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Nate Butler's Pressbook Clippings
Below you can access articles from my hometown newspaper The Fresno Bee, covering various stages of my performing career. (To go to The Fresno Bee Website: www.fresnobee.com) |
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| THEATER REVIEW: "HAIR" Dean Rhodus, KMPH FOX 26, March 21, 2010 "It would be a very good thing if you could find the time to go see one of these performances. If you remember that era, you will be reminded of things and feelings you may have forgotten, and if you do not remember that era you will get a glimpse of a very important time in our national history, if not the world's. It is, however, not a history lesson." read more |
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THEATER REVIEW: "Peter Pan" "Musical Theaterworks Fresno and director Jeff White have a lot to crow about with the company's much-improved production of "Peter Pan," which has returned for a second year of December performances at the Veterans Memorial Auditorium. (It continues Thursday-Saturday.) |
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Donald Munro, The "Even if you don't know the story of "The Fantasticks," chances are you've heard the line from its most famous song: "Try to remember the kind of September / When life was slow and oh, so mellow." But perhaps the best-known aspect of the show is how long it ran off-Broadway, where it opened in 1960. When it closed in We caught up with Jeff White, director of the new Artists' Repertory Theatre production opening today at the Severance Theatre, via e-mail to get his thoughts on the show." read more |
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| THEATER REVIEW: "Peter Pan" Donald Munro, The Fresno Bee, December 10, 2008 "A combination of this old chestnut's clunky book, languid pacing and a generally less-than-robust sense of confidence hamper this production. On the plus side, the show is cute, the costumes are sweet and the cast is earnest. And the sheer technical challenge of the event -- from the flying sequences to the massive sets (perhaps a little too massive?) -- is impressive. A lot of hard work went into this production, and it shows." read more |
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| THEATER REVIEW: 'The Rocky Horror Show' Donald Munro, The Fresno Bee, November 3, 2008 You'd better get your tickets fast. The stars align -- at least the ones involving Earth and a distant planet named Transsexual -- for the new production of "The Rocky Horror Show" at the And on top of all that, you get to throw toilet paper at the actors. What could top that? read more |
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| "Got you covered: Beatles? Stones? Fresno has them both, and Neil Young, too." Mike Osegueda, The Fresno Bee, Thursday, October 9, 2003 "You didn't know we had our own Neil Young, did you? Or our own Rolling Stones? Or Beatles? It's true... Experience it yourself at this weekend's Woodward Pop Festival, which, on the first day, will feature The Beetles, Gimme Shelter (the Rolling Stones tribute band), Sippy and Ol' Guzzler ('60s music), Dreamweaver: The '70s Band, the Neptunes (surf music) and Ragged Glory [the Neil Young tribute band], all re-creating tunes from the past..." read more |
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| "Nate Butler's tribute to The Doors takes an encore" Mike Osegueda, The Fresno Bee, Friday, August 29, 2003 "Nate Butler didn't mean to deceive anyone. Really, he didn't. Last May, Butler put together a Doors tribute show billed as a "one-night-only" event. And here it is, August, and Nate Butler Presents The Doors is back again Saturday at the Starline. Nate?..." read more |
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| "Cabaret Style" Joshua Tehee, The Fresno Bee CityView, Thursday, June 26, 2003 "Nate Butler sits at the piano winging his way through "Cry Me A River"... In a faded fedora, vest and tie, the 37-year-old Butler looks more at home in some darkened downtown bar than on stage at Roger Rocka's Music Hall. ... The duo is rehearsing for "Broadway's Music of the Night," a cabaret-style showcase at Roger Rocka's June 29, which features classics from the 1920's to 1950's as interpreted by [Justin] Weatherby and Butler." read more |
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| "Mr. Jolly" Joshua Tehee, The Fresno Bee CityView, Thursday, December 19, 2002 "Nate Butler may not be the real jolly ol' St. Nick, but come Christmastime in Fresno, he's pretty close. Just ask anyone who's heard his answering machine recently... At Nate Butler's Christmas party, it doesn't matter if guests don't remember the words to traditional holiday songs. That's exactly how his party, Mmm Mmm Christmas, got its name. Or better yet, ask anyone who's joined him for his annual "Mmm Mmm Christmas" celebration..." read more |
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| "Fresno's Fab Four" Don Mayhew, The Fresno Bee, Sunday, June 23, 2002 "The Beetles, a Fresno tribute band, have lasted nearly 10 years... [but] have remained one of the most popular local rock acts by bringing the songs' exuberance to life on stage -- where, let's face it, the original Beatles appeared far too rarely... It's been a long and winding road, one we celebrate today with recollections from the band, other local musicians, club owners and fans..." read more |
