Norbert Leo Butz

Norbert Leo Butz (born January 30, 1967) is an American actor and singer known for his work in Broadway theatre. He is a two-time recipient of the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical for his performances as Freddy Benson in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels and Carl Hanratty in Catch Me If You Can. He is one of nine actors to have won the award twice.

Butz originated the roles of Fiyero Tigelaar in Wicked and Edward Bloom in Big Fish in their original Broadway casts. His additional Broadway credits include the roles of Roger Davis in Rent and Alfred Doolittle in My Fair Lady. Butz also starred as Jamie Wellerstein in the original cast of The Last Five Years and as the Emcee in the United States tour of Cabaret.

Early life and education Norbert Leo Butz was born on January 30, 1967, in St. Louis, Missouri, the son of Elaine (née Bourisaw) and Norbert Butz. He was raised in a middle-class family; his parents are devout Catholics. He is the seventh of 11 children and is named after his father. Some of his first theatre roles included playing the male leads at local all-girl high schools, such as Cor Jesu Academy and Nerinx Hall. He graduated from Bishop DuBourg High School. Butz earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts from The Conservatory of Theatre Arts at Webster University and a Master of Fine Arts from The University of Alabama/Alabama Shakespeare Festival's Professional Actor Training Program. He would later receive an honorary degree from Webster University in 2013.

Career Butz made his Broadway debut as a replacement swing – a type of understudy – in Rent in 1996. Butz ultimately replaced Adam Pascal as Roger Davis in 1997. Additional Broadway credits include Thou Shalt Not (Camille Raquin, 2001–2002), for which he received a nomination for the Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical at the 56th Tony Awards; Wicked (the original Fiyero, 2003); and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (Freddy Benson) for which he received the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical at the 59th Tony Awards, the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor in a Musical, a Drama League Distinguished Performance Award, and an Outer Critics Circle Award. His Off-Broadway credits include The Last Five Years (Jamie Wellerstein), Saved (Fred), and Juno and the Paycock (Jerry Devine), and he has toured as the Emcee in Cabaret and as Freddy in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels.

Butz's film roles have included Went to Coney Island on a Mission from God... Be Back by Five (Pawnbroker), Noon Blue Apples (Howard Philips), and West of Here (Josiah Blackwell).

Butz's projects include the film Dan in Real Life (with Steve Carell, Juliette Binoche, and Dane Cook), released in October 2007, the world premiere of Is He Dead?, a hitherto unproduced Mark Twain play that opened at Broadway's Lyceum Theatre on December 9, 2007, and Fifty Words Off-Broadway with Elizebeth Marvel at the Lucille Lortel Theatre (2008). In January 2008, he appeared as Captain Richard King in the miniseries adaptation of the Lonesome Dove prequel, Comanche Moon.

Starting December 23, 2008, Butz stepped in to replace Jeremy Piven in David Mamet's Speed-the-Plow; Piven suddenly and unexpectedly dropped out of the play after he experienced health problems. Butz took over the part until January 13, 2009, when William H. Macy assumed the role for the remainder of the play's run.

Butz taught at Drew University in Madison, New Jersey, for the spring semester in 2008 in the drama department.

He starred as Rowdy Kaiser in the ABC show The Deep End.

From April to May 9, 2010, he returned to the Broadway stage in ENRON as Jeffrey Skilling. Despite Tony nominations at the 64th Tony Awards, the play struggled with ticket sales.

Butz starred in the 2011 drama indie film Higher Ground with Vera Farmiga, who also directed it.

Butz originated the role of Carl Hanratty in the musical Catch Me If You Can which played pre-Broadway tryouts at the 5th Avenue Theatre in Seattle, Washington, from July 28 through August 14, 2009. Butz played the role of Carl Hanratty in the Broadway production of Catch Me if You Can, which opened on April 10, 2011, and closed in September 2011. For this role he won his second Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor in a Musical and his second Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical at the 65th Tony Awards.

In April 2012, Butz appeared as himself in one episode of the NBC musical drama Smash. Butz played Hal Wilner in Greetings from Tim Buckley, a film about Tim Buckley and Jeff Buckley, which premiered at the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival.

