Kerry Butler
Encyclopedia
Kerry Marie Butler is an American
actress known primarily for her work in theatre.
... I knew that was what I wanted to do." After a four-year hiatus imposed by her mother, Kerry started acting again at the age of nine and has been at it since.
Butler graduated from Ithaca College
in 1992, where she majored in musical theatre
. She toured with the musical Oklahoma!
in Europe in the role of Ado Annie. Other New York roles included Vicki in the workshop of Bright Lights, Big City
, Barrow in The "I" Word and Claudia in The Folsom Head. She also has done work on various commercials.
Butler made her Broadway
debut in 1993 in the role of Ms. Jones in the musical Blood Brothers, where she also understudied the role of Linda. In 1995, Butler originated the role of Belle for the Toronto production of Disney's Beauty and the Beast
, where she was nominated for the DORA Award for her performance, and eventually transferred to Broadway. After playing Belle for over two years, she left the musical in July 1997 and was replaced by Deborah Gibson
. She then moved over to Les Misérables
to play the coveted role of Eponine
.
In 2001, Butler played the love interest Shelley in the acclaimed Off Broadway original musical Bat Boy: The Musical
. Though the show had a "fanatical following," Butler noted that "We were really building an audience before Sept. 11
. And after that we never recovered. People didn't want to go out at all, let alone downtown." Bat Boy closed in late 2001.
, the musical version of the John Waters
1988 film of the same name. After an out-of-town tryout in Seattle, Hairspray opened on Broadway on August 2002 and "became an immediate Broadway smash." Even in a star-studded ensemble cast, reviewers singled Butler out for her sparkling performance as the spastic sidekick. The show would go on to win eight Tony Award
s including Best Musical. For her performance, Butler was nominated for the Drama Desk
and Outer Critics Circle
Awards, and received the Clarence Derwent Award.
While Hairspray went into pre-production, Butler played the free-spirited performance artist Maddie in the limited run of the intimate Australian musical Prodigal at the York Theatre. In March 2002 Butler also appeared on the TV show Sesame Street
as Ms. Camp, a letter carrier. During her run in Hairspray Butler filmed a TV pilot for Fox
entitled Twins, but it was not picked up for the season.
After starring in Hairspray for a year Butler left the cast in July 2003 and was succeeded by Jenn Gambatese.
. The show had enjoyed a long run Off-Broadway
in the 1980s and had been adapted into a 1986 film starring Rick Moranis
, Steve Martin
and Ellen Greene
, who also created the role of Audrey Off Broadway. Butler revisited her long-lost childhood Brooklyn accent to play Audrey, the love interest with a sadistic dentist boyfriend and a heart of gold. A fan of Little Shop composer Alan Menken
, who also wrote the music for Beauty and the Beast, Butler received an Outer Critics Circle nomination for Little Shop.
After leaving the show in the summer of 2004, Butler traveled to San Francisco where she created the role of scheming, foul-mouthed teenager Dedee Truitt in the new musical The Opposite of Sex
, which had its world premiere at the Magic Theatre
that fall. The musical is based on Don Roos
' 1998 film
starring Christina Ricci
and Lisa Kudrow
.
In the fall of 2005, Butler appeared in the original Off-Broadway
musical Miracle Brothers at the Vineyard Theatre. She played the role of Isabel, a mother made miserable by the rebelliousness of her son as well as her unhappy marriage. In the summer of 2006 she reprised her role of Dedee in The Opposite of Sex at the Williamstown Theatre Festival
, and followed that by taking on the role of Kate, the Ayn Rand
-loving runaway bride, in the New York Musical Theatre Festival
production of Party Come Here.
Butler also portrayed the manipulative heiress and recovering alcoholic Claudia Reston on the ABC
soap opera
One Life to Live
, from January 2006 until January 2007, when her character was written off the show.
, based on the 1980 roller-disco film
starring Olivia Newton-John
. She played the role of Clio, a Greek muse
who inspires and falls in love with a struggling artist. Butler mastered roller skating for the role and spent nearly the duration of the show on skates. Widely expected to be a flop, the musical opened in July 2007 to extensive critical acclaim and was the surprise hit of the summer.
For her role in Xanadu, Butler was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical and the Drama League Award
for Distinguished Performance.
In February and March 2008, Butler appeared as Reese, the thieving assistant to a fashion designer, in the first season of the television series Lipstick Jungle
, on NBC.
label. The album is entitled Faith, Trust & Pixie Dust and features some of Butler's favorite songs from Disney films and shows given "intimate, acoustic" arrangements. The title is taken from the lyrics of the Jonatha Brooke
song "I'll Try", from the film Return to Neverland, which is featured on the album. Of note is the track "This Only Happens in the Movies", an unreleased song written by Alan Menken
being given its inaugural recording. The full track listing is below.
