Norbert Leo Butz
Norbert Leo Butz | |
---|---|
![]() Norbert Leo Butz in 2011 | |
Born | |
Occupation | Actor/Singer |
Years active | 1996–present |
Spouse | Michelle Federer (2007-present) |
Children | 3 |
Norbert Leo Butz (born January 30, 1967) is an American actor and singer best known for his work in Broadway theatre. He is a two-time winner of the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical, and is one of only nine actors ever to have won the award twice as lead actor.
Personal life
Butz was born in St. Louis, Missouri, the son of Elaine (née Bourisaw) and Norbert Butz.[1] He was raised in a middle-class family; his parents are devout Catholics.[2][3] He is the seventh of 11 children in his family and is named after his father, Norbert.[4] Some of his first theatre roles included playing the male leads at local all-girl high schools, such as Cor Jesu Academy and Nerinx Hall. He graduated from Bishop DuBourg High School. Butz earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts from The Conservatory of Theatre Arts at Webster University and a Master of Fine Arts from The University of Alabama/Alabama Shakespeare Festival's Professional Actor Training Program.[5]
The murder of his sister, Teresa Butz, made national news when an assailant stabbed both her and her partner in her Seattle-area home on July 19, 2009.[6][7]
Butz's daughter, Georgia Teresa, was born on January 2, 2011. Butz has two additional daughters, Clara and Maggie Davis, from a previous marriage.[8]
Career
Butz made his Broadway debut as a replacement swing in Rent in 1996, after original swing David Driver was fired. Butz ultimately replaced Adam Pascal in 1997. Additional Broadway credits include Thou Shalt Not (Camille Raquin, 2001–2002), for which he received a Tony Award nomination; Wicked (the original Fiyero, 2003); and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (Freddy) for which he received the Tony Award for Best Leading Actor in a Musical, the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor in a Musical, a Drama League Award, and an Outer Critics Circle Award. His Off-Broadway credits include The Last Five Years (Jamie), Songs for a New World (Lead Male 2), Saved (Fred), and Juno and the Paycock (Jerry Devine), and he has toured as the Emcee in Cabaret and as Freddy in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels.
Butz's film roles have included Went to Coney Island on a Mission from God... Be Back by Five (Pawnbroker), Noon Blue Apples (Howard Philips), and West of Here (Josiah Blackwell).
Butz's projects include the film Dan in Real Life (with Steve Carell, Juliette Binoche, and Dane Cook), released in October 2007, the world premiere of Is He Dead?, a hitherto unproduced Mark Twain play that opened at Broadway's Lyceum Theatre on December 9, 2007, and Fifty Words Off-Broadway with Elizebeth Marvel at the Lucille Lortle Theatre (2008).[9] In January 2008, he appeared as Captain Richard King in the miniseries adaptation of the Lonesome Dove prequel, Comanche Moon.
Starting December 23, 2008, Butz stepped in to replace Jeremy Piven in David Mamet's Speed-the-Plow; Piven suddenly and unexpectedly dropped out of the play after he claimed to be experiencing health problems related to high mercury levels in his blood. Butz took over the part until January 13, 2009, when William H. Macy assumed the role for the remainder of the play's run.[10]
Butz taught at Drew University, Madison, New Jersey for the spring semester in 2008 in the drama department.[11][12]
He starred as Rowdy Kaiser in the ABC show The Deep End.
From April to May 9, 2010, he returned to the Broadway stage in ENRON as Jeffrey Skilling.[13] Despite Tony nominations, the play struggled with ticket sales.
Butz starred in the 2011 drama indie film Higher Ground with Vera Farmiga, who also directed it.[14]
Butz originated the role of Carl Hanratty in the musical Catch Me If You Can which played pre-Broadway tryouts at the 5th Avenue Theatre in Seattle, Washington from July 28 through August 14, 2009.[6][15] Butz played the role of Carl Hanratty in the Broadway production of Catch Me if You Can, which opened on April 10, 2011[16] and closed in September 2011. For this role he won his second Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor in a Musical[17] and his second Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical.[18]
In April 2012, Butz appeared as himself in one episode of the NBC musical drama Smash. Butz played Hal Wilner in Greetings from Tim Buckley, a film on Tim and Jeff Buckley, which premiered at the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival.[19][20]
From November 29, 2012 to January 6, 2013, Butz appeared on Broadway in Theresa Rebeck's Dead Accounts, opposite Katie Holmes, Jayne Houdyshell, Josh Hamilton, and Judy Greer.
