Artist Bio

(Bio as of April 2003)

Paul Butler most recently appeared at the Goodman in Gem of the Ocean during the 2002/2003 Season. He returns to the Goodman for his 10th mainstage production, his first at the new theater. Mr. Butler won universal acclaim for his creation of the role of Becker in Au­gust Wilson’s Jitney. He played Antony to Vanessa Redgrave’s Cleopatra in London, and Shy­lock in Peter Sellars’ production of The Merchant of Venice at the Goodman Theatre and in London, Paris and Hamburg. Paul has also played Othello at the Shakespeare Repertory Com­pany of Chicago, and Pericles at the New York Shakespeare Festival. On Broadway, Paul cre­ated the role of Navy Captain Judge Randolph in A Few Good Men, played Papa Wellington in Golden Boy at Encores! at City Center and played Doaker in The Piano Lesson. At Lincoln Center, he was in Prairie du Chien, and off-Broadway he played King Lear for the Classical Theatre of Harlem, and appeared in Mamet’s Edmond, Balm in Gilead, Tooth of Crime, The Har­vesting and created the role of T.O. Jones in I Am a Man. Regionally, he has appeared in nu­merous other shows at the Goodman Theatre, in Death and the King’s Horsemen at the Kennedy Center, and of course, in Jitney. On film, Paul’s credits include The Insider, State and Main, Giraffe, Strictly Business, Glengarry Glen Ross, Zebrahead, To Sleep with Anger, He Said She Said, Things Change, and The Spook Who Sat By the Door and the recent independent hit Tadpole. Mr. Butler’s television credits include Sidney Lumet’s 100 Centre Sheet, Crime Story, New York Undercover, Law & Order and Homicide.

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