By Michele DeVinney dio audience. You have visibility, so people know you. But while I was allowed to guest on other television When he was 10 years old, Dan Butler attended shows, I wasn't allowed to shoot other pilots, so that a production of Our Town at South Side High School. limited what else I could do. I decided after six sea­ While it may not have been that one experience that sons that I had learned what I could from the role, and set his life course, Butler did pursue theatre I took a break to do other with a passion that would eventually set him things ." on course for a career in film and on televi­ A tragic turn of events, sion and stage, a career that has made him the death of Frasier creator recognizable to audiences everywhere. And and writer David Angell, Rock with Doc along the way, Thornton Wilder's Pulitzer­ lured him back to the show winning play continued to resonate. in the final seasons of its in Jamaica! Born in Huntington, Butler grew up in I I-year run . Fort Wayne, graduating from Northrop High "David Angell and his School in 1973 and was already participating wife were killed in the first in productions at IPFW while still a senior. plane on 9/ l l, and when I He continued to take the stage at the univer­ saw everyone at the funer­ sity - at the old PIT, now the Studio Theatre al, I realized that I missed on campus - for the next several years as working with these people, well as performances at the Fort Wayne Civic so I did three or four more Theatre. But it was in the 1990s that Butler's shows before the show background in ended." this area began Even during this peri­ garnering at­ od of time, as he continued tention as his hi s work on Frasier, Our career took off. Town came back into his An appearance focus. in the Oscar­ " I actually had a chance to winning Best play the role of the stage man­ Picture Silence ager in a professional production of the Lambs in several years ago," says Butler, 1991 was fol­ "but I had to drop out when I lowed only two was given the chance to direct a years later by Frasier episode. It was at a play­ his stint on the house in Los Angeles, and they television series ended up replacing me in the role Frasier as Bob "Bulldog" Briscoe. Even as that series with a black woman." was establishing him in homes across America, his In hindsight - and thanks to his association with one-man show The Only Thing Worse You Could Have Frasier and his success on the stage - it wouldn't be Told Me, which centered around his announcement overstating to suggest that 1993-94 were life-altering that he was gay, garnered critical acclaim. He came to days for Butler, but not only because of his career mo­ realize that there were advantages and disadvantages mentum. It was also during this time that he met his to being on a hit television show, albeit one which al­ husband, Richard Waterhouse, and the pairing proved lowed him the freedom to tackle other projects. not only personally fulfilling, but creatively inspiring. " Frasier was great, but it was also limiting," he Waterhouse, an acting teacher and director, has proven says. "The money was great, which was a major perk, a perfect complement for Butler, and the couple has and it was an incredible show. I was being blasted to several joint projects to their credit, including the short the whole country. Plus it was really well-written - it was like doing a play every week because of the stu­ Continued on page 7

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films Pearl and Respect for Acting as well as the independent feature Karl Rove, I Love You . They have also visited Fort Wayne in recent years as educators at IPFW, co-pre­ senting a workshop with theatre students on Don't let These Guys Down acting for film, providing them with keen insight in the different approaches for stage By Colin McCallister achieve the delicate balance between having total Battle of the Bands sets, including one and camera. fun during rehearsals while still maintaining in the semifinals round. They rehearsed in­ This year they return again to co-direct Those who have seen Classic Automatic a strong work ethic. tensively to make sure that no one set would a play, and, perhaps not surprisingly, Butler perform live would probably be surprised to The collaborative efforts and work ethic be the same. They closed every set, however, has chosen Our Town. Aside from his direc­ learn that they came from quiet and humble proved themselves on September 20 when with their cover of the Beatles' "Don't Let torial duties, Butler will now fill the role he folk origins. The band members themselves patrons at O'Sullivan's in Fort Wayne learned Me Down," which seemed to generate the relinquished years earlier, playing the stage know they' ve come a long way from their that you can't pin down this band as exclu­ most positive crowd response. manager who serves as the play's link to the first acoustic shows more than a year ago at sively playing alternative rock. Throughout "Even though it 's a cover song, we were audience. His reasons for doing the play date coffee shops like the Peace Frog. The first the band's 90-minute set, those in the audi­ reluctant to take it out of the set because we back to his first experience with it at South show was only 20 minutes long and was wit­ ence were treated to some country songs that spent so much time working on it," Het­ Side (and are chronicled in more detail on nessed by about tinger said. "No a blog, IPFW presents Our Town, http:// five people. Fast regrets . People i pfwpresentsourtown .wordpress .com/) and forward to this seemed to like Waterhouse is helping him to fulfill a plan year's Battle the song." many years in the making. of the Bands X Classic Auto­ "I don 't think there's any other play like season where matic's progress it. It's incomparable," says Butler. "Plus it 's they rocked out as a band hasn't an opportunity for Richard and [me] to work in front of a sig­ come without together, and it complemented the work­ nificantly larger some bumps shops we've been doing here every couple crowd that re­ along the way. of years." ceived them Recently, Brian Waterhouse's involvement stems large­ warmly and Newsome left ly from his devotion to Butler but also from achieved high the band to be his love for what he does. scores from the with his fiancee "I've always liked the play," he says, judges. Every­ who is attend­ "but it could have almost been anything. one has to start ing law school Dan and I like working together, and