven years. She described it as an incredible experience.

"I am directing ‘The Drowsy Chaperone' about six years after starring in it," Foster said. "It's great to pass my knowledge and experience onto college students. Watching them perform helps me. I'm very fortunate for this relationship."

Directing with Foster is Bill Jenkins, chairperson of the theatre department. He saw the Broadway production with Foster, but Jenkins has never directed "The Drowsy Chaperone" before. He described working with Foster as a great experience for him and for the students.

"Sutton is an outstanding, talented and wonderful woman," Jenkins said. "We've known for a year and a half that she would be working with the theatre department in some way. We let her choose the production she wanted to do, and she chose ‘The Drowsy Chaperone' because she had the best experience with it."

Sophomore musical theatre major Shawn Hickey said she worked with Foster in various workshops last year. She said having her here for "The Drowsy Chaperone" is a great experience.

"I've seen so much of her work, and I was a bit nervous when we first started working with her," Hickey said. "She cares about us being our best. She isn't making the play about her and her accomplishments but focusing all of that attention on us and the musical."

Zach Tabor, freshman acting major, said working with Foster has been the best experience he's had in the department. He said she is a humble, down to earth person.

"Sutton has amazing accomplishments. All of those aside, she has a brilliant vision for the stage," Tabor said. "She communicates with us, and we pick up on what she is saying right away. She's just brilliant."

"The Drowsy Chaperone" is a show within a show. Jenkins said it follows an anti-social middle age man with a love for musical theater. As he enjoys an evening with his musical record collection, the man's living room turns into the stage of his favorite album, the 1928 musical comedy "The Drowsy Chaperone," the story of a showgirl trying to leave the business to get married but runs into trouble along the way.

Jenkins called the production "a love letter to musical theater," adding that within this production's "great story and wonderful music," the middle age man's love for theater becomes evident.

Senior musical theatre major Betsy Farrar is playing the role of Janet, the same role Foster played. Farrar said she has loved her role. She said Janet is different from her real personality and that it feels like she is playing pretend when getting all dolled up like a showgirl.

"It's been so nice to get Sutton's personal insight on the musical and my part," she said. "Her originality has helped me with mine."

Foster said that she has enjoyed watching new people perform show.

"Seeing Betsy play the part I had is oddly totally fantastic," she said. "She is a great and talented actress. I am so proud of her and the entire cast's work."

Not only does this production have a Broadway star as a director but also a Broadway quality set. Jenkin said the theatre department rented the national touring set from "The Drowsy Chaperone." He said it was a challenge at first to figure out how the set worked.

Jenkins said the production has a mixed cast, mixed in terms of grade and experience. He said the variety in cast members has caused some challenges, but Jenkins is pleased and proud of where the cast is now.

"We have a very talented group of students in the cast," he said. "This show is going to be top quality."

Jenkins said he hopes the audience can find what brings them joy and an escape through "The Drowsy Chaperone."

"In life, it helps us to have our own way to escape, a way to feel good for some amount of time," Jenkins said. "It can be through anything. In this show, it's through musical theater."

"The Drowsy Chaperone" opens tonight to Sunday and Wednesday through Feb. 18. The show will begin at 7:30 p.m. with the exception of a matinee show at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday. Tickets cost $11 for students and $16 for the general public. For more information or to purchase tickets, contact the University Theatre Box Office.