In a unique contest sponsored by her official site, Butler let fans submit suggestions for one song to be included on the album, with the winner, chosen by Butler, joining her in the studio when the song was recorded. The winning entry was "God Help the Outcasts", from the animated film The Hunchback of Notre Dame.
, as a member of a group of New York ladies of leisure with a surprising secret. The following month, she appeared on the ABC series Cupid, as Debbie, a working-class masseuse who attempts to improve herself to impress her wealthy boyfriend.
In the summer of 2009, Butler appeared in the world premiere of Catch Me If You Can
at the 5th Avenue Theatre
, the same venue where Hairspray
had its pre-Broadway tryout. She played Brenda Strong, the Southern ingénue who falls in love with the con artist Frank Abagnale, Jr. (The role was played by Amy Adams
in the Steven Spielberg film version of Catch Me If You Can.)
In September 2009, Butler began a six-month engagement in the Broadway musical Rock of Ages
, playing six performances a week. She played the lead role of Sherrie, a small-town girl who moves to the Sunset Strip in Los Angeles to pursue her dream of becoming an actress. She left the production on March 13, 2010.
In October 2010, Butler starred in the New York Musical Theatre Festival production of Pandora's Box, playing the title role of Pandora, a slightly naive suburban housewife whose life is turned upside down by the arrival of a mysterious stranger. She also appeared as Mary Jo Clarkson, an Islamist terrorist on the CBS television show Blue Bloods
.
From March to September 2011, Butler reprised the role of Brenda Strong in the Broadway
production of Catch Me if You Can
at the Neil Simon Theatre
, the same Broadway theatre where Hairspray
played. For this role she was nominated for the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical
.
Butler is married to childhood friend Muppet writer and puppeteer Joey Mazzarino, and they have a daughter named Segi, whom they adopted from Ethiopia. Segi is the inspiration for the Sesame Street song I Love My Hair http://www.cnn.com/video/data/2.0/video/bestoftv/2010/10/20/exp.am.intv.mazzarino.cnn.html.
Track Listing:
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
actress known primarily for her work in theatre.
Early life and career
Born in the Bensonhurst neighborhood of Brooklyn, Butler began acting in commercials at age three. She notes that growing up, "When I saw AnnieAnnie (musical)
Annie is a Broadway musical based upon the popular Harold Gray comic strip Little Orphan Annie, with music by Charles Strouse, lyrics by Martin Charnin, and the book by Thomas Meehan. The original Broadway production opened in 1977 and ran for nearly six years with a blonde Annie as the poster...
... I knew that was what I wanted to do." After a four-year hiatus imposed by her mother, Kerry started acting again at the age of nine and has been at it since.
Butler graduated from Ithaca College
Ithaca College
Ithaca College is a private college located on the South Hill of Ithaca, New York. The school was founded by William Egbert in 1892 as a conservatory of music. The college has a strong liberal arts core, but also offers several pre-professional programs and some graduate programs. The college is...
in 1992, where she majored in musical theatre
Musical theatre
Musical theatre is a form of theatre combining songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance. The emotional content of the piece – humor, pathos, love, anger – as well as the story itself, is communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an...
. She toured with the musical Oklahoma!
Oklahoma!
Oklahoma! is the first musical written by composer Richard Rodgers and librettist Oscar Hammerstein II. The musical is based on Lynn Riggs' 1931 play, Green Grow the Lilacs. Set in Oklahoma Territory outside the town of Claremore in 1906, it tells the story of cowboy Curly McLain and his romance...
in Europe in the role of Ado Annie. Other New York roles included Vicki in the workshop of Bright Lights, Big City
Bright Lights, Big City (musical)
Bright Lights, Big City is a musical with music lyrics and book written by Paul Scott Goodman and is based on the novel by Jay McInerney. It follows a week in the life of Jamie, an aspiring writer in his mid 20s who loses himself in the chaos of 1980s New York City.-Plot:Jamie, a...
, Barrow in The "I" Word and Claudia in The Folsom Head. She also has done work on various commercials.
Butler made her Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
debut in 1993 in the role of Ms. Jones in the musical Blood Brothers, where she also understudied the role of Linda. In 1995, Butler originated the role of Belle for the Toronto production of Disney's Beauty and the Beast
Beauty and the Beast (musical)
Beauty and the Beast is a musical with music by Alan Menken, lyrics by Howard Ashman and Tim Rice and a book by Linda Woolverton, based on the 1991 Disney film of the same name. Seven new songs were written for the stage musical...
