Norbert Leo Butz Likely to Scheme Into Scoundrels Tour

Tony Award-winner Norbert Leo Butz has told the New York Daily News that after his Broadway contract with Dirty Rotten Scoundrels ends in July, he is most likely going to hit the road as brash con artist Freddy Benson.

The tour of the hit David Yazbek-Jeffrey Lane musical comedy will kick off in Seattle on August 6th. More dates and cities--as well as the rest of the tour's stars--have yet to be announced.

No announcement has been made as to who will succeed Butz on Broadway, but the Daily News writes that "one actor now on Broadway in a killer role is the rumored replacement."

In addition to a Tony Award for his performance in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Butz received a Tony nomination for his performance in Thou Shalt Not. Other Broadway credits include Wicked, in which he created the role of Fiyero, and Rent, in which he played Roger. He was also seen as the Emcee in the national tour of Cabaret, and created the role of Jamie in the original off-Broadway production of The Last Five Years.

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels opened on Broadway on March 3, 2005. The show won the 2005 Drama League Award as Best Musical, and was nominated for 11 Tony Awards. With a book by Lane and music and lyrics by Yazbek (The Full Monty), the show also stars Jonathan Pryce, Rachel York, Gregory Jbara and Mylinda Hull; Lucie Arnaz replaces Joanna Gleason on May 29th. The production is directed by two-time Tony Award winner Jack O'Brien and choreographed by Tony Award-winner Jerry Mitchell. Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, which follows two con artists swindling their way across the French Riviera, is based on the 1988 MGM film.

For more information, visit www.dirtyrottenscoundrelsthemusical.com.