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| "The Yule Duel" Don Mayhew, The Fresno Bee, Sunday, December 17, 2000 "This was our autumn challenge: Write, perform, record and mix a holiday tune that makes reference, directly or subtly, to the Valley. The songs can be sentimental or spiritual, solemn or satirical. And by the way, we need them in less than 30 days so readers can vote for which one they like best. Two Valley rock musicians, Blake Jones of Kingsburg and Nate Butler of Fresno, were up to the challenge..." |
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| "Out On A Whim" Don Mayhew, The Fresno Bee, Saturday, March 29, 2000 "Nate Butler is dressed for success... Imagine the Father of Our Country went to visit Alice in Wonderland, and you're close. Except there's no rabbit, no Cheshire Cat and no ruthless Queen of Hearts. This ain't no tea party. Butler is inside the Tower District nightclub Starline on a weeknight, rehearsing his Suede Mouse Trio. Nobody will lose a head tonight..." read more |
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| excerpt from "Songs Sung Blah" Ken Robison, The Fresno Bee, Tuesday, August 5, 1997 "Just don't tell Nate Butler about your feelings against "Feelings." He'll play it. Butler, Fresno musician best known for his Beatles cover band The Beetles, sings a lot of cheesy songs as part of his weekend piano bar act at Veni Vidi Vici restaurant. At a recent stint behind the keyboard, Butler did two of pop music's most-reviled songs -- 'Muskrat Love' and Sammy Davis Jr.'s 'The Candy Man'..." read more |
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| "Meet The Beetles and revel in rocker nostalgia" Guest columnist John Paul Jones, The Fresno Bee, Saturday, March 29, 1997 "This enduring affection culminated in their ability to perform The Beatles' music to an amazing degree of exact replication. Even the fade-out at each song's end is carefully duplicated. They are not a novelty act, dressing the part like Elvis impersonators. Rather, Tom Magill, Nate Butler, Stan Shaffer and Jim Carter are studious musicians paying homage to the greatest rock 'n' roll band ever..." read more "A 'Bundle of joy visits for holidays" Kathey Clarey, The Fresno Bee, Friday, November 29, 1996 "When Fresno playwright Marcel Nunis tells people his "A Bundle of Wishes" is adapted from Hans Christian Anderson's "The Little Match Girl," they express deep affection for the story. They have no idea how much he hates it... He wrote "A Bundle of Wishes" for Fresno Playhouse in 1988, keeping the basic elements of Anderson's story and adding a twist. The setting shifts between contemporary Fresno and the city in 1912... "It isn't really a Christmas show," director Nate Butler said. "But it has the Christmas spirit of hope, compassion, and giving..." read more |
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| Metronews Music Reviews: "Nate Butler Presents The Doors" Randy Krbechek, Metronews, February 8, 1995 "Nate Butler and his band played a rousing set of Doors' songs last weekend at Club Fred..." read more Metronews Music Reviews: "Nate Butler Presents Pink Floyd's The Wall" Randy Krbechek, Metronews, March 2, 1994 "Last week, Nate Butler and his band performed a faithful and extremely entertaining version of 'The Wall' (by Pink Floyd) at Club Fred. Fred's place was packed for Nate & Co.'s sterling live rendition of this seminal work. The band proved extremely talented as they faithfully recreated this complex album song by song..." read more |
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| "Giving folks sound they know, from Beatles to Pink Floyd" Ken Robison, The Fresno Bee, Friday, February 18, 1994 "As a songwriter, Nate Butler pens original pop songs. As a performer, however, he's a copycat. In this stage of his musical career, Butler can be found playing songs by John Lennon-Paul McCartney or Pink Floyd's Roger Waters rather than his own works. Tonight, he and several band-mates will re-create Pink Floyd's "The Wall" at Club Fred..." read more |
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"Tattling On 'Tales Of Young Robert'" The Rampage, Fresno City College, Monday, October 31, 1988 "Those who believe Fresno is culturally dead have a surprise in store for them. It is the "Tales Of Young Robert." That is a yarn in itself, and the band is what it's all about. The 'story' started in the mid-eighties as a trio consisting of (guitarist/songwriter) Nate Butler, (bassist) Darren Embry, and (drummer/songwriter) Stan Schaffer..." read more |
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| "A talky but touching 'Human Comedy'" David Hale, The Fresno Bee, Saturday, September 19, 1981 "The stage version of "The Human Comedy" makes a typical Saroyan play: A series of short scenes allow a variety of homely characters to explain themselves and to reaffirm the value of such virtues as love, dignity, self-awareness, respect, courtesy and diligence... Saroyan's language, warmth and vitality are intact. So are his patience with weakness and a certain naivety about meanness. [Director William] Monson has arranged it all so that there is a sense of growth in the central character, young Homer MaCauley, played by Nate Butler..." read more |
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