Norbert Leo Butz Opts Not to Tour with 'Scoundrels'

Norbert Leo Butz, who recently mentioned to the New York Daily News that he was considering recreating his Dirty Rotten Scoundrels role in the upcoming national tour of the hit musical, announced in the press room of today's Drama League Awards luncheon that he has opted not to do the tour after all.

Butz, who received a Tony Award for his performance as the strutting, vulgar Freddy Benson in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, is attached to an upcoming CBS miniseries called "Comanche Moon." No Broadway replacement for the actor has been officially announced, although the Daily News dropped the hint that "one actor now on Broadway in a killer role is the rumored replacement."

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.

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.