No Title Needed Episode 73 - Finding My Voice with Jacob Butler

Hey, everyone. Welcome to another episode of no title needed coming to you from the beautiful

fine Steins Cabaret, the hotel car Michael in Carmel, Indiana, USA. I am Cynthia Collins

and I'm Scott Usport and we are your co-hosts as always and forever and today that's going

to be our new tagline Scotty all right and today we have a wonderful wonderful Gaston

of my favorite people in the world Jacob Butler. Hi. Hey, bud. How's it going? Good, good.

You are wonderful. That makes you are kind and cute. Can I get a clip of that? And talented

and all of the above and how do you guys know each other because we've worked together

many times. We've met a couple of years ago. Yeah, yeah, both sort of orbiting around

the same, the same area. For sure. As you both blonde. Yes. Yeah, we have that in common.

Yeah, probably all the blondes hang out together. All right. You're going to get your

highlighted or a show. Okay, so Jacob hit me. You're going to suck it to me. If you are

your professional performer in the central Indiana area, you have we've worked together

quite a few times, right? Yeah. You and your lovely partner Logan Hill have worked together

many times. In fact, you did lucky stiff together for actor theater of Indiana, which just

concluded. Congratulations. You concluded a little while ago and did tell us you're not

you're from Ohio, correct? I'm from Northern Kentucky Cincinnati area. Yeah. I grew up

in Northern Kentucky. I tell people I'm from Cincinnati because it's easier. My family's

worked in Cincinnati for years. So and my parents are still there. So. Okay. And now you're

here. Yeah. So you're not native. Who's your bitch? You've been here quite some time. Yeah.

Yeah. Yeah. Went to college at Ball State. I'm and just sort of stayed since then. So I've

been here for 14 years now, including college. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. What did you study

at Ball State? So I went to Ball State for video production. I did audio production for

a year, just trying to sort of figure out where I wanted to fit in. It ultimately was trying

to find the best way that I could tell stories. And I felt like video production was the

most successful path for me at the time. I was a very nervous kid growing up. So I didn't

like to be in front of anyone. So I thought behind the camera was the safest place for me.

And then my senior year of college is actually when I started acting late late. I was 21 when

I did my first. I mean, not late, really. But I mean, come, come, come to some of these

theaters. These kids, some of these people have been performing since they were five. They

were their parents threw them out there on stage and said, go dance. And yeah. Yeah. And

that was not me. I there. There's a story. My parents like to tell where I had to sing

for some function. And as soon as I got up there and turned around and looked at everyone,

I felt sick and was like, nope, and ran through the back and left. And so I hated being in front

of people when I was a kid. Oh, my God. That's a great story. And look at you now. Look at me now,

ma. A lot of people. A tons. Very confidently. Thank you. I think my mom's very surprised

where I ended up. Yeah. So, but they were supportive, right? I mean, always whatever you

wanted to know. Yeah. Yeah. I love my mom. She's a pharmacist. She's very like science-minded,

very methodology. So she's like, you need to have your plan A, plan B, plan C. And I'm like,

okay, mom. Yeah. I'm going to go audition and we'll see what happens. Yeah. Well, that's all

you can do. Yeah. You know, that's funny with your mother. Mind like that. It doesn't, it does

work that way to a point. Yeah. With our with with our business with the porousis. It's

and same with that. It works that way to a point. Right. And then you just got to throw caution

to the wind and go for it. Yeah. You know. Yeah. Um, when you started performing, when you did

start, then you were like, ding, ding. Yeah. Yeah. Uh, the first show I did was. I think there was no

turning back. No. The first show I did was into the woods, uh, monthsy civic theater. Um,

and after that, I have not stopped. I've done 35 shows in the past 10 years.