, where she was nominated for the DORA Award for her performance, and eventually transferred to Broadway. After playing Belle for over two years, she left the musical in July 1997 and was replaced by Deborah Gibson
Deborah Gibson
Deborah Ann "Debbie" Gibson is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. In 1987 she was pronounced the youngest artist to write, produce, and perform a No. 1 single on the Billboard Hot 100, with her song "Foolish Beat" and she remains the youngest female to write, record, and...
. She then moved over to Les Misérables
Les Misérables (musical)
Les Misérables , colloquially known as Les Mis or Les Miz , is a musical by Claude-Michel Schönberg, based on the novel of the same name by Victor Hugo....
to play the coveted role of Eponine
Éponine
Éponine Thénardier is a fictional character in the 1862 novelLes Misérables by Victor Hugo.- Éponine in the novel :As children, Éponine and her younger sister Azelma are described as pretty, well-dressed, charming and a delight to see. They are pampered and spoiled by their parents the Thénardiers...
.
In 2001, Butler played the love interest Shelley in the acclaimed Off Broadway original musical Bat Boy: The Musical
Bat Boy: The Musical
Bat Boy: The Musical is a musical with a book by Keythe Farley and Brian Flemming and music and lyrics by Laurence O'Keefe, based on a June 23, 1992 Weekly World News story about a half-boy, half-bat, dubbed "Bat Boy", found living in a cave....
. Though the show had a "fanatical following," Butler noted that "We were really building an audience before Sept. 11
September 11, 2001 attacks
The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks (also referred to as September 11, September 11th or 9/119/11 is pronounced "nine eleven". The slash is not part of the pronunciation...
. And after that we never recovered. People didn't want to go out at all, let alone downtown." Bat Boy closed in late 2001.
Hairspray
In February 2002 Butler was cast as Penny Pingleton (a role she had originated in workshops) in HairsprayHairspray (musical)
Hairspray is a musical with music by Marc Shaiman, lyrics by Scott Wittman and Shaiman and a book by Mark O'Donnell and Thomas Meehan, based on the 1988 John Waters film Hairspray. The songs include 1960s-style dance music and "downtown" rhythm and blues...
, the musical version of the John Waters
John Waters (filmmaker)
John Samuel Waters, Jr. is an American filmmaker, actor, stand-up comedian, writer, journalist, visual artist, and art collector, who rose to fame in the early 1970s for his transgressive cult films...
1988 film of the same name. After an out-of-town tryout in Seattle, Hairspray opened on Broadway on August 2002 and "became an immediate Broadway smash." Even in a star-studded ensemble cast, reviewers singled Butler out for her sparkling performance as the spastic sidekick. The show would go on to win eight Tony Award
Tony Award
The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Theatre, more commonly known as a Tony Award, recognizes achievement in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ceremony in New York City. The awards are given for Broadway...
s including Best Musical. For her performance, Butler was nominated for the Drama Desk
Drama Desk Award
The Drama Desk Awards, which are given annually in a number of categories, are the only major New York theater honors for which productions on Broadway, Off-Broadway, Off-Off-Broadway compete against each other in the same category...
and Outer Critics Circle
Outer Critics Circle Award
The Outer Critics Circle Awards are presented annually for theatrical achievements both on and Off-Broadway and were begun during the 1949-1950 theater season. The awards are decided upon by theater critics who review for out-of-town newspapers, national publications, and other media outlets...
Awards, and received the Clarence Derwent Award.
While Hairspray went into pre-production, Butler played the free-spirited performance artist Maddie in the limited run of the intimate Australian musical Prodigal at the York Theatre. In March 2002 Butler also appeared on the TV show Sesame Street
Sesame Street
Sesame Street has undergone significant changes in its history. According to writer Michael Davis, by the mid-1970s the show had become "an American institution". The cast and crew expanded during this time, including the hiring of women in the crew and additional minorities in the cast. The...
as Ms. Camp, a letter carrier. During her run in Hairspray Butler filmed a TV pilot for Fox
20th Century Fox
Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation — also known as 20th Century Fox, or simply 20th or Fox — is one of the six major American film studios...
entitled Twins, but it was not picked up for the season.
After starring in Hairspray for a year Butler left the cast in July 2003 and was succeeded by Jenn Gambatese.
Little Shop of Horrors and beyond
Following the end of her Hairspray contract, Butler was cast in the role of Audrey in the first-ever Broadway production of the musical, Little Shop of HorrorsLittle Shop of Horrors (musical)
Little Shop of Horrors is a rock musical, by composer Alan Menken and writer Howard Ashman, about a hapless florist shop worker who raises a plant that feeds on human blood. The musical is based on the low-budget 1960 black comedy film The Little Shop of Horrors, directed by Roger Corman...
