Steve On Broadway (SOB)

Down and Dirty in Seattle

Down and Dirty in Seattle

At long last, the touring production of the hit Broadway musical Dirty Rotten Scoundrels begins tonight at Seattle's Paramount Theatre, complete with Norbert Leo Butz reprising his celebrated Tony Award-winning portrayal of con man Freddy Benson. The show will be in the Emerald City through August 12 before heading next to Los Angeles' Pantages Theatre.

Butz is scheduled to be with the tour during its first six stops in Seattle, Los Angeles, Costa Mesa, Tempe, Houston and Dallas. When the show lands in Columbus, Timothy Gulan will take over the role of Freddy.

Stepping into the touring role of Benson's mentor Lawrence Jamison -- originally created by John Lithgow -- is Tom Hewitt. Laura Marie Duncan will fill the role of "soap queen" Christine Colgate, which was created by the effervescent Sherie René Scott; Duncan dutifully served as Scott's understudy on Broadway.

Despite the initial mixed reviews this David Yazbek tuner received when it debuted on Broadway in the spring of 2005, it ultimately became an audience favorite thanks to the groundswell of positive word-of-mouth along with Butz's star-making turn.

Few Broadway shows have elicited the kind of belly laughs from me as much as Dirty Rotten Scoundrels; in fact, I made sure that I saw this wildly raucous, funny musical for a second time when Jonathan Pryce made his heralded return to Broadway earlier this year when he replaced Lithgow. Fortunately, many of the critics took a second look and came away with dramatically better reviews and a newfound appreciation for the show.

I'll be anxious to see whether the positive buzz continues to build for this truly hilarious musical as it winds its way throughout the United States.

This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).

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Related Stories:
Star Rising: Nicole Van Giesen (June 26, 2006)
Great Scott...She's Back! Sherie René Scott Returns to Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (June 21, 2006)Butz and Pryce Flee the Scene on July 16 (June 5, 2006)
Wicked Becomes Broadway's 8th Overall Cumulative Grosser Among Current Hits (June 2, 2006)
Flashback: Best of 2004-05 (May 26, 2006)
Flashback: Best of 2002-03 (May 24, 2006)
Lucie Arnaz Plays Omaha Chic in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (May 23, 2006)

Labels: Broadway, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Musical, Opening Night, Touring Production

posted by Steve On Broadway (SOB) @ Friday, August 04, 2006