Normally I'd agree, DRS, but the audience was fabulous. They were very supportive.
As a matter of fact, after Norbert sang the line "I think we still deserve a hand" in Dirty Rotten Number, the crowd went beserk and applauded wildly...same w/ after they sit in the lounge chairs...went on for minutes....
Hmm, that is odd. Maybe she was just out of it, lol. Everybody has off days, who knows. I LOVE when you have a great audience, gives you that extra umph to go insane and also inspires the actors to just go all-out in their performance.
Alert--DRS is gettting even cooler--check out Broadway.com for photos of the cast with Sarah Michelle Gellar and Freddy Prinze, Jr. (Freddy, meet Freddy--LOL.)
Great shirt on Norbs.
Apparently July 2nd was "Wear White to Work Day" and Sherie didn't get the memo.
I can't read what Norbert's shirt says.
It says "thespian geek, you drive me crazy"--with a car to symbolize the drive. LOL
Woo! Love the pickup...wonder what it says... Updated On: 7/7/05 at 08:38 AM
I just started making text icons last night, so I made a few Norbert ones. I'll post a couple more in a minute.
Updated On: 7/7/05 at 01:05 PM
Thought you Piazza and Wicked fans might like this one.
Updated On: 7/7/05 at 01:30 PM
My friend Ken from "That's Kentertainment" gave me a copy of his episode when Wicked premiered...
He asked Norbert "What drew you to this role?"..
The reply: "They offered me the part...and that drew me to the role. 'You want to give me a job? Sweet..that DRAWS me to this role!'"
Teehee.
Norbert's response to that question was priceless. I think besides the job offer, though, he's been a fan of the novel for years now. He just wanted to be a smartass.
Also, you're friends with Ken? Um, question. He's like that ALL the time or is it just for show?
Definitely just for the show. We've been best friends for over 20 years and he is the nicest, sweetest, most sincere person I know.
"Ken" the host is a character.
Updated On: 7/7/05 at 01:52 PM
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/22/05
I'd say what Norbert said. Who wouldn't take that role? Well a lot of people but the chance to originate a role and be in a hit show is always great.
No offense taken, thespian geek. That's kind of the point. He's an over the top "Broadway" person spoof.
FYI...
>Q: Cheyenne Jackson says you’re "ridiculously talented," and when he joined Aida, you were so welcoming and friendly.
Chase: I love that man. He went from my cover to Jarrod [Emick’s] cover to a giant billboard in Times Square. Now that’s a little big. [Laughs.] When I stood by for Adam [Pascal] in Aida or Matt Bogart in Miss Saigon, they were welcoming to me, too. I’m so proud of Cheyenne. And I’m proud of Norbert [Leo Butz], who’s one of my dearest friends. The day after the Tonys, he came over with his girls, and my wife’s got a video of him swimming in our pool with his Tony in the foreground. We’re all a little different, and I think there’s room for all of us.
Article with Will Chase
i have that pic!!! it's on my comp! i'll have to post it when im on the other one!
Sweet BWW! *kisses computer* I had an interseting time getting home after going into the city on Wednesday but I'm home now! Saw Piazza again and Producers with Hunter Foster-gotta love TKTS! We really wanted to see DRS but not without Norbert.
Anyway, there are 2 bits on Norbert in the July Playbill: There's a pic of him as Freddy on the theatre quiz page saying "For his work in DRS, he won the leading actor in a musical Tony." And in the On the Aisle page there's a nice pic of him in a pink striped shirt and a white jacket that says: "The most honored performer was that Dirty Rotten Scoundrel, Norbert Leo Butz, who made a clean sweep of his actor in a musical category and topped that not only with the Tony and a Drama League Award-butz, of all things, the Astaire Award for best male dancer. (Spasms and seizures-his specialty-were not moves that Fred were famous for.)
Thanks for the article, Alejandra!
Wow. Certainly a feast for the eyes – not expected from such a comic-based show!! The sets and costumes are BEAUTIFUL and each costume suits its respective character beautifully.
I have never seen such a charming cast.
John Lithgow exceeded my expectations as Jamison. I expected the show to be completely Butz’s, and while he is the scene-stealer, Lithgow was wonderful on his own. He is suave and wonderfully arrogant, practically AND appropriately mentored by Henry Higgins. Lithgow milks each line for all that it is worth and glowing with presence.
The main man of the hour is certainly Butz. His presence is absolutely incredible – it is room filling. His voice has an adorable-nerd little edge too it, perfection for the crude Freddy Benson. His physical comedy is amazing. I truly felt like he was irreplaceable on that stage – I feel like any words I say won’t describe my amazement with him on the stage. How can he play a character so disgusting yet be absolutely charming at the same time?!
Most importantly is not Butz or Lithgow, but how well they play off each other, and they do it beautifully! They have sort of an odd couple chemistry, they were perfect foils. I found Dirty Rotten Number to be absolutely electrifying because of how much energy was just radiating from the stage between these two! Wow – casting individually may not have been much of a challenge, but to find two men with such perfect chemistry!
Sherie – wow. Just adorable – her tone of voice was beautifully flaky and I LOVE her mispronunciations. She just makes the audience just kind of fall in love with her. And, at the end, I couldn’t believe it was the same actress. One doesn’t realize how great she is until the end. Killer stage presence and a KILLER voice! I was just in awe at the finale, that trio singing – just phenomenal. As if the energy wasn’t high enough in the previous number, it only built!
The supporting cast was also fantastic. The characters of Muriel and Andre are a bit superfluous, but they’re a delight, so I don’t really see any harm done! Joanna Gleason is an absolute natural on that stage; she has such a unique way with delivering lines. I think she might just be a one-of-a-kind actress. What a delight to watch.
Joe Cassidy was in for Gregory Jbara – and, my apologies to Jbara fants, he was terrific! Not seeing Jbara I might have been missing something, but I didn’t realize that. He was smooth with Jamison, wonderfully awkward with “Muriel” and then adorable with her in the sweet “Like Zis/Like Zat.” The two had excellent chemistry, even if Cassidy wasn’t who Gleason usually works with. And, after the show, he looked so young – just proving how wonderfully he carries himself onstage!
Sara Gettelfinger was WONDERFUL in her character role. I absolutely love the role and she was just a riot. Can that girl dance!! Wonderful comic skill and wonderful presence. (on a side note, Id never have guessed how GORGEOUS she was until she came out of the stagedoor!)
I feel ensembles are often overlooked, and after seeing this and Spamalot, how amazing they have become! Each soloist was constantly in character and the dancers well poised and looking like they were having a ball.
It certainly was a ball and blast!!!
SPAMALOT to come
Thespian- a pic of norb in the pool with the tony in front!
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