. The show had enjoyed a long run Off-Broadway
Off-Broadway
Off-Broadway theater is a term for a professional venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, and for a specific production of a play, musical or revue that appears in such a venue, and which adheres to related trade union and other contracts...
in the 1980s and had been adapted into a 1986 film starring Rick Moranis
Rick Moranis
Frederick Allan "Rick" Moranis is a Canadian comedian, actor, musician, and a magician. Moranis came to prominence in the late 1970s on the sketch comedy show Second City Television, and later appeared in several Hollywood films including Strange Brew; Ghostbusters; Spaceballs; Little Shop of...
, Steve Martin
Steve Martin
Stephen Glenn "Steve" Martin is an American actor, comedian, writer, playwright, producer, musician and composer....
and Ellen Greene
Ellen Greene
Ellen Greene is an American singer and actress. Greene has had a long and varied career as a singer, particularly in cabaret, as an actor and singer in numerous stage productions, particularly musical theatre, as well as having performed in many films – notably Little Shop of Horrors...
, who also created the role of Audrey Off Broadway. Butler revisited her long-lost childhood Brooklyn accent to play Audrey, the love interest with a sadistic dentist boyfriend and a heart of gold. A fan of Little Shop composer Alan Menken
Alan Menken
Alan Menken is an American musical theatre and film composer and pianist.Menken is best known for his numerous scores for films produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios. His scores for The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, and Pocahontas have each won him two Academy Awards...
, who also wrote the music for Beauty and the Beast, Butler received an Outer Critics Circle nomination for Little Shop.
After leaving the show in the summer of 2004, Butler traveled to San Francisco where she created the role of scheming, foul-mouthed teenager Dedee Truitt in the new musical The Opposite of Sex
The Opposite of Sex (musical)
The Opposite of Sex is a musical with music and lyrics by Douglas J. Cohen and book by Cohen with Robert Jess Roth, based on the screenplay to the film of the same name by Don Roos. The show had its premiere at the Magic Theatre in San Francisco on October 2, 2004....
, which had its world premiere at the Magic Theatre
Magic Theatre
The Magic Theatre is a theatre company founded in 1967, presently based at the historic Fort Mason Center on San Francisco's northern waterfront...
that fall. The musical is based on Don Roos
Don Roos
Donald Paul Roos is an American screenwriter and film director.-Life and career:Roos was born in New York. He attended the University of Notre Dame in Indiana...
' 1998 film
The Opposite of Sex
The Opposite of Sex is a 1998 film written and directed by Don Roos. It stars Christina Ricci, Martin Donovan and Lisa Kudrow. The film marked departures for both Ricci and Kudrow, cast against type for the roles they were known for at the time .-Plot:The film is a...
starring Christina Ricci
Christina Ricci
Christina Ricci is an American actress. Ricci received initial recognition and praise as a child star for her performance as Wednesday Addams in The Addams Family and Addams Family Values , and her role as Kat Harvey in Casper...
and Lisa Kudrow
Lisa Kudrow
Lisa Valerie Kudrow is an American actress, best known for her role as Phoebe Buffay in the television sitcom Friends, for which she received many accolades including an Emmy Award and two Screen Actors Guild Awards...
.
In the fall of 2005, Butler appeared in the original Off-Broadway
Off-Broadway
Off-Broadway theater is a term for a professional venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, and for a specific production of a play, musical or revue that appears in such a venue, and which adheres to related trade union and other contracts...
musical Miracle Brothers at the Vineyard Theatre. She played the role of Isabel, a mother made miserable by the rebelliousness of her son as well as her unhappy marriage. In the summer of 2006 she reprised her role of Dedee in The Opposite of Sex at the Williamstown Theatre Festival
Williamstown Theatre Festival
The Williamstown Theatre Festival is a regional summer stock theatre on the campus of Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts, founded in 1954 by Williams College news director, Ralph Renzi, and drama program chairman, David C. Bryant. The theatre was conceived as a way to use the Adams...
, and followed that by taking on the role of Kate, the Ayn Rand
Ayn Rand
Ayn Rand was a Russian-American novelist, philosopher, playwright, and screenwriter. She is known for her two best-selling novels The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged and for developing a philosophical system she called Objectivism....
-loving runaway bride, in the New York Musical Theatre Festival
New York Musical Theatre Festival
The New York Musical Theatre Festival is an annual three-week fall Festival which presents more than thirty new musicals at venues in New York City's midtown theater district...
production of Party Come Here.
Butler also portrayed the manipulative heiress and recovering alcoholic Claudia Reston on the ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
soap opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
One Life to Live
One Life to Live
One Life to Live is an American soap opera which debuted on July 15, 1968 and has been broadcast on the ABC television network. Created by Agnes Nixon, the series was the first daytime drama to primarily feature racially and socioeconomically diverse characters and consistently emphasize social...
