Emersonians Share Stage with Tony Award-Winning Broadway Legend Sutton Foster

Arianna Arocho ’29 never expected to be able to perform on stage alongside a Broadway legend during her first year at Emerson. 

But on Saturday, Arocho and 27 other Emerson College musical theatre majors joined Tony Award–winning actress and Broadway star Sutton Foster for “An Evening with Sutton Foster,” at the Emerson Colonial Theatre.

“Never in a million years would I have imagined that I would have a chance like this during the first year of my undergrad,” said Arocho, who sang a trio with Foster and 10-year-old Livia Quist (whose mother Melissa Thunberg ’04 happens to be an alum) to perform “I Know It’s Today” from Shrek the Musical. “Being able to sing with someone I’m such a big fan of is an amazing opportunity.”

Emerson students had access to this Broadway-level opportunity, thanks to a connection forged by Associate Professor Sariva Goetz. When Goetz stepped into her role as Head of Musical Theatre at Emerson, she set out to strengthen the department’s relationship with the Emerson Colonial Theatre. 

“We approached the Emerson Colonial Theatre with the question: ‘How can my students collaborate with what you’re doing?’ The relationship we’ve fostered with them led to this amazing opportunity,” said Goetz.

Goetz then extended an invitation to all undergraduate Musical Theater majors; 28 talented Emersonians’ schedules fit the rehearsal schedule and joined Foster, backing her as a choir.

“When it comes to this performance,” said Goetz, who worked with Foster on the original Broadway production of Les Miserables before Foster became famous, “I want my students to be proud of the level of professionalism and commitment with which they approached this event.”

Read a review of “An Evening with Sutton Foster” on Boston.com.

Foster’s Broadway credits include Anything Goes, Violet, Sweeney Todd, and more. On Saturday, Emerson students joined her for four numbers, including a performance of “On My Way” from the musical Violet, which featured Cameron Parker ’27 and Gilbert Almaraz ’26.

“Being on stage with Sutton is a wild opportunity,” Parker said at a rehearsal prior to the show. “She’s one of the main reasons why I got into musical theater in the first place.”

“It’s very nice of Sutton to allow us to share the stage with her,” said Almaraz. “She’s the biggest name we’ve gotten to work with, and I hope this sort of thing can happen more often for the sake of future Emerson students.”

In addition to accompanying Foster on stage, members of the Emerson choir delighted the Colonial audience on Saturday with an a capella rendition of “Ev’ry Time We Say Goodbye” by Cole Porter. During rehearsals, students shared how uniquely challenging and exciting it was to prepare for this song, famously sung by Ella Fitzgerald.  

Sydney Hoffman ’26 said she relished the opportunity to perform with Foster. “I love how this experience allowed us to practice something completely new, as well as aspects of musical theater we don’t get a lot of chances to delve into,” said Hoffman. “I love choral music, and Sutton is a huge name in the industry. It’s a very cool opportunity.”