From November 29, 2012 to January 6, 2013, Butz appeared on Broadway in Theresa Rebeck's Dead Accounts, opposite Katie Holmes, Jayne Houdyshell, Josh Hamilton, and Judy Greer.

In 2013 he starred in the new Andrew Lippa musical Big Fish, which premiered in Chicago in the spring and opened on Broadway in the Neil Simon Theatre in October, directed by Susan Stroman.

In 2012, he played Uncle Peck in a limited engagement revival of Paula Vogel's play How I Learned to Drive. He also starred in the 2013 film Better Living Through Chemistry. He played Kevin Rayburn in the 2015 Netflix television show Bloodline.

He also starred in the 2018 Broadway revival of My Fair Lady as Alfred Doolittle, the father of the leading role, Eliza Doolittle. He earned a nomination for Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical for the production at the 72nd Tony Awards.

From July 9–28, 2019, he appeared in an original musical collaboration titled TWOHANDER at Feinstein's/54 Below alongside Sherie Rene Scott, with musical director Todd Almond. Butz previously shared the stage with Scott in the original productions of the musicals Dirty Rotten Scoundrels and The Last Five Years.

In 2021, Butz played the role of Craig Maddox in the NBC drama series Debris which is written by J. H. Wyman.

In 2024, Butz played Kosta in the play, Vladimir, by Erika Sheffer at the New York City Center Stage I, which covers the story of a journalist and an accountant who bravely investigate and publicize issues in Russia.

On September 1, 2026, Butz will take over the role of Hermes in the Broadway production of Hadestown.

Personal life Butz married his former Wicked co-star Michelle Federer in 2007. Their daughter was born on January 2, 2011. He has two older daughters from his marriage to Sydney Davis.

The murder of his sister, Teresa Butz, made national news when an assailant stabbed both her and her girlfriend in her Seattle home on July 19, 2009.

Acting credits

Film Year Title Role Ref. 1998 Went to Coney Island on a Mission from God... Be Back by Five Pawnbroker 2000 Looking for an Echo Anthony Pirelli (vocals) 2002 Noon Blue Apples Howard Phillips West of Here Josiah Blackwell 2007 Dan in Real Life Clay Burns 2010 Fair Game Steve 2011 Higher Ground Pastor Bill 2012 Greetings from Tim Buckley Hal Willner Disconnect Peter 2013 The English Teacher Vice Principal Phil Pelaski 2014 Better Living Through Chemistry Agent Andrew Carp 2019 Luce Dan Towson Wonder Park Peanut (voice) Good Posture Neil 2020 Give or Take Ted 2021 Flag Day Doc 2022 Better Nate Than Ever Rex Foster 2023 The Exorcist: Believer Tony West 2024 A Complete Unknown Alan Lomax 2025 Coyotes Trip

Television Year Title Role Notes 2000 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit John Fenwick Episode: "Misleader" 2007 Playing Chicken Jake Unsold pilot 2008 Comanche Moon Richard King Episode: "#1.2" 2009 Law & Order: Criminal Intent Archie Beuliss Episode: "In Treatment" 2010 The Deep End Rowdy Kaise 7 episodes CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Larry Lamotte Episode: "Bump and Grind" 2011 The Good Wife Mr. Medina Episode: "Two Courts" Late Show with David Letterman Carl Hanratty Episode: "Dr. Phil/Chris Hemsworth/Catch Me If You Can" Blue Bloods Detective Kramer Episode: "Moonlighting" The Miraculous Year Terry Segal Television film2012SmashHimselfEpisode: "Hell on Earth" County Billy Krakowski Unsold pilot 2015–2017 Bloodline Kevin Rayburn Main cast; 33 episodes 2016–2017 Mercy Street Dr. Byron Hale Main cast; 12 episodes 2018 Trust Gordon Getty 3 episodes The First Matthew Dawes 2 episodes 2019 Fosse/Verdon Paddy Chayefsky Miniseries Madam Secretary Lochlainn Heeney, Jr. 2 episodes 2021 Debris Craig Maddox Main cast 2022 The Girl from Plainville Conrad "Co" Roy II 8 episodes 2023 Justified: City Primeval Norbert Bryl Main cast 2024 American Sports Story Bill BelichickMiniseries 2025 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Mark Olson Episode: "A Vicious Circle"