, from January 2006 until January 2007, when her character was written off the show.
Xanadu
Beginning May 2007 through September 2008, Butler returned to the Broadway stage to star in the new musical XanaduXanadu (musical)
Xanadu is a musical comedy with a book by Douglas Carter Beane, music and lyrics by Jeff Lynne and John Farrar, based on the 1980 cult classic film of the same name which was, in turn, inspired by the 1947 Rita Hayworth film Down to Earth. The title is a reference to the poem, Kubla Khan, or A...
, based on the 1980 roller-disco film
Xanadu (film)
Xanadu is a 1980 romantic musical fantasy film written by Marc Reid Rubel and directed by Robert Greenwald. The title is a reference to the poem "Kubla Khan, or, A Vision in a Dream: A Fragment" by Samuel Taylor Coleridge, which is quoted in the film. Xanadu is the name of the Chinese province...
starring Olivia Newton-John
Olivia Newton-John
Olivia Newton-John AO, OBE is a singer and actress. She is a four-time Grammy award winner who has amassed five No. 1 and ten other Top Ten Billboard Hot 100 singles and two No. 1 Billboard 200 solo albums. Eleven of her singles and 14 of her albums have been certified gold by the RIAA...
. She played the role of Clio, a Greek muse
Muse
The Muses in Greek mythology, poetry, and literature, are the goddesses who inspire the creation of literature and the arts. They were considered the source of the knowledge, related orally for centuries in the ancient culture, that was contained in poetic lyrics and myths...
who inspires and falls in love with a struggling artist. Butler mastered roller skating for the role and spent nearly the duration of the show on skates. Widely expected to be a flop, the musical opened in July 2007 to extensive critical acclaim and was the surprise hit of the summer.
For her role in Xanadu, Butler was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical and the Drama League Award
Drama League Award
The Drama League Awards, created in 1935, honor distinguished productions and performances both on Broadway and Off-Broadway, in addition to recognizing exemplary career achievements in theatre, musical theatre, and directing...
for Distinguished Performance.
In February and March 2008, Butler appeared as Reese, the thieving assistant to a fashion designer, in the first season of the television series Lipstick Jungle
Lipstick Jungle (TV series)
Lipstick Jungle is an American comedy-drama television series created by DeAnn Heline and Eileen Heisler for NBC Universal Television Studio . The hour-long series was based on the best-selling novel of the same name by Candace Bushnell, who also served as executive producer alongside...
, on NBC.
Faith, Trust & Pixie Dust
In May 2008, Butler released her first solo album on the PS ClassicsPS Classics
PS Classics is a record label that specializes in musical theatre and standard vocals. Founded in 2000 by Grammy-nominated freelance producer Tommy Krasker and singer/actor Philip Chaffin, their releases have been critically acclaimed for their meticulous sonic detail and high-quality packaging and...
label. The album is entitled Faith, Trust & Pixie Dust and features some of Butler's favorite songs from Disney films and shows given "intimate, acoustic" arrangements. The title is taken from the lyrics of the Jonatha Brooke
Jonatha Brooke
Jonatha Brooke is an American folk rock singer-songwriter and guitarist from Illinois.Her music merges elements of folk, rock and pop, often with poignant lyrics and complex harmonies...
song "I'll Try", from the film Return to Neverland, which is featured on the album. Of note is the track "This Only Happens in the Movies", an unreleased song written by Alan Menken
Alan Menken
Alan Menken is an American musical theatre and film composer and pianist.Menken is best known for his numerous scores for films produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios. His scores for The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, and Pocahontas have each won him two Academy Awards...
being given its inaugural recording. The full track listing is below.
In a unique contest sponsored by her official site, Butler let fans submit suggestions for one song to be included on the album, with the winner, chosen by Butler, joining her in the studio when the song was recorded. The winning entry was "God Help the Outcasts", from the animated film The Hunchback of Notre Dame.
Catch Me If You Can, Rock of Ages, etc.
The following year, Butler was again featured as a guest star on major television shows. In May 2009 she appeared on an episode of NBC's 30 Rock30 Rock
30 Rock is an American television comedy series created by Tina Fey that airs on NBC. The series is loosely based on Fey's experiences as head writer for Saturday Night Live...
, as a member of a group of New York ladies of leisure with a surprising secret. The following month, she appeared on the ABC series Cupid, as Debbie, a working-class masseuse who attempts to improve herself to impress her wealthy boyfriend.
In the summer of 2009, Butler appeared in the world premiere of Catch Me If You Can
Catch Me if You Can (musical)
Catch Me If You Can is a musical with a libretto by Terrence McNally and a theatrical score by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman. It follows the story of con artist Frank Abagnale, Jr...
at the 5th Avenue Theatre
5th Avenue Theatre
The 5th Avenue Theatre is a landmark theater building located in Seattle, Washington, USA. It has hosted a variety of theatre productions and motion pictures since it opened in 1926. The building and land is owned by the University of Washington and was once part of the original campus...
