Ep299 - Norbert Leo Butz: Acting Needs an Audience

The Theatre Podcast with Alan Seales

A two-time Tony Award-winning actor and singer, Norbert Leo Butz opens up about his childhood, the challenges he faced pursuing a career in acting, and the remarkable twists of fate that brought him to Broadway. Hailing from a large family of 11 siblings, he shares how the importance of education was instilled to them by his parents. Despite his family's support for school plays, his strict upbringing and limited resources led Norbert to sneakily pursue his love for acting. Norbert eventually had to confess to his father about attending a different college and studying to become an actor, a moment that ultimately led to his parents becoming his biggest supporters. He recounts his serendipitous entry into Broadway with "Rent," joining the cast as a cover for the roles of Roger and Mark–a right place, right time moment for him. He also talks about how he dealt with the pandemic through music, which eventually resulted in releasing his 4th solo album “King of Hearts” co-written with her daughter, Clara Davis. Growing up, Norbert developed a sense of self-reliance and resilience that shaped his approach to hard work and dedication. He encourages aspiring actors to avoid seeking validation through advice and instead cultivate self-awareness and a love for their craft.

Norbert Leo Butz is a four-time Tony Award nominee having won two of those four nominations for his performances in “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels”, and “Catch Me If You Can”. He made his Broadway debut in “Rent” in 1996 before moving on to a slew of additional Broadway credits, including “Wicked”, “The Last Five Years”, and “Big Fish”, among many others. He’s also an accomplished TV and film actor with credits such as “Justified: City Primeval”, “The Good Wife”, “Blue Bloods”, Fosse/Verdon”, Dan in Real Life”, “Better Nate Than Ever” and the most recent, “The Exorcist: The Believer”. His fourth and latest solo album, King of Hearts was co-written with his eldest daughter, Clara Butz.

Connect with Norbert:

• Instagram: @norbert_leo_butz
• Listen “King of Hearts” on YouTube
• Stream “King of Hearts” everywhere you listen to music

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