why would a broadway actor go on tour?

Posted: 6/9/06 at 7:46am

Norbert Butz is leaving DRS to tour with the same show. Why would an actor leave broadway to tour???

[ashley0139]

Posted: 6/9/06 at 7:49am

I thought he decided not to. But he might do it to get more publicity. Right now, onl New Yorkers or some select tourists know his name. If he goes on tour, people around the country might know of him.

[EponineAmneris]

Posted: 6/9/06 at 8:00am

First of all, Norbert is not leaving DRS to do the tour. He will be working on a TV miniseries. It has been said he will do the west coast tour, lasting 3 months. But we shall see.

Secondly, many Broadway performers do tours. It is how many get started. They trade in and out with the stars in NYC when needed and gain exposure with the producers, ect of the show and others around the country. It can open doors

[FOAnatic]

Posted: 6/9/06 at 8:03am

Why would you ask?

It's not as if touring is beneath any actor.

[popcultureboy]

Posted: 6/9/06 at 8:14am

But it's perceived nowadays as being beneath a Broadway "star" to tour a show. Hopefully Cherry Jones in the tour of Doubt and now Norbert Leo Butz opening the Dirty Rotten Scoundrels tour will change that opinion a little bit.

[JBSinger]

Posted: 6/9/06 at 8:25am

As some golden-age star told Carol Channing, who then told Tommy Tune, "You must bring the theatre to the provinces." They are building name recognition and a fan-base/audience. That star came to my town so when I'm in NYC and see they're doing something, I'll go and check them out. I wish more of the leads would tour, but it seems like the stars rarely want to leave NY or LA. In the old days, they toured all the time.

[philcrosby]

Posted: 6/9/06 at 8:28am

If that is true, it is a damn shame. The Lunts toured. Ann Miller and Mickey Rooney toured. Richard Burton and Richard Harris toured, as did Anthony Quinn. Carol Channing has a career because she toured.

And Cherry Jones spent most of her career in regional theaters across the country.

Very few of the "Broadway stars" today are known outside of New York. Maybe this is one of the reasons.

There is more theatre going on every day outside New York than there is in the few acres called Broadway.

[Poppy]

Posted: 6/9/06 at 8:46am

In a good many cases it's the money.

Posted: 6/9/06 at 8:49am

I 2nd Phil Crosby. And Katharine Hepburn and Tallulah Bankhead toured a lot.

Speaking of tours, I wish the managements would display the names of the leading performers in the ads. While the tours that brought Hepburn, Bankhead and others to Ithaca no longer come here, there are touring shows that arrive in nearby Rochester, Syracuse, and Binghamton. The performers are never advertised (the last one who was, was Tommy Tune in Bye Bye Birdie and that closed before just before it got to Syracuse) and, therefore, I don't go. If I knew who the performers were, I might be enticed to make the trips. I might have heard of the actors even if the people in Syracuse or Binghamton hadn't.

[WickedRentHead]

Posted: 6/9/06 at 9:21am

I think its great for Broadway actors to tour. Forgive the Wicked reference but look at Stephanie J. Block and Julia Murney. Both of them have done work on Broadway and other areas in NYC and have both toured in a show that sells out on tour and is a very successful show. Now when they come back and do Broadway stuff again, people will think back and recognize them from the Wicked tour and if they liked them, are more likely to see their show if they are in NYC or even if they havent seen them, have heard good reviews about them and will want to check them out.

[popular_elphie]

Posted: 6/9/06 at 10:41am

Maybe Norbert just wants the role to be associated with him by playing it in the next productions.

[jasobres]

Posted: 6/9/06 at 10:42am

I think the better question is, "Why wouldn't a Broadway actor go on tour?"

[allofmylife]

Posted: 6/9/06 at 11:35am

justafan22, try to watch "Broadway, The Golden Years". The entire film is predicated on the fact that Broadway MUST tour to survive. Bringing Broadway to the outlying states brings the audiences to Broadway. In pretty well every other country, the big stars ALWAYS tour. And the music business still gets the point. All big stars in the music industry tour. Not only is it a big money-maker, but it keeps the industry fresh and alive.

Touring is vital.

[blueroses]

Posted: 6/9/06 at 11:40am

Why not? It's a great way to show support for the production and to showcase your talents to people who would have never had the opportunity to see you otherwise.

[robbiej]

Posted: 6/9/06 at 11:41am

I'd sell my mother for a tour.

[Calvin]

Posted: 6/9/06 at 11:49am

Just get the bingo-bongos done.

[jimmycurry01]

Posted: 6/9/06 at 11:57am

If you were offered the same amount or more money than you are making to go do the same show you are doing right now only all accross the country so that every major city would know your name and see you perform, wouldn't you? It sounds like a prety sweet deal to me.

[robbiej]

Posted: 6/9/06 at 12:00pm

Brava, Cal. Brava.


ETA: Jimmy, don't forget that most glorious phrase in the English (Latin?) language: per diem

Updated On: 6/9/06 at 12:00 PM

Posted: 6/9/06 at 1:00pm

I didn't mean to imply that it's demeaning in any way. I agree--Broadway does have to tour to stay alive. My only question was----If a star is known, recognized and loved in a role on Broadway---it would seem to be that he or she would continue the role there. (unless it is a money thing). Usually---a person will perform a role on tour and then take over that role on Broadway----I think it's not the usual for it to happen in reverse. (but obviously I'm wrong)

Posted: 6/9/06 at 1:11pm

Back in the olden days when there were a lot more shows in NYC and groupies who went to see a show 25-150 times didn't exist, a perfectly respectable run was two seasons or less and it wasn't the least bit unusual for the original star(s)or other major stars to do the tour. Nowadays, the so-called stars can't do 8 performances a week and they can't do one without a body mic Norbert Leo Butz is to be praised for taking on an arduous tour but if Katharine Hepburn could do it in her later years, Butz and others outght to be able to do it and withut shame.

[latheatrelover]

Posted: 6/9/06 at 1:33pm

Well, one definite reason would be to be in the company that hits Los Angeles, giving Hollywood agents and producers a chance to see them and possibly hire them.

And there may be some who just believe in the craft and the belief that America should be allowed to see the productions and -- sorry, I can't go on with this one. It's the first reason.

[hermionejuliet]

Posted: 6/9/06 at 1:38pm

playbill article published today:

http://www.playbill.com/news/article/100188.html

Updated On: 6/9/06 at 01:38 PM

Posted: 6/9/06 at 1:45pm

the pros and cons of touring go beyond the prestige of broadway.

some actors simply feel there are more opportunities in NY, be it voice overs or appearances on NY based tv shows and with the exception of LA engagements, dont want to leave that environment to go to smaller towns. Or they have family here and an apartment, etc.

On the other hand if you dont mind traveling, occassionally feeling like youre in the middle of no where and dont mind sharing a hotel, its pretty easy to save up some dough by living off your "per diem" which is an added amount of money given to actors who tour.

Posted: 6/9/06 at 1:49pm

Mistress_Spouzic....

What a poor attitude and odd outlook on the profession.

[robbiej]

Posted: 6/9/06 at 1:51pm

In what way is her outlook either poor or odd?