NY Times: Norbert Leo Butz: Speed the Rehearsals

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 12/28/08 at 9:39pm

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/29/theater/29spee.html?_r=2

[I<3bway]

Posted: 12/28/08 at 9:50pm

I'm sorry to go off topic here, but when did Norbert get married?!

[RyToast1]

Posted: 12/28/08 at 9:58pm

Amazing piece!

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 12/28/08 at 10:00pm

Great piece. Love him (and the S-t-P trio) even more.

[ThankstoPhantom]

Posted: 12/28/08 at 10:01pm

What a whirlwind! I wish him all the best!

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 12/28/08 at 10:01pm

I'm sorry to go off topic here, but when did Norbert get married?!

July of '07, apparently.

[South Fl Marc]

Posted: 12/28/08 at 10:07pm

Bravo Norbert.

Boo Jeremy.

[jacobtsf]

Posted: 12/28/08 at 10:11pm

Bravo to the Times for writing this.

[broadwayfan7]

Posted: 12/28/08 at 10:20pm

I am so glad Norbert accepted the role for the time being!

[lstbutifulgrl2]

Posted: 12/28/08 at 10:21pm

Bravo to Norbert, who is now off book for act one and two. I cannot wait to see him again once he is completely off book.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 12/28/08 at 10:22pm

Somebody should tell Raul to ratchet it down. We get it. The atmosphere's better without Jeremy.

[wonkit]

Posted: 12/28/08 at 10:33pm

Well written and fascinating article. NLB comes across as very grounded and happy to have this opportunity to do something he is not normally asked to do.

I thought Moss's observations about the effect on her and on Esparza were spot on.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 12/28/08 at 10:37pm

The part about him throwing up made me feel bad for the guy, though. I'm sure Macy will have a different, also wonderful, take on the role, but I wish Norbert were staying for more than three weeks.

[Chrysanthemum62001]

Posted: 12/28/08 at 11:11pm

You go, man. Norbert Leo Butz is amazing, and he deserves having people flock to the theater to see him. I love the part about the blueberries. Norbert ALWAYS makes me laugh.

[WithoutATrace]

Posted: 12/28/08 at 11:16pm

I saw Butz tonight and was completely blown away. His chemistry with Esparza was perfect. Even Elizabeth Moss, who I hated the first time, has improved greatly. While I am still on the fence about how I feel about the play itself, I still had a wonderful time tonight. Congrats to Norbert and the rest of the cast!

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 12/29/08 at 12:49am

Is he completely off book?

[LionessInWinter]

Posted: 12/29/08 at 1:11am

I was there tonight.

Not completely, but he carried it with him in the third scene more than he used it, which was very little anyway. He barely looked at it, then put it down before getting punched. I don't think he picked it up again.

I really, really enjoyed it with him. I'm glad I procrastinated in getting to see it. I'm not a big Piven fan per se, but I wasn't going to see it for him and would've seen it anyway.

I'll go back again I hope when William H. Macy takes over. Much as I love him, I don't see him in the role as easily as NLB. The age thing might throw me off. Not sure if a man of Macy's age really matches the character as I saw it.

[Okayfine]

Posted: 12/29/08 at 1:44pm

I'm with ya, FindingNamo. I adore Raul, but he has never been known for acting too much like an adult. In this instance, he is behaving very poorly. He has been trashing Piven all over the place - not exactly taking the high road. Bad form.

[esparza 333]

Posted: 12/29/08 at 6:22pm

I had read this before. Very well written and I think Norbert is so brave to come back in a play so energetic and powerful as Speed the Plow and only rehearse for a week or so and still blow people away in the role. I can only imagine his chemistry with Raul. I get chills just thinking about it.

[Auggie27]

Posted: 12/29/08 at 7:07pm

The unsung hero here, of course, is Jordan Lage, who went on to face the many disappointed half a houses anticipating Piven before the brave Butz took residence. Let's remember and hold dear our hard working understudies; the theater cannot exist without them. And they must carry a show in their heads without testing the waters, and usually with little or no direction.

Mr. Lage, hats off to you.

[wonkit]

Posted: 12/29/08 at 7:24pm

I second the admiration for Jordan Lage - I wasn't able to see him, but would have liked to, as a tribute to the tough role of understudy.

[Weez]

Posted: 12/29/08 at 7:33pm

Nothing but boundless understudy admiration here also! It's been a funny sort of season and they deserve all the praise they get and a ton they don't get an' all.

It's just sunk in that some lucky people are getting to see Norbert Leo Butz and Raul Esparza on the same stage at the same time. I mean, I knew it on an intellectual level, but it's only just actually sunk in. I am the ENVIOUS.

[Roge]

Posted: 12/29/08 at 7:49pm

Great article!

[frogs_fan85]

Posted: 12/29/08 at 7:58pm

I just had a thought... Have either Esparza or Moss missed a show yet?

[wonkit]

Posted: 12/29/08 at 8:09pm

Not to my knowledge.