Sutton Foster

She can do it all. She's a singer, a dancer, an actor, and a philanthropist. Many people in the theatrical community know of Sutton Foster, but that may not be the case for those who are not so acquainted with the world of theatre. Foster, who was born on March 18, 1975, is most famous for her collection of theatrical awards and her vocally impressive performances. Throughout her career, she has collected two Tony awards and an additional 3 nominations. However there is more to Foster than simply her accolades. She is also what some may consider to be a hero. There are many things that constitute someone as a hero. For instance, they must be selfless and charitable. If they are, then we know that they go above and beyond to assist in the lives of others and make the world a better place. Such is the case of Sutton Foster. She is a Broadway legend, and one cannot travel to the New York theatre scene without seeing her name on at least one marquee or poster. In addition to her being a constant presence on Broadway, Foster is a charitable and selfless woman who provides for us an idol to look up to.

One of the qualities that makes Foster a hero is the fact that she is enormously giving, and she is quite adept at using her fame to assist charities. Foster has been known to donate her time, money, and name to several charities, particularly Broadway Cares/Equity Fights Aids. In 2011, Foster attended the Broadway Flea Market, where she was "...among the many stars on hand to help the cause as the event raised $547,658 for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights Aids" (broadway.com). This just goes to show that Foster possesses a very giving soul, and how much she cares about the organization and its cause. She could have spent her day any other way, and yet she chose to attend the event and help raise money for the cause. Fans of Broadway are well-acquainted with Foster's work, and her presence drew attention to the event; she successfully utilized her fame to help BC/EFA raise money. However, attending events is not the only way that Foster supports charities. On her website, she sells artwork that she has produced, and buyers can select which piece they like. A percentage of these proceeds go back to charity. She also includes links to the BC/EFA donation page, where fans are encouraged to donate to the cause (Sutton Foster Inc.). This is an extraordinarily kind thing for Foster to do. She puts her time and effort into these art pieces, and still she chooses not to garner all the proceeds. Instead, she sends a portion of it off to charity, demonstrating her generous and giving heart. She has leveraged her name to assist a charity once again, throwing up links to donation pages on her website. This shows that she truly is trying to assist the charities in as many ways as possible, going out of her way to place encouragement where her fans can see it. Foster has an incredibly charitable side to her and it is a side that works hard to make sure that the charities and organizations she supports receive attention and donations from her and her fans alike.

Foster is incredibly charitable, but she is also extremely selfless, often directing her spotlight onto others so that they may have a moment of fame. In her 2011 Tony Acceptance Speech, Foster provided the audience with an abundance of selflessness, acknowledging her teachers, friends, and colleagues, to the point where that was the better half of her speech. One thing that she said in her speech is is the following: "I just want to thank all my teachers. Mrs. Cindy, Mrs. Dianne, and Mrs. Juliana, Mr. Bodick, and...especially Larry Moss, who really helped me find this role. I wanna thank Lily Marshall for thinking of me to play this part and for being our fearless and incredible leader" (Sutton Foster Acceptance Speech). Of all the things that she could have said in her speech, she chose to take the majority of it to thank the people that have contributed to that moment. In doing this, she has shone the spotlight on someone else for a moment, in order to make sure that they get the credit that they deserve. It takes a very selfless person to do this, and Foster shows here that she is quite selfless. Another large part of her acceptance speech was dedicated to a member of her creative team, and someone who she appears to consider a friend. She devoted a portion of her speech to him, saying "...My dresser, Julian Havard, who has been my dresser for nine years, and we've done six shows together. And he's leaving me next week, which is a great thing! Because he's pursuing his dream as an artist. He's an incredible artist, he's the world's greatest artist, and he's moving to Cape Cod and he's gonna be amazing. I love you so much!" (Sutton Foster Acceptance Speech). In shining the light on Mr. Havard, Foster has given credit to someone where credit may not normally be given. She has gone out of her way to acknowledge him and wish him well on his travels and endeavors. In this way she has shown how selfless of a woman she is, and that she is more than willing to use her precious moments to make sure that everyone gets the recognition that they deserve. She is a person who will take the time to appreciate another human being, even in a time where people are congratulating her on her achievements, and that is simply astounding.

"Heroes are made by the paths they choose, not the powers they are graced with" (Ashton 92). Sutton Foster was graced with many powers, such as her charming acting face and her incredible belting voice. And yet this is not what defines her as a hero. She is charitable and selfless, and in being these, has helped the greater good of humanity. Between all her Tony's and all her performances, it's hard to believe that Foster has any time for being a hero. And yet she does. She has gone out of her way to make appearances at charity events and support them, and she also nudges people into the spotlight, where they achieve a moment of fame. All of these things inspire me, and they inspire others at well. Foster is well known in the theatrical community, and many of us look up to her. We not only wish to match her theatrical abilities, but her personal qualities as well. Seeing someone with so much fame use their status for good is a truly inspirational thing, and we can take a lot from the way Foster behaves. She has shown us that being selfless and charitable are two qualities that can separate the heroes from the average people, and two qualities that have the power to improve our entire planet when we possess and exercise them.

Works Cited

Ashton, Brodi. Everneath. New York: Balzer Bray, 2013. 92. Print.

John M., Cunningham. "Foster, Sutton." Britannica Biographies (2012): 1. Biography Reference Center. Web. 21 Mar. 2013.

Sutton Foster. "Tony Acceptance Speech." 65th Annual Tony Awards. Beacon Theatre, New York. June 12, 2011.

Sutton Foster Inc. "Artwork by Sutton Foster." Sutton Foster. Sutton Foster Inc., 2013. Web. 21 Mar. 2013.  http://suttonfoster.com/visual-arts.htm.