, the same venue where Hairspray
Hairspray (musical)
Hairspray is a musical with music by Marc Shaiman, lyrics by Scott Wittman and Shaiman and a book by Mark O'Donnell and Thomas Meehan, based on the 1988 John Waters film Hairspray. The songs include 1960s-style dance music and "downtown" rhythm and blues...
had its pre-Broadway tryout. She played Brenda Strong, the Southern ingénue who falls in love with the con artist Frank Abagnale, Jr. (The role was played by Amy Adams
Amy Adams
Amy Lou Adams is an American actress and singer. Adams began her performing career on stage in dinner theaters before making her screen debut in the 1999 black comedy film Drop Dead Gorgeous...
in the Steven Spielberg film version of Catch Me If You Can.)
In September 2009, Butler began a six-month engagement in the Broadway musical Rock of Ages
Rock of Ages (musical)
Rock of Ages is a rock/jukebox musical, with a book by Chris D'Arienzo, built around classic rock hits from the 1980s, especially from the famous glam metal bands of the decade. The musical features songs from Styx, Journey, Bon Jovi, Pat Benatar, Twisted Sister, Steve Perry, Poison and Asia, among...
, playing six performances a week. She played the lead role of Sherrie, a small-town girl who moves to the Sunset Strip in Los Angeles to pursue her dream of becoming an actress. She left the production on March 13, 2010.
In October 2010, Butler starred in the New York Musical Theatre Festival production of Pandora's Box, playing the title role of Pandora, a slightly naive suburban housewife whose life is turned upside down by the arrival of a mysterious stranger. She also appeared as Mary Jo Clarkson, an Islamist terrorist on the CBS television show Blue Bloods
Blue Bloods (TV series)
Blue Bloods is an American police procedural/drama series on CBS, filmed on location in New York City. The show premiered on September 24, 2010, with episodes airing on Fridays at 10:00 pm Eastern and Pacific/9:00 PM Central and Mountain....
.
From March to September 2011, Butler reprised the role of Brenda Strong in the Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
production of Catch Me if You Can
Catch Me if You Can (musical)
Catch Me If You Can is a musical with a libretto by Terrence McNally and a theatrical score by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman. It follows the story of con artist Frank Abagnale, Jr...
at the Neil Simon Theatre
Neil Simon Theatre
The Neil Simon Theatre, formerly the Alvin Theatre, is a Broadway venue built in 1927 and located at 250 West 52nd Street in midtown-Manhattan....
, the same Broadway theatre where Hairspray
Hairspray (musical)
Hairspray is a musical with music by Marc Shaiman, lyrics by Scott Wittman and Shaiman and a book by Mark O'Donnell and Thomas Meehan, based on the 1988 John Waters film Hairspray. The songs include 1960s-style dance music and "downtown" rhythm and blues...
played. For this role she was nominated for the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical
Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical
The Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical was first awarded in the 1974-1975 Drama Desk Awards and has subsequently been awarded every year. In the 1993-1994 Drama Desk Awards the award was given under the name of Outstanding Supporting Actress - Musical...
.
Personal life
Butler continues to perform in various workshops, readings and benefit concerts. She is a vegetarian and activist whose concerns include youth mentoring, human rights violations, genocide and environmental issues.Butler is married to childhood friend Muppet writer and puppeteer Joey Mazzarino, and they have a daughter named Segi, whom they adopted from Ethiopia. Segi is the inspiration for the Sesame Street song I Love My Hair http://www.cnn.com/video/data/2.0/video/bestoftv/2010/10/20/exp.am.intv.mazzarino.cnn.html.
Broadway
- Catch Me If You CanCatch Me if You Can (musical)Catch Me If You Can is a musical with a libretto by Terrence McNally and a theatrical score by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman. It follows the story of con artist Frank Abagnale, Jr...
— Brenda Strong, 2011 - Rock of AgesRock of Ages (musical)Rock of Ages is a rock/jukebox musical, with a book by Chris D'Arienzo, built around classic rock hits from the 1980s, especially from the famous glam metal bands of the decade. The musical features songs from Styx, Journey, Bon Jovi, Pat Benatar, Twisted Sister, Steve Perry, Poison and Asia, among...
— Sherrie, 2009–2010 - XanaduXanadu (musical)Xanadu is a musical comedy with a book by Douglas Carter Beane, music and lyrics by Jeff Lynne and John Farrar, based on the 1980 cult classic film of the same name which was, in turn, inspired by the 1947 Rita Hayworth film Down to Earth. The title is a reference to the poem, Kubla Khan, or A...
