Tony Award-winning actress and singer Faith Prince could have lived just about anywhere, but she and her husband, trumpeter Larry Lunetta, wanted stability for their son, Henry.

After spending time in Los Angeles and New York, the couple decided to put down roots where Larry grew up and where they first met.

That was here in Sacramento. She was starring in "On a Clear Day" at the Music Circus, and Lunetta was playing in the orchestra. Lunetta has been the musical contractor for California Musical Theatre since 2008, taking over from his father, Stan Lunetta.

Prince maintains a hyperactive career on stage and screen, and her work regularly takes her on the road or to New York.

This weekend, however, the rest of the world must wait. Prince comes home to sing for the first time with the Sacramento Philharmonic. Her extensive career in musical theater inspires the song choices for two special concerts – one at the Community Center Theater and the other at Three Stages at Folsom Lake College.

You might think that Prince was here practicing for weeks, but her work schedule just won't allow it. The Bee talked to her by phone in Georgia during a break in filming for the Lifetime network television show "Drop Dead Diva."

"It's never dull," said the actress, who has a recurring role playing the mother of series star Brooke Elliott's character, Jane Bingum. Sacramento native Kate Levering (herself a Broadway veteran) has a co- starring role in the series.

"It's unlike anybody else's career that I know of. But that's me," Prince said.

To shoot the series, Prince took a break from the national tour of the multi-award-winning musical "Billy Elliot," which opens in San Francisco June 27. Now she's left the television show to come home for the concert. After the concert, Prince goes back to work in "Billy Elliot."

"I've always been like – whatever I fancy," Prince said of her various jobs. "I love Broadway. I love film and television. I love animation. I love voice-over. I love doing my concerts."

The concert here with the Philharmonic has been in the works for almost a year. The material will be drawn from throughout Prince's career.

"We have an array of different things," Prince said. "Some hard-core Broadway stuff, some Harold Arlen, some (Stephen) Sondheim, Alan Menken and Howard Ashman. We've got a little bit of everything for everybody."

Prince made her mark on Broadway as Miss Adelaide in the 1992 revival of "Guys and Dolls," winning Tony and Drama Desk awards as best actress in a musical.

In 2001, she received Tony and Drama Desk nominations for her performance of Ella Peterson in the revival of "Bells Are Ringing." She received the same nominations in 2008 for "A Catered Affair." Since then, she's had another turn on Broadway, in 2009 as Ursula in "The Little Mermaid."

Besides the music, Prince also allows the audience a look at her life.

"It's not just song to song," Prince said.

"I loved over the years telling stories, which people seem to like. Maybe it's the Southern girl in me, it's sort of in the water down here, telling stories."

When she first started doing cabaret shows, Prince had some help in writing material for what she would say between songs. But more and more, she improvised the material and it worked much better. Here, she said, she'll include the story of just how she met her husband. Lunetta will also play during the show, as will son Henry, a guitarist.

Prince said that although she's talked with her son about the vagaries of show business, still he seems intent on becoming a musician.

"My husband and I have been very careful about not pulling him (Henry) into the business as a kid," Prince said. "I thought this might be a situation in his hometown where he would feel good and feel comfortable."

At the very least he'll see familiar faces on stage and in the audience.

This story was updated from a previous version to correct the concert's San Francisco opening date.

© Copyright The Sacramento Bee. All rights reserved.

Call The Bee's Marcus Crowder, (916) 321-1120.

• Read more articles by Marcus Crowder