ABC Family Picks Up Sutton Foster Pilot BUNHEADS

ABC Family, the Millennial-skewing network, continues to expand its original programming slate, giving the greenlight to the new drama series BUNHEADS (working title), it was announced today by Michael Riley, president, ABC Family.

Executive-produced by Amy Sherman-Palladino ("Gilmore Girls") and headlined by Tony Award(R)-winning actor Sutton Foster, BUNHEADS is the tale of a Las Vegas showgirl who impulsively marries a man, moves to his sleepy coastal town, and takes an uneasy role at her new mother-in-law's dance school. "Bunheads" joins ABC Family's recently announced new original series, "Baby Daddy" and "Beverly Hills Nannies." All three series will begin production in Spring 2012.

Kate Juergens, executive vice president, Original Programming and Development, ABC Family added, "Amy and I had a great collaboration on 'Gilmore Girls,' which continues to find new fans here on ABC Family, and I look forward to this new partnership being just as successful. Her vision for 'Bunheads' aligns beautifully with our brand and is a wonderful addition to ABC Family's original programming slate. I know our Millennial audience is going to fall in love with Sutton Foster the same way Broadway has."

Foster has received two Tony Awards, in 2002 for Thoroughly Modern Millie and in 2011 for Anything Goes. Her other Broadway credits include Little Women, The Drowsy Chaperone, Young Frankenstein and Shrek the Musical.

She is currently playing Reno Sweeney in the Broadway revival of Anything Goes, which began performances on March 10, 2011 at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre and officially opened on April 7, 2011.

Previous television credits include: Flight of the Conchords and Law & Order: SVU.