On Sept. 19, 2026, The Soraya will be hosting a night of music with Sutton Foster and the Pacific Jazz Orchestra. The show is being conducted by Chris Walden, who has been working with Foster to take a journey through Broadway songs and beyond.
Sutton Foster has become a very well-known performer, notably known for her performances on Broadway, receiving her first Tony award in 2009 for “Thoroughly Modern Millie.” Foster also starred in many television roles such as “Younger” and “Bunheads.”
Accompanying Foster for her performance is the Pacific Jazz Orchestra, led by Chris Walden. The performance will feature a 40-piece orchestra. Walden not only has been working with Foster to rearrange some familiar pieces, but will be featuring new arrangements created for the show as well.
“We’re going to do it in the environment, in the arrangement that she typically does, staying true to the period,” Walden said. “But some of the songs we’re going to take out of the traditional Broadway environment and put a little bit of a different twist on them.”
Walden shared that he is working closely with Foster to create a sound that both Foster and the orchestra would be comfortable with while also testing new limits.
“My job is to keep that intact and kind of have the arrangement support her delivery, her theatrical and dramatic delivery of these songs,” Walden said.
Despite Foster and Walden working together for this performance, they have not worked together previously, and Walden has familiarized himself with Foster’s work by researching it online.
“I kind of knew who she was, but once we knew she’s going to be our guest soloist for that show on Sept. 19,” Walden said. “I looked at a bunch of her performances on YouTube and familiarized myself with her singing style, with her range, and with the repertoire she likes to sing.”
However, there isn’t much time in between setting up the show and creating new arrangements before the actual show date. In fact, Walden will only be rehearsing with Foster two days before the performance and Foster will be rehearsing with the full orchestra the day of the performance.
“I think early August we started really drilling down on what songs we’re gonna do, and then that’s when I started writing the arrangement, so basically, which is like two months before the show,” Walden said.
Walden added that funds and talent are the two main reasons behind the lack of rehearsal time before the show day.
“We do just a piano vocal rehearsal one day before the show with just her and a pianist and myself to go over these arrangements without the orchestra, to get her familiar with it, and then, the day of the show, we do a dress rehearsal with the orchestra, “ Walden said. “She’s a professional as well, so that’s all we need, and she has the sheet music. She might, on her own, prepare for it a little bit with her music director.”
Students interested in attending the performance at The Soraya are able to use their student discount to get tickets for $22. You can find the event details and ticket portal at The Soraya website.
