Sutton Foster, the powerhouse actress who has the title role in the Tony Award-nominated Thoroughly Modern Millie, has few breaks in the 2 1/2-hour musical comedy at the Marquis Theatre, where she is leading or participating in no less than 10 musical numbers.

Nominated for a 2002 Tony Award for Best Actress (Musical) and embraced for her wide smile, belting voice and endless energy, Foster is the kind of actress who blows the roof off the theatre in the way you imagine greats like Ethel Merman did.

After seeing the twentysomething actress go through the exhausting Millie paces, you can't help but ask, "How does she get through it every night?"

"Oh, my God!" she laughed, understanding the question. "A lot of vitamins. A lot of peanut butter. A lot of water. A lot of tea. A lot of sleep. A lot of steaming."

Foster, whose Broadway roles until now have included the Star to Be in the revival of Annie, Eponine in Les Misérables and Sandy in Grease, admitted she doesn't go out and party after her performances. "Yeah, I have no social life," Foster said at the May 15 brunch where she accepted her Tony Award nomination plaque. "But that's OK. It's worth it. I'm starting to find more of a pace as we keep going. It's getting easier. Its definitely the most exhausting and taxing thing, emotionally, physically, vocally, that I've ever done."