Theatre Year Title Role Notes 1996 Rent u/s Roger Davis & Mark Cohen Nederlander Theatre, Broadway 1997 Roger Davis 1999–2000 Cabaret The Emcee US Tour 2000 Rent Roger Davis Nederlander Theatre, Broadway 2000 Juno and the Paycock Jerry Levine Gramercy Theatre, Off-Broadway 2001–2002 Thou Shalt Not Camille Raquin Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre, Broadway 2002 The Last Five Years Jamie Wellerstein Minetta Lane Theatre, Off-Broadway Carousel Jigger Craigin Carnegie Hall 2003 Buicks Bill Abeline Underwood Theatre, Off-Broadway 2003–2004 Wicked Fiyero Curran Theatre, San Francisco (pre-Broadway) Gershwin Theatre, Broadway 2005–2006 Dirty Rotten Scoundrels Freddy Benson Imperial Theatre, Broadway US Tour 2007–2008 Is He Dead? Jean-François Millet Lyceum Theatre, Broadway 2008–2009 Speed-the-Plow Bobby Gould Ethel Barrymore Theatre, Broadway 2008 Fifty Words Adam Lucille Lortel Theatre, Off-Broadway 2010 Enron Jeffrey Skilling Broadhurst Theatre, Broadway 2011 Catch Me If You Can Agent Carl Hanratty 5th Avenue Theatre, Seattle (pre-Broadway) Neil Simon Theatre, Broadway 2012 How I Learned to Drive Uncle Peck Second Stage Theatre, Off-Broadway 2012–2013 Dead Accounts Jack Music Box Theatre, Broadway 2013 Big Fish Edward Bloom Nederlander Theatre, Chicago (pre-Broadway) Neil Simon Theatre, Broadway 2017 The Whirligig Michael Pershing Square Signature Center, Off-Broadway 2018–2019 My Fair Lady Alfred P. Doolittle Vivian Beaumont Theatre, Broadway 2023 Cornelia Street Jacob Atlantic Theater Company, Off-BroadwayGutenberg! The Musical!The ProducerJames Earl Jones Theatre, Broadway (one night cameo)2024 Edge of the WorldHenryClassic Stage Company, Off-Broadway Vladimir Kostya Manhattan Theatre Club, Off-Broadway2026 The RecipePaul ChildLa Jolla PlayhouseAre You Now or Have You Ever BeenAbe Burrows (July 13–August 2)New York City Center Stage I, Off-BroadwayHadestownHermesWalter Kerr Theatre, Broadway

Awards and nominations Year Association Category Nominated work ResultRef. 2000 Dora Mavor Moore Award Best Leading Actor, Musical Theatre Cabaret 2002 Tony Award Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical Thou Shalt Not Drama Desk Award Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical Outer Critics Circle Award Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical Drama Desk Award Outstanding Actor in a Musical The Last Five Years 2003 Outstanding Actor in a Play Buicks 2005 Tony Award Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical Dirty Rotten Scoundrels Drama Desk Award Outstanding Actor in a Musical Drama League Award Distinguished Performance Outer Critics Circle AwardOutstanding Actor in a Musical 2011 Tony Award Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical Catch Me if You Can Drama Desk Award Outstanding Actor in a Musical Outer Critics Circle Award Outstanding Actor in a Musical 2018 Tony Award Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical My Fair Lady Outer Critics Circle AwardOutstanding Featured Actor in a Musical 2019 Grammy Award Best Musical Theater Album 2025Screen Actors Guild AwardsOutstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion PictureA Complete Unknown

Discography Memory and Mayhem: Live at 54 Below (2013) The Angel Band Project: An Evening With Norbert Leo Butz (2014) Girls Girls Girls: Live at 54 Below (2016) The Long Haul (2019)