*Yet, he hasn't won a Tony* He hasn't been NOMINATED for a Tony, which I think is even more egregious. He certainly deserved a nod for "Next to Normal." But he may finally get his due next year with "Moulin Rouge!"
That's the awesome thing about Norbert. He was only 44 when he did this show, but he's always looked old for his age. He comes off as a frail old man, but he dances like a 20 year old
In 1997 my sister went to see the RENT, and she got to see it with the original cast. For years I was jealous of her. Recently I was looking at her Playbill, and I noticed something. On the night she went to see it, Adam Pascal was out as Roger. In his place was a young man named Nobert Leo Butz. She got to see him before the TONYs, before "Wicked", before "The Last Five Years", when he was pretty much an unknown.
I don't know if it's true, but I once read somewhere to prepare for this role, NLB used to sing the vocals to this song while running on the treadmill.
I think it's just really cool that the real Frank Abagnale Jr. has gotten to see his story by Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks (movie) as well as Aaron Tveit and NLB (Broadway). That's so surreal
I was lucky enough to see this show on Broadway. I've seen literally hundreds of Broadway shows over the years, and I've only seen musical numbers stop the show a couple of times. This one did. We would have happily sat there--hell, stood there and clapped and cheered for hours. NLB had to stop us so the show could go on; I suspect he did that a lot. Just a perfect mesh of music, lyrics, choreography, and performance.
Lisa... I would have LOVED to have been there. THIS song (but more... this PERFORMANCE) is EXCEPTIONAL!! I got into my daughter's car last night- and as a treat, she had this song playing for me. It made my night! I asked her, "who is this singing?" And she nodded - "yes, mom. It's Norbert Leo Butz." Damn RIGHT, it is! Have you SEEN the video of it?? (Mom, how do you think I came to love it? You made me watch it a few times.) Broadway History in a short video clip. Norbert is SUCH a favorite, and this is an example of his best work.
Yes... and I want to point out-> NLB is singing and dancing... those in the background are dancing ONLY (lip syncing if they CAN handle it). The background vocals are STANDING backstage. He is an amazement!!
I love how NLB plays a college age kid in Wicked (2006) and then 5 years later, plays an older guy in Catch Me If You Can (2011). Gotta love the guy! ♥
It sucks when one show dominated the Tonys, in this year's case it was Book of Mormon and despite getting good reviews and getting a few awards, Catch Me If You Can still couldn't survive the juggernaut BOM for long :(
At least Norbert got a well deserved award, just can't understand Aaron not being nominated. Ashame when the Tony judges can't be fair & give credit where it's due!
+krisushi1 I actually disagree. I think Aaron definitely deserved one, but the competition this year was so high that they couldn't give him one. And whilst credit would be due in a year where there isn't such competition, but that year it was so high that he couldn't beat them. Also, he doesn't act for awards, he acts because it's his passion
Isaac Tindall I agree with both your points. It's all about the quality of the nominees that dictates who gets the nod. I doubt also that Aaron cares for awards too. It's easy to tell from his performances that just being out there on stage is more than enough for him.
+Juan Ayala All I know is I have watched a bunch of the performances from this particularly year's tony awards and I loved quite a few. I don't think they were shadowed, each having something that made it special
Norbert Leo Butz is like Broadway legend. I wonder how many flukes there were before he finally got his big break. He's one of the few massive success stories I've ever heard to come out of the theater. Keep on keepin' on, theater geeks.
NLB... what a mega-talented, amazing guy. This performance was super powerful and he rocked it. He's unstoppable here... and so were his lungs... gosh, what does he do and how does he do it?
I’ve watched this video so many times over the years. It’s one of the best performances ever on the Tony’s. Norbert is amazing and the choreography is fantastic!
Seriously this show was amazing, I saw it in previews and it was beyond excellent. I think it's really too bad that it fell in the same year as Book of Mormon because if it had been in any other year it would have been the show to beat, but Book of Mormon just dominated everything in it's path.
l3murs I adore NLB and he was very deserving of this Tony win for this incredible performance in the entire show (not just this amazing song + crazy/brilliant choreography). But, gotta add that I'll bet Josh Gad and Andrew Rannells split the vote - and that's why Norbie won this year. All three performances were beyond compare for Tonys 2011.
Yep Aaron Tveit who also originated the role of Gabe in Next To Normal, he's gonna be in Moulin Rouge with Karen Olvio starting summer this year so gets those tickets and catch them if you can!!
hahaha... After watching the film, i was told Aaron was in it. Really? Where? Even going back to see - I nearly missed it. i swear! I would be one of those folks who wouldn't recognize Superman after he put on his glasses. **clunk!**
When I saw Catch Me If You Can in previews, once this number was over I was convinced I just watched a Tony-award winning performance....and I was right. Such a deserving win for him...and the show was great too, better than the short run and the reviews suggested.
I absolutely love the small detail that the fbi costumes for ensemble have some of the backs looking like the targets used for practice in the first bit of don’t break the rules, small but it makes such a nice reason to have the ensemble there.
This is great for students. How do you make shtick uplifting, watchable and charming without being cringy. This is a masterpiece in that lesson. Every detail is calculated every note hits perfect
Them: Can you sing? me: oh yeah Them: great, let's start the audition me: uh me: what is that Them: that's the treadmill me: Uh I don't think you guys understand. I'm an actor. I'm auditioning for the musical Them: Yeah we know, so hop on and we'll test how you sound at 15 miles per hour
We learned the very end of Don't Break The Rules at my summer arts camp for dance placement, and it makes me insanely happy that it is almost the exact same choreo as in this.
Norbert is beyond amazing. Aaron is beyond amazing. Both of their talents go unmatched and they are joys to behold. But anyone on here that says this show was better than Book of Mormon either didn't see Book or is Aaron's sister. Come on guys BOM was the best musical to come around in years, and held that title until Hamilton
I will agree; show vs show. But a few years down the road? Between this and BoM? Whereas I would listen to BoM on occasion and smile.... these songs still have me hitting replay over and over.
My first thought upon seeing this was "my gosh, Norbert Leo Butz got old" then, I remembered the first picture i ever saw of him was from Wicked about 10 years ago...Even so, he super awesome!
i had no idea there was a Broadway musical about this! Imagine being the real Frank Abignale. Making it in your life even through fraud and then having a movie AND a Broadway show about your life. That's crazy
NLB’s dance routine in this song is out of the world!!! Just watched a Hong Kong production of the show, they had to cut NLB’s insane tap dancing of this part and replaced it with something much easier.
