Sutton Foster and Kelli O’Hara

Continuing a weeklong conversation dedicated to “Icons and Instigators: Women Who Change the World,” the Chautauqua Lecture Series is proud to welcome Sutton Foster and Kelli O’Hara, two legendary stars of stage and screen, for a conversation on their lives and careers. The joint appearance and discussion will serve as a preview of the pair’s performance with the Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra later that evening. Sutton Foster is a Tony Award–winning actress, singer, and dancer who most recently starred in an acclaimed turn as Princess Winnifred in the Broadway revival of Once Upon a Mattress at the Hudson Theatre. Foster reprised the role after leading the critically adored adaptation at New York City Center Encores!, and traveled with the show for a limited run at the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles. Foster previously starred as Mrs. Lovett opposite Aaron Tveit in the Tony Award–winning Broadway revival of “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street” at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre. The two-time Tony-winning actress appeared as Marian Paroo in the 2022 Broadway revival of The Music Man at the Winter Garden Theatre; her performance earned her seventh Tony award nomination and the 2022 Drama League Distinguished Performance Award. In 2021 she reprised the role of Reno Sweeney in Anything Goes at London’s Barbican Theatre, earning an Olivier Award nomination for Best Actress in a Musical. That same year she released her debut memoir, Hooked: How Crafting Saved My Life. Foster’s Broadway credits include Violet, Anything Goes (Tony Award), Shrek, Young Frankenstein, The Drowsy Chaperone, Little Women, Thoroughly Modern Millie (Tony Award), Les Misérables, Annie, The Scarlet Pimpernel and Grease. Her Off-Broadway appearances included Sweet Charity, The Wild Party, Trust and Anyone Can Whistle. On television, she led the critically acclaimed TV Land series “Younger” for seven seasons, making it the longest-running original series in the network’s history. Additional television credits include “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” and “Bunheads.” Her solo recordings include Take Me to the World, Wish and An Evening with Sutton Foster: Live at the Café Carlyle. She holds an honorary doctorate from Ball State University, where she teaches. Kelli O’Hara is a Tony Award winner, and Emmy-, SAG- and Grammy-nominated actress. She has appeared in 12 Broadway shows for which she has garnered eight Tony Award nominations. O’Hara starred in the critically acclaimed, limited Broadway engagement of the new musical “Days of Wine and Roses.” Most recently, she starred opposite Tom Hanks in the world premiere of the Off-Broadway play “This World of Tomorrow” and can be seen in the new CBS series “Sheriff Country.” Spring 2026 marks the Broadway return of O’Hara in the revival of “Fallen Angels.” O’Hara won the 2015 Tony Award for Best Leading Actress in a Musical, along with Grammy, Drama League and Outer Critics nominations for The King and I. O’Hara’s other Broadway...