NY Times: Norbert Leo Butz: Speed the Rehearsals

[Yankeefan007]

NY Times: Norbert Leo Butz: Speed the Rehearsals#1

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

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

[I<3bway]

re: NY Times: Norbert Leo Butz: Speed the Rehearsals#2

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

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

[RyToast1]

re: NY Times: Norbert Leo Butz: Speed the Rehearsals#2

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

Amazing piece!

[luvtheEmcee]

re: NY Times: Norbert Leo Butz: Speed the Rehearsals#3

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

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

A work of art is an invitation to love.

[ThankstoPhantom]

re: NY Times: Norbert Leo Butz: Speed the Rehearsals#4

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

What a whirlwind! I wish him all the best!

How to properly use its/it's: Its is the possessive. It's is the contraction for it is...

[LizzieCurry]

re: NY Times: Norbert Leo Butz: Speed the Rehearsals#5

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.

"This thread reads like a series of White House memos." — Mister Matt

[South Fl Marc]

re: NY Times: Norbert Leo Butz: Speed the Rehearsals#6

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

Bravo Norbert.

Boo Jeremy.

[jacobtsf]

re: NY Times: Norbert Leo Butz: Speed the Rehearsals#7

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

Bravo to the Times for writing this.

David walked into the valley With a stone clutched in his hand He was only a boy But he knew someone must take a stand There will always be a valley Always mountains one must scale There will always be perilous waters Which someone must sail -Into the Fire Scarlet Pimpernel

[broadwayfan7]

re: NY Times: Norbert Leo Butz: Speed the Rehearsals#8

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

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

"Everytime you step on that stage it is somebody's first Broadway show and somebody's last Broadway show. Make it count."

[lstbutifulgrl2]

re: NY Times: Norbert Leo Butz: Speed the Rehearsals#9

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.

"Sometimes on the strip, the dreams you come in with, ain't the dreams you leave with" ~Rock of Ages
"I'm a butterfly, trivial and small, and in the greater scheme of things, I don't mean much at all." ~The Story of My Life
"Forget Regret, or life is yours to miss." ~Rent

[FindingNamo]

re: NY Times: Norbert Leo Butz: Speed the Rehearsals#10

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

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

Twitter @NamoInExile Instagram none

[wonkit]

re: NY Times: Norbert Leo Butz: Speed the Rehearsals#11

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]

re: NY Times: Norbert Leo Butz: Speed the Rehearsals#12

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.

A work of art is an invitation to love.

[Chrysanthemum62001]

re: NY Times: Norbert Leo Butz: Speed the Rehearsals#13

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.

"What a mystery this world. One day you love them and the next day you want to kill them a thousand times over." The Masked Bandit in THE FALL

[WithoutATrace]

re: NY Times: Norbert Leo Butz: Speed the Rehearsals#14

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]

re: NY Times: Norbert Leo Butz: Speed the Rehearsals#15

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

Is he completely off book?

[LionessInWinter]

re: NY Times: Norbert Leo Butz: Speed the Rehearsals#16

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]

re: NY Times: Norbert Leo Butz: Speed the Rehearsals#17

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]

re: NY Times: Norbert Leo Butz: Speed the Rehearsals#18

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.

Current Avatar:The sensational Aaron Tveit in the soon to be hit production of Catch Me If You Can.

[Auggie27]

re: NY Times: Norbert Leo Butz: Speed the Rehearsals#19

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.

"I'm a comedian, but in my spare time, things bother me." Garry Shandling

[wonkit]

re: NY Times: Norbert Leo Butz: Speed the Rehearsals#20

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]

re: NY Times: Norbert Leo Butz: Speed the Rehearsals#21

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.

Notes from the Earlham Street Gutter

[Roge]

re: NY Times: Norbert Leo Butz: Speed the Rehearsals#22

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

Great article!

[frogs_fan85]

re: NY Times: Norbert Leo Butz: Speed the Rehearsals#23

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

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

[wonkit]

re: NY Times: Norbert Leo Butz: Speed the Rehearsals#24

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

Not to my knowledge.