Norbert Leo Butz Will Return to Broadway in Mark Twain's Is He Dead?

Tony Award winner Norbert Leo Butz will return to Broadway this fall in Is He Dead?, billed as a new comedy by Mark Twain, adapted by David Ives. The production, directed by Michael Blakemore, will begin previews at the Lyceum Theatre on November 8 and open on November 29.

Written in 1898, Is He Dead? remained unpublished until it was rediscovered in 2002 by Twain scholar Shelley Fisher Fishkin. Inspired by the posthumous bidding war that broke out between the United States and France over Jean-Francois Millet's painting "The Angelus," Is He Dead? is described as a fast-paced comedy about a group of poor artists who stage the death of their mentor to drive up the price of his paintings. In order for the scheme to succeed, the artists hatch various hilarious plots involving cross-dressing, a full-scale fake funeral, lovers' deceptions and much more. Butz stars as Jean-Francois Millet, the struggling painter whose work skyrockets in value when he is believed to be dead. Additional casting will be announced shortly.

Butz won the 2005 Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critics and Drama League Awards for his performance as Freddy Benson in the Broadway musical Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. Other Broadway credits include Wicked, Thou Shalt Not and Rent. Off-Broadway credits include Buicks, The Last Five Years, Juno and the Paycock and Saved. Butz played the Emcee in the first national tour of Cabaret.

The design team for Is He Dead? includes scenic design by Tony Award nominee Peter J. Davison, costume design by two-time Tony Award winner Martin Pakledinaz, and lighting design by Tony Award winner Peter Kaczorowski. The play will be produced by Bob Boyett, Roger Berlind and Daryl Roth. Additional casting will be announced shortly.