Norbert Leo Butz

[judy_in_disguise]

Posted: 6/8/04 at 10:19am

I heard he's leaving the show with Kristin Chenoweth on July 18th?
Is this true??
Dammit!!! I'm going to see Wicked for the first time on July 31st and everyone's leaving!
Please tell me Joel and Idina will still be there.

[guido22]

Posted: 6/8/04 at 10:27am

im not so sure about butz but i have heard that before, but as for idina and joel http://www.playbill.com/news/article/85680.html
http://www.playbill.com/news/article/85680.html>http://www.playbill.com/news/article/85680.html

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 6/8/04 at 10:29am

You'll be fine if you miss Norbert. BELIEVE you me. Even an inflatable doll would have been better.

[judy_in_disguise]

Posted: 6/8/04 at 10:32am

hehe good to know.
What are the chances they'll throw on an understudy for a Saturday night? I'll cry.

Posted: 6/8/04 at 10:38am

Namo - what exactly is the deal with Norbert? He seems to get alot of work. I saw him in WICKED when I was in NY, and was a little underwhelmed. I'm going to go down to San Diego to see this new project from DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS (I really do like the movie, and I'm very fond of Lithgow, Joanna Gleason and Sherie's voice,) but I'm having some reservations about Norbert. Where did he come from, and what seems to be the attraction in New York?

[junglered]

Posted: 6/8/04 at 10:38am

Joey McIntyre is the new Fiyero. He is supposed to begin performances on the 20th of July. Updated On: 6/8/04 at 10:38 AM

[twogaab2]

Posted: 6/8/04 at 10:41am

Norbert Butz was excellent in "Last 5 Year" and was the ONLY saving grace of "Thou Shalt Not"

Don't judge a performer on just one role.

Just my opinion, I may be wrong.

Posted: 6/8/04 at 10:43am

Twogaab - I'm not - that's why I'm asking about him - and Namo has had things to say about him before - just looking for an opinion from someone who has observed - like you, and thanks for the input.

[judy_in_disguise]

Posted: 6/8/04 at 10:46am

I did love NLB on the cast recording for L5Y, which is why I was excited to see him in Wicked.....
And Joey McIntyre?
haha that could be as disastrous as Joey Fatone in Rent

[redhotinnyc2]

Posted: 6/8/04 at 10:46am

I agree that Norbert Leo Butz is a very talented man - he just got stuck with a crappy role in Wicked - it is so badly written, and the choreography for Dancing through Life is just awfull, so it is no wonder that he was underwhelming in the role. But give him some good material, like The Last 5 Years, and watch him shine..

[hunnybunny4e]

Posted: 6/8/04 at 11:22am

Yes, Norbert has an incredible voice, and is a great actor. One of my absolute favorites on Broadway. Fiyero was just not a great role for him. He actually sounded a lot better on the original version of Dancing Through Life, which was called Which Way Is The Party. I think he'll be wonderful in Dirty Rotten Scoundrals. I'm trying to go to the first preview on Sept. 15. I'm such a huge L5Y fan, that I'm excited to see both Sherie and Norbert together.

[wendy72]

Posted: 6/8/04 at 11:32am

Do yourself a favor--rent "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels"--it's a great movie. Glenn Headley is terrific, as are Steve Martin and Michael Caine.

Having seen the movie, I think Norbert will be a perfect scrappy foil to John Lithgow, who is supposed to be the suave one. This is the one show I am most looking forward to seeing in 2005. I just wish Christine Ebersole was going to be in it, as she was in the workshop, from what I hear.

Posted: 6/8/04 at 11:35am

Another big curiosity for me is the music - I didn't get to see THE FULL MONTY, so I have no idea what to expect.

[LadyDulcinea1]

Posted: 6/8/04 at 11:42am

His role in Wicked does not showcase his talents at all! I saw him as Roger in RENT and I thought he was AMAZING! I haven't seen a Roger who lives up to that performance since then. And regardless of what I tell you, I think its always better to go see a show and make your own decision, since sometimes your opinion of a specific person can differ from what a lot of other people think.

Posted: 6/8/04 at 11:45am

LadyDulcinea - I absolutely agree - and I would never let someone talk me out of something because of what they think. My curiosity was academic, as my one encounter with him didn't match what I was hearing or reading about. Obviously, many people have had great experiences with him - and that is all i was curious about.

[Becky]

Posted: 6/8/04 at 4:04pm

DGrant,

I know this is just my opinion, but I think Norbert is an incredible performer. I've seen him in many things now and he is one of the few people whose work I make a point of seeing when I'm in NY. As far as his role in WICKED, I thought he did a wonderful job with what he was given. He's got a beautiful duet with Idina, and I was entertained by "Dancing Through Life" as well. Thought he did fine, but it *is* hard to see his potential in this role based on what I've seen in the past. Updated On: 6/8/04 at 04:04 PM

[rocketman]

Posted: 6/8/04 at 4:23pm

I saw Taye Diggs and Norbert in this role, and Norbert was much better. It's just a pretty sucky role.

[JakeB]

Posted: 6/8/04 at 5:05pm

Agreed - the role is awful, but he is miscast too. Dancing Through Life is one of the biggest waste of spaces ever, a big flaw in the score.

[GovernorSlaton]

Posted: 6/8/04 at 5:37pm

Yes, Norbert is leaving on July 18 on the same day as Idina. I think the new Boq will be in those few weeks also, so you might see him. Idina and Joel are signed until January 2005 though, so you'll still probably see them! By the way, Norbert is an amazingly talented performer.

[Teacher510]

Posted: 6/8/04 at 6:20pm

I saw Norbert in Rent and his voice gave me chills(in a good way!)No Roger since then has come close! I was very disappointed that Fiyero did not do him justice. I, for one, am very much looking forward to Scoundrels!

[judy_in_disguise]

Posted: 6/8/04 at 7:55pm

aww Idina and Taye Diggs would have been cute together.

[Broadway Matt]

Posted: 6/8/04 at 10:09pm

Norbert has talent to burn, but you try being impressive carrying around all that dead weight known as the Fiyero role. I think Dancing Through Life is a big improvement over Which Way's The Party, but so would a 5 minute moment of silence. Norbert first wowed me in the tour of Cabaret opposite Joely Fisher, and his performance in L5Y made me a huge fan. Can't wait to see him using his talent where it's deserved.

[Mattio98]

Posted: 6/8/04 at 10:46pm

Broadway Matt, your icon looks like a cross between Brian D'Arcy James and a werewolf. Who is that?

Norbert is very talented and can use his voice to express every nook and cranny on the emotional spectrum. He is, however, an acquired taste.

[Broadway Matt]

Posted: 6/8/04 at 10:49pm

mattio, my icon is a very werewolf-like Brian D'Arcy James from backstage at The Wild Party. man, his Burrs was something else.

[Mattio98]

Posted: 6/8/04 at 11:05pm

Yes it certainly was.