— Clio/Kira, 2007–2008 - Little Shop of Horrors — Audrey, 2003–2004
- HairsprayHairspray (musical)Hairspray is a musical with music by Marc Shaiman, lyrics by Scott Wittman and Shaiman and a book by Mark O'Donnell and Thomas Meehan, based on the 1988 John Waters film Hairspray. The songs include 1960s-style dance music and "downtown" rhythm and blues...
— Penny Pingleton, 2002–2003 - Les MisérablesLes Misérables (musical)Les Misérables , colloquially known as Les Mis or Les Miz , is a musical by Claude-Michel Schönberg, based on the novel of the same name by Victor Hugo....
— Eponine, 1998–1999 - Beauty and the BeastBeauty and the Beast (musical)Beauty and the Beast is a musical with music by Alan Menken, lyrics by Howard Ashman and Tim Rice and a book by Linda Woolverton, based on the 1991 Disney film of the same name. Seven new songs were written for the stage musical...
— Belle, 1995–1997 - Blood Brothers — Ms. Jones, 1993
Off Broadway/Regional/Tour
- Pandora's Box at the New York Musical Theatre Festival — Pandora, 2010
- Catch Me If You Can at the 5th Avenue Theatre — Brenda Strong, 2009
- Party Come Here at the New York Musical Theatre Festival — Kate, 2006
- The Opposite of Sex at the Williamstown Theatre Festival — Dedee Truitt, 2006
- Miracle Brothers at the Vineyard Theatre — Isabel, 2005
- The Opposite of Sex at the Magic Theatre, San Francisco — Dedee Truitt, 2004
- Prodigal at the York Theatre — Maddie, 2003
- Hairspray at the 5th Avenue Theatre — Penny Pingleton, 2002
- Bat Boy The MusicalBat Boy: The MusicalBat Boy: The Musical is a musical with a book by Keythe Farley and Brian Flemming and music and lyrics by Laurence O'Keefe, based on a June 23, 1992 Weekly World News story about a half-boy, half-bat, dubbed "Bat Boy", found living in a cave....
at the Union Square Theatre — Shelley Parker, 2001 - The "I" Word — Barrow
- The Folsom Head — Claudia
- Oklahoma!Oklahoma!Oklahoma! is the first musical written by composer Richard Rodgers and librettist Oscar Hammerstein II. The musical is based on Lynn Riggs' 1931 play, Green Grow the Lilacs. Set in Oklahoma Territory outside the town of Claremore in 1906, it tells the story of cowboy Curly McLain and his romance...
— Ado Annie
Demos, readings and workshops
- The Dogs of Pripyat
- The Green Heart
- Hollywood Lies
- The Nutty Professor
- The Front
- Catch Me If You Can
- BabyBaby (musical)Baby is a musical with a book by Sybille Pearson, based on a story developed with Susan Yankowitz, music by David Shire, and lyrics by Richard Maltby, Jr.. It concerns the reactions of three couples each expecting a child. The musical first ran on Broadway from 1983 to 1984.-Synopsis:Three...
- XanaduXanadu (musical)Xanadu is a musical comedy with a book by Douglas Carter Beane, music and lyrics by Jeff Lynne and John Farrar, based on the 1980 cult classic film of the same name which was, in turn, inspired by the 1947 Rita Hayworth film Down to Earth. The title is a reference to the poem, Kubla Khan, or A...
- One Step Forward
- In Your Dreams
- The Little MermaidThe Little Mermaid (musical)The Little Mermaid is a stage musical produced by Disney Theatrical, based on the animated 1989 Disney film of the same name and the classic story of The Little Mermaid by Hans Christian Andersen...
- Pandora's Box
- The Man in the White Suit
- Legally Blonde: The MusicalLegally Blonde (musical)Legally Blonde is a musical with music and lyrics by Laurence O'Keefe and Nell Benjamin and book by Heather Hach. The story is based on the novel Legally Blonde by Amanda Brown and the 2001 film of the same name. It tells the story of Elle Woods, a sorority girl who enrolls at Harvard Law School to...
- The Wedding SingerThe Wedding Singer (musical)The Wedding Singer is a musical with music by Matthew Sklar, lyrics by Chad Beguelin, and a book by Chad Beguelin and Tim Herlihy. It is based on the 1998 film The Wedding Singer.-Synopsis:Act 1...
- Easter Rising
- Robber Bridegroom
- Piece
- TabooTaboo (musical)Taboo is a stage musical with a book by Mark Davies , lyrics by Boy George, and music by George and Kevan Frost....
