Two-time Tony winner Sutton Foster is pirouetting her way to the small screen in Bunheads on ABC Family. Foster headlines as Michelle Simms, a Vegas showgirl who dreams of Broadway stardom. In the series’ June 11 premiere, Michelle reluctantly agrees to get dinner (and a dozen martinis) with Hubbell, an admirer she barely knows. When Michelle wakes up in Paradise, California, with a ring on her finger, she has a big decision to make—will she stay with Hubbell and his combative ballet teacher mom Fanny (Tony winner Kelly Bishop) or hightail it back to Vegas? Foster’s TV debut has us dancing for joy, so we’ve highlighted the most fabulous moments from the first episode of Bunheads. Check back next week for more Barre Hopping!
Showgirl Gripes: “We dance our asses off for two hours, and then five minutes from the end, they walk out, stand there, flash their boobs and bring the house down.”
Crappiest Apartment Ever: Michelle’s Vegas studio, complete with a broken air conditioner, black sludge on the wall and a hooker next door.
Drunken Post-Audition Rage: “If a director can just look at you and say ‘no’ after three seconds, it’s not ‘no’ ‘cause you’re so young and hot, it’s ‘no’ ‘cause you’re starting to look like an IHOP cashier.”
Hangover Outfit: Faded cutoffs, gold chain earrings and a wolf T-shirt
Verbal Spit Take: “Wait, you live with your mother like a serial killer?”
Best Excuse to Leave Paradise: “Truly has some serious ‘I’m driving cross country in diapers to kill you’ potential and your mother hates me.”
Post-Makeout Reaction: “Where’d you learn to kiss like that? Oh God, don’t say your mother.”
Best Banter:
Michelle: “What do you have against shorts?”
Fanny: “No real lady wears shorts.”
Michelle: “In what century are we having this conversation?”
Fanny: “Oh my God, the quips, the chatter, don’t you ever just shut up?”
Mock Audition: “All right, ladies, welcome to the audition for the sequel to Cats, working title: Dogs. Sorry about that 16-hour wait in the alley, I didn’t know it was gonna rain, freaking Weather Channel! Every audition makes you wait at least 16 hours.”
Best Dance Move: Pony, pony, pony!
Dancing Tunes: “Ain’t She Sweet” by Milton Ager & Jack Yellen, “Tempted,” by Squeeze, “You Don’t Mess Around With Jim” by Jim Croce
Bonus Fun Fact: Does Fanny's ballet class accompanist look familiar? It’s Glee piano man Brad Ellis!