I just somewhere, and in Ann Arbor, like working with actors. I love the energy for Classic Au­ Michigan. of college students. It's infectious. The tomatic, their "Leaving the piece is Dan's passion while my passion is flirtations with band was hard the people. Dan has the vision for what he folk got them to because not wants to do, and I'm like the first captain realize that their only were they helping to make that vision happen." modest, but fun­ my bandmates, Butler also saw this as an opportunity to loving, boister­ but they were revisit the old PIT theatre where he learned ous personalities my family and so much and to visit family during the holi­ needed to be friends," he said. day season. His parents are still both living reflected in their music. Since ditching their had never before played for an audience, fol­ " Everyone knew that I was moving away in the area, though his mother no longer folk roots, Classic Automatic have been lowed by an R&B set with a friend, Pamela when we formed the band, so we made the travels. Though the couple often visits for brewing their own brand of garage/alterna­ Shue, adding soulful vocals. This is a band most of it. But every now and then I would holidays and at other times, this trip repre­ tive music that offers the older crowds hard that is open to trying a variety of ideas that hear a ' dang, I wish you didn 't have to sents their longest stay. rock and metal reminiscent of Led Zeppelin will potentially resonate with new listeners. leave'' or ' how are we supposed to replace "I think we were both a little apprehen­ and still attracts the college crowd with blue­ Judging by the number of nodding heads and you?' But anytime someone in the band sive," says Waterhouse. "Seven weeks is a sy tinges of Black Keys and White Stripes. visible smiles during these sets, Classic Au­ would fret, no pun intended, it would make long time, and there's apprehension in leav­ Originating through friendship and a tomatic's audacious approach toward blend­ me feel good because I knew they cared so ing our home for that long." shared interest in music, the seeds of Clas­ ing hard rock with conflicting music genres much." "We sometimes get a little antsy after a sic Automatic were sown about five years seems to be paying off. Fortunately, a friend of the band, Taylor couple of days, so we wondered about seven ago when brothers Mike (guitar) and Brian Classic Automatic have put together a Williams, was able to join them as the new weeks," adds Butler. "But we have a project Newsome (bass) were joined by Kyle Het­ catalog of 23 original songs along with a few bassist immediately after Brian Newsome's we 're working on, and being here for Our tinger who was just learning drums after covers, and new material is added to their departure. Williams had a lot of catching up Town and thinking about my beginnings playing trumpet throughout middle school. set every so often. They have recorded three to do, but he was able to accomplish the ex­ here, they feed off of each other. And it 's Jesse Yoder joined later as lead vocalist and rough demos with a simple 4-track recorder traordinary feat of learning 20 songs within set in New Hampshire, and we live in New rhythm guitarist. The largely self-taught and posted the results on their ReverbNation . two weeks. England, so there are a lot of connections players have utilized a highly collaborative Last February they performed an hour-long "I've had a blast for the past month, but for us." approach to songwriting: a member ap­ set on NIPR's Meet the Music program. it was hectic for the first two weeks learn­ That New England home in Vermont proaches the band with an idea for a riff or "It was fun because we had never been ing as many songs as I could," he said. Since has been their sanctuary for seven years, but lyrics set to a melody; the song is then built in a studio place like that, and it was cool Williams shared a lot of the same musical a move to New York City is on their agenda off that component and diligently rehearsed to see how much they cared about local mu­ tastes and styles as the rest of the band, the for 2014. They hope to turn that house into and fine-tuned for a live performance. sic," said Mike Newsome. " It was our thing. transition went smoothly. an artist residence, providing more work­ Not long after the group decided to We got to play altogether, and it was neat While Classic Automatic consider them­ shops and creative opportunities for fellow travel on the alternative rock path, the songs knowing people were going to hear it. It was selves loners in the local music scene, they writers, directors, actors and other theatre became more fun, and as a result, the band like a live show and that's how we handled have made friends with other bands along professionals. Butler and Waterhouse have was having more fun as well. However, as it." Kyle said. the way. They don't necessarily concern few set plans beyond this production of Our rehearsals became more focused and in­ This past spring, with those experiences themselves with what they contribute to the Town, an aspect of their chosen profession tense, the band did have to learn to be more under their belts, band members felt it was local music scene, but one of their goals is that they acknowledge can be both exciting laid back. "In the beginning we would take time to really push themselves and enroll in to be recognized and liked by other bands. and nerve-wracking. it super-serious, and get pissed off at each what::,up!Wooden Nickel Battle of the Bands That's a goal they have largely accomplished "That's just part of an actor's life," says other whenever someone made a mistake," X. The experience gave them the opportu­ since participating in the Battle of the Bands. Butler. "I heard Patricia Heaton once said Yoder said. "We also play better when we 're nity to meet and be on the same bill with With a new bassist in tow, new ideas in de­ that the one thing you always know is that having fun. Whenever someone makes a older, more experienced bands and to reach velopment and prospective opportunities to this job will end. And that's really true. It's mistake, it's not the end of the world." Clas­ out to the crowds those bands brought along record and release more material, Classic really the life of a restless soul." sic Automatic have since taught each other to with them. Classic Automatic played three Automatic's ongoing tale is likely to have

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