Norbert Leo Butz

Norbert Leo Butz

Norbert Leo Butz (born 30 January 1967) is an American stage actor. He was born in St. Louis, Missouri and has 10 siblings. Butz received his BFA from Webster University and his MFA from The University of Alabama/Alabama Shakespeare Festival's Professional Actor Training Program. He is best known for his performances in Broadway musicals. He appeared in the Broadway musical, Wicked with Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth, and just completed his run starring in the Touring Cast of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, a musical based on the 1988 movie of the same name. He won the 2005 Tony Award and Drama Desk Award, among other awards including Broadway.com's "Star of the Year", for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical for his role of 'Freddy Benson' in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, opposite John Lithgow and Sherie Rene Scott. He is set to star in a television series for the FOX Network, titled Playing Chicken. Norbert is sometimes known to his friends and family as Norbs, The Norbster, Norbmeister, and Norby Kitty. He is engaged to long time girlfriend (and former Wicked costar) Michelle Federer

[edit] Notable productions

As Fiyero in Wicked with Idina Menzel as Elphaba

Swing/Roger, Rent
Camille Raquin, Thou Shalt Not (original cast album, Tony Award nomination)
Fiyero, Wicked (original cast album)
Freddy, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (original cast album, won the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical)

Jamie, The Last Five Years (also on original cast album)
Father/Dan Brown Feeling Electric (2002 Reading at the Cutting Room version; appears on the recording)
Jerry Levine, Juno and the Paycock
Fred, Saved

Norbert Leo Butz at the Internet Broadway Database
[1] A page listing several of the accomplished alumni of the Alabama Shakespeare Festival's MFA program, including Butz.
[2] Comprehensive website detailing Norbert Leo Butz's life and career
Production: Dirty Rotten Scoundrels - Working in the Theatre Seminar video at American Theatre Wing.org, April 2005

Preceded by Hugh Jackman for The Boy From Oz	Tony Award for Best Leading Actor in a Musical 2005 for Dirty Rotten Scoundrels	Succeeded by John Lloyd Young for Jersey Boys