- Bright Lights, Big City
- Le Passe Muraille (later named Amour)
Film
- Second Honeymoon (CBS) - Jennifer Luckenbill
- Borough of Kings [also known as Brooklyn Sonnet] (Lions Gate) - Anna Callahan
- Campfire Stories (Independent) - Beatrice
Television
- Rescue Me (FX), 2011
- Blue BloodsBlue Bloods (TV series)Blue Bloods is an American police procedural/drama series on CBS, filmed on location in New York City. The show premiered on September 24, 2010, with episodes airing on Fridays at 10:00 pm Eastern and Pacific/9:00 PM Central and Mountain....
(CBS) - Mary Jo Clarkson, 2010 - Cupid (ABC) - Debbie, 2009
- 30 Rock30 Rock30 Rock is an American television comedy series created by Tina Fey that airs on NBC. The series is loosely based on Fey's experiences as head writer for Saturday Night Live...
(NBC) - Lyle, 2009 - Lipstick JungleLipstick Jungle (TV series)Lipstick Jungle is an American comedy-drama television series created by DeAnn Heline and Eileen Heisler for NBC Universal Television Studio . The hour-long series was based on the best-selling novel of the same name by Candace Bushnell, who also served as executive producer alongside...
(NBC) - Reese, 2008 - One Life To Live (ABC) - Heather, 2000; Claudia Reston, 2006–2007
- Hometown (CBS) - Patti
- Another World (NBC) - Tina
- Sesame Street (PBS) - Charlotte Camp, 2002
- Crackle Box (PBS) - Tunie
- Princess Gwenevere and the Jewel RidersPrincess Gwenevere and the Jewel RidersPrincess Gwenevere and the Jewel Riders is a 1995 children's fantasy animated television series inspired by the Arthurian myths, produced by Bohbot Productions with association with Hong Ying Animation and internationally syndicated by Bohbot Entertainment.The series had two...
(Synd.) - Gwenevere
Cast recordings
- Catch Me If You Can - Original Broadway Cast, 2011
- Dear Edwina - World Premiere Cast, 2008
- Xanadu - Original Broadway Cast, 2007
- Anna Karenina - The Broadway Musical, 2007
- Little Shop of Horrors - New Broadway Cast, 2004
- HairsprayHairspray (2002 album)Hairspray: Original Broadway Cast Recording is the cast album for the 2002 musical Hairspray. The show is an adaptation of the 1988 film of the same name...
- Original Broadway Cast, 2003 - Prodigal - Original Off-Broadway Cast, 2003
- Bat Boy - Original Off-Broadway Cast, 2001
Solo album
- Faith, Trust & Pixie Dust - Released on May 13, 2008
Track Listing:
- "This Only Happens in the Movies"
- "When You Wish Upon a Star"
- "I'll Try"
- "Call Me a Princess"
- "Colors of the Wind"
- "It's a Small World"/"God Help the Outcasts"
- "Baby Mine"
- "Minnie's Yoo Hoo"
- "Second Star to the Right"
- "The Bare Necessities"
- "When She Loved Me"
- "Disneyland"
Other recordings
- Featured on Out of Our Heads: The Music of Kooman and Dimond - "I Think That He Likes Me", 2011
- Featured on Ballroom Remixed - "Bad at Being Good", 2011
- Featured on Carols for a Cure: Volume 9 - "Away in a Manger", 2007
- Featured on The Broadway Musicals of 1945 - "Here I Go Again", duet with Eddie Korbich; "It Doesn't Cost Anything to Dream"; "Slightly Perfect", duet with Scott Ailing; "What's the Use of Wond'rin", duet with Marc Kudisch, 2007
- Featured on Guy Haines' New Guy in Town - "Sure Thing", duet with Guy Haines, 2005
- Featured on NEO: New, Emerging, Outstanding - "Any Day", duet with Laura Bell Bundy and "Inside Your Heart", duet with Deven May, 2005
- Featured on Jamie deRoy & Friends: Volume 6: When I Grow Up - "Some Shoes Are Harder Than Others to Fill", 2005
- Featured on Jamie deRoy & Friends: Volume 5: Animal Tracks - "Lion Tamer", 2003
- Featured on Jamie deRoy & Friends: Volume 4: Family - "The Portrait", 2002
Awards and nominations
- 2011 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical, Catch Me If You Can Nominated
- 2008 Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical, Xanadu Nominated
- 2008 Drama League Award for Distinguished Performance, Xanadu Nominated
- 2004 Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Actress in a Musical, Little Shop of Horrors Nominated
- 2003 Clarence Derwent Award for Most Promising Female Performance, Hairspray WINNER
- 2003 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical, Hairspray Nominated
- 2003 Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical, Hairspray Nominated
- 1996 DORA Award for Outstanding Female Performance in a Principal Role Nominated