In 2013 he starred in the new Andrew Lippa musical Big Fish, which premiered in Chicago in the spring and opened on Broadway in the Neil Simon Theatre in October, directed by Susan Stroman.[21]
In 2012, he played Uncle Peck in a limited engagement revival of Paula Vogel's acclaimed play How I Learned to Drive. He also starred in the 2013 film Better Living Through Chemistry.
Filmography
Film
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1998 | Went to Coney Island on a Mission from God... Be Back by Five | Pawnbroker | |
2000 | Looking for an Echo | Vocals for Anthony | |
2002 | Noon Blue Apples | Howard Phillips | |
West of Here | Josiah Blackwell | ||
2007 | Dan in Real Life | Clay | |
Playing Chicken | Jake | Television movie | |
2010 | Fair Game | Steve | |
2011 | Higher Ground | Pastor Bill | |
The Miraculous Year | Terry Segal | Television movie | |
2012 | County | Billy | Television movie |
Greetings from Tim Buckley | Hal Wilner | ||
Disconnect | Peter | ||
2013 | The English Teacher | Vice Principal Phil Pelaski | |
2014 | Better Living Through Chemistry | Agent Andrew Carp |
Television
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2000 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | John Fenwick | Episode: "Misleader" |
2008 | Comanche Moon | Capt. Richard King | Episode: "#1.2" |
2009 | Law & Order: Criminal Intent | Archie Beuliss | Episode: "In Treatment" |
2010 | The Deep End | Rowdy Kaise | 7 episodes |
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation | Larry Lamotte | Episode: "Bump and Grind" | |
2011 | The Good Wife | Mr. Medina | Episode: "Two Courts" |
The Late Show with David Letterman | Carl Hanratty | Episode: "Dr. Phil/Chris Hemsworth/Catch Me If You Can" | |
Blue Bloods | Detective Kramer | Episode: "Moonlighting"[22] | |
2015 | Bloodline | Kevin Rayburn | Series Regular |
2016 | Mercy Street | Dr. Byron Hale | Series Regular |
Theatre
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1996–2008 | Rent | Roger Davis | |
2000 | Juno and the Paycock | Jerry Levine | |
2001 | Saved | — | |
2001–2002 | Thou Shalt Not | Camille Raquin | |
2002 | The Last Five Years | Jamie | |
2003–2004 | Wicked | Fiyero | |
2005–2006 | Dirty Rotten Scoundrels | Freddy | |
2007–2008 | Is He Dead? | Jean-François Millet | |
2008–2009 | Speed-the-Plow | Bobby Gould | |
2008 | Fifty Words | Adam | |
2010 | Enron | Jeffrey Skilling | |
2011 | Catch Me If You Can | Agent Carl Hanratty | |
2012–2013 | Dead Accounts | Jack | |
2012 | How I Learned to Drive | Peck | |
Barack on Broadway | — | ||
2013 | Big Fish | Edward Bloom |
Awards and nominations
Year | Association | Category | Nominated work | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
2002 | Tony Award | Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical | Thou Shalt Not | Nominated |
Drama Desk Award | Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical | Nominated | ||
Outer Critics Circle Award | Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical | Nominated | ||
Drama Desk Award | Outstanding Actor in a Musical | The Last Five Years | Nominated | |
2003 | Drama Desk Award | Outstanding Actor in a Play | Buicks | Nominated |
2005 | Tony Award | Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical | Dirty Rotten Scoundrels | Won |
Drama Desk Award | Outstanding Actor in a Musical | Won | ||
Drama League Award | Distinguished Performance | Won | ||
Outer Critics Circle Award | Outstanding Actor in a Musical | Won | ||
2011 | Tony Award | Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical | Catch Me if You Can | Won |
Drama Desk Award | Outstanding Actor in a Musical | Won | ||
Outer Critics Circle Award | Outstanding Actor in a Musical | Nominated |
Discography
- Memory and Mayhem: Live at 54 Below (2013)[23]
- The Angel Band Project: An Evening With Norbert Leo Butz (2014)
- Untitled Winter 2015 Project (Announced)[24]
References
- ^ "Norbert Leo Butz Biography". filmreference. 2008. Retrieved 2008-06-11.
- ^ http://stlouisreview.com/article/2012-05-03/eagle-hurst-ranch
- ^ http://www.interviewmagazine.com/culture/norbert-leo-butz
- ^ Nancy Rosati. "Spotlight On Norbert Leo Butz". Talkin' Broadway. Retrieved 2008-06-11.
- ^ Laura Graesser (2013-03-28). "Norbert Leo Butz Q&A". Ladue News. Retrieved 2014-01-05.
- ^ a b Hetrick, Adam."Catch Me If You Can Previews Cancelled Through July 26," playbill.com, July 22, 2009
- ^ Green, Jesse (2013-09-22). "Big Fish Star Norbert Leo Butz on How Tragedy Changed His Life and Career". Vulture. New York Magazine. Retrieved 25 September 2013.
- ^ Staff." 'Wicked' Sweethearts Norbert Leo Butz and Michelle Federer Welcome Baby Girl Georgia" broadway.com, January 3, 2011
- ^ "'Fifty Words' Listing" Internet Off-Broadway database, accessed November 20, 2011
- ^ "Jeremy Piven Abruptly Abandons Broadway Play" People Magazine, December 18, 2008
- ^ Robert Wnorowski (30 November 2007). "Broadway performer to teach at Drew". The Acorn. Drew University. Retrieved 2008-06-11.
- ^ Stacie MacLaughlin (22 February 2008). "Curtain rises for Broadway star's arrival". The Acorn. Drew University. Retrieved 2008-07-20.
- ^ Tony-Winner Norbert Leo Butz to Star in ENRON on Broadway broadwayworld.com, January 7, 2010
- ^ Listing Internet MovieDatabase
- ^ "Tveit and Butz Reveal 'CATCH ME' Casting, Musical Premieres at Seattle's 5th Ave 7/23-8/14"
- ^ "Norbert Leo Butz, Aaron Tveit, Kerry Butler and Tom Wopat Set for Broadway's 'Catch Me If You Can' " playbill.com
- ^ Drama Desk Awards Go to Book of Mormon, Normal Heart, War Horse, Sutton Foster, Norbert Leo Butz
- ^ Jones, Kenneth "War Horse, Book of Mormon, Anything Goes, Normal Heart Win 2011 Tony Awards" playbill.com, June 12, 2011
- ^ "Tony Winners Norbert Leo Butz and Frank Wood Join Penn Badgley in Greetings from Tim Buckley". Broadway.com. August 22, 2011. Retrieved October 2, 2012.
- ^ Kurchak, Sarah (August 15, 2012). "TIFF 2012 Adds Greetings From Tim Buckley, Spike Lee's Bad 25 Michael Jackson Doc, Skrillex Soundtrack". Spinner. Retrieved October 2, 2012.
- ^ Simonson, Robert. "PLAYBILL THEATRE WEEK IN REVIEW, Sept. 1-7: Hal David, Willy Wonka, Flashdance on Broadway" Playbill.com, September 7, 2012
- ^ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2108696/?ref_=ttfc_fc_tt
- ^ http://www.broadway.com/buzz/166675/norbert-leo-butz-shares-memory-mayhem-at-cd-signing/
- ^ Butz, Norbert Leo (April 8, 2015). "BWW Interview: Norbert Leo Butz Discusses Working with his Idol on Netflix's BLOODLINE, His New Album, More" (HTML). Broadway World (Interview). Interviewed by Matt Tamanini. Wisdom Digital Media. Retrieved June 18, 2015.
Yea, I'm almost finished with an album.... We've got most of it recorded, and we're going to release it in time for the holidays.
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External links
- Norbert Leo Butz at the Internet Broadway Database
- Norbert Leo Butz at IMDb
- Norbert Leo Butz at AllMovie
- Working in the Theatre Seminar video at American Theatre Wing.org
- TonyAwards.com Interview with Norbert Leo Butz
- Norbert Leo Butz Downstage Center interview at American Theatre Wing, January 2008