So at least three a year and no one can stop me. That's right. Because you're very good. Um,

and what's it like? And I know, sure, everybody asks you, that was sin everything. You know what I

mean? But when you get to work with Logan, who is your icy partner, but she's your, you know,

it's not like a girlfriend. She's your life partner. Um, I mean, your chemistry. I've seen

you both on stage. Your chemistry is pretty wonderful. Yeah. Uh, I've gotten lucky enough to work with

her three, four times, something like that where we're paired on stage, where we're playing opposite

each other. Um, and I think it's just easy to come into the process. You trust each other.

I mean, as an actor, you're working to build trust with your scene partner. Um, and we already

have that established coming into the process. Um, so it's easy for us to just jump in and start

figuring things out. Um, if we're having a hard time figuring something out, we can on the drive

home, be like, this isn't working for me. And she shall be like, well, what, what if we do this?

Or what if we do this? And we can bounce ideas off each other and help each other get to where

we want to be. How different is your process? I was about to ask, what's the whole life?

A couple, right? And how different is your process approaching? Yeah. Yeah. The characters.

So Logan went to school for theater. She went to school for acting. So hers is a very methodical

process. She's taking lots of notes about her character, taking, um, creating their backstories,

creating the situations they've been in up until this point. And I'm very much like feel it out.

I take what's in the text and use that to support. And I just sort of let the instincts take over.

Um, there's this more, a little more organic. Yeah. It's like, yeah, I think she does get to an

organic place after she develops the backstory. Um, but yeah, I think our processes are very different

in that way. She'll be at home taking her notes and not just like be looking at my scripts. And

I'd be like, well, we'll try something when we get into the space. Yeah. Because it's also, for me,

it's also like every actor brings something different. If you're doing a scene and prepping, um,

prepping to do something in the scene, if another actor brings something that you weren't thinking

about, your thing could be out the window. So you gotta, you gotta be ready to roll with the punches

sometimes and adapt on the fly. So, yeah. So it's very different processes, but I think we work

well together in that respect. She thinks a lot about things and I feel, which is sort of weird

because we are the opposite in real life. I think about things more and she feels things out. But

when we come to shows, we switch. Oh, okay. Oh wow. It's weird. It's not, well, it's not because

you're human. And, and all couples have a different way of working together. You know, if they go,

you must, and it's not always, everybody's different, like I said. So just because you're working

together, doesn't mean, you know, they can have the same process at all. Yeah. Just because you

believe together and only together. But it's a, it's a good balance. It seems like it. Yeah.

Very much so. Yeah. What is, and not, and not, and not, I mean anything, any show you've done,

and I'm not going to be like, my, it's your favorite because that's impossible. As people

ask that all the time and, but I have to say, what is the most challenging role? I mean, there are

some roles that you're just like, it's never easy, but it's easier because you're like,

it's just in my DNA. Yeah. There are certain roles you get that you, you're, you're, which is a

great thing. You're stretching yourself. Yeah. I, I think honestly, lucky stiff at ATI was one of

the most challenging roles I've ever done. He, Harry Witherspoon, who I played is on stage 95, 98

percent of the time. He doesn't get to leave. She is constantly doing something. And when you're

rehearsing, you're like, what I have to do next, what I have to do next. And then you, it took me

a little longer to get to the point where I could just like feel it because I'm, and it's,

that shows timed out to music. It's timed out to store slams. It's timed out to everything.

So it's very like methodical show. And I don't think people realize that about comedies when they

go out to see the timing. Yeah. Timing is everything. And setting up lucky stiff, we had everything

had to be timed out. So not getting to leave stage in like process for a second. You're like,

what's next? What's next? What's next? Okay. That, and you just got to go. But I think that was one

of the most challenging shows for me just because of that timing. Sure. Okay. It's also an English accent.

Oh, yes. Of course dialect. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

And I luckily with this, I've done three or four shows in the past couple of years where I've

had to have an English accent. Yeah. It helps when you keep doing it, right? I've done

kinky boots a couple of times. And then I just did one man to governors, which was probably the

other challenging one for me. Another comedy. Another farce. I played a 50-year-old mobster,

British mobster. And it was, it's not 50. That's so pretty. All right. Listen, we have to take a

break. We take a break for our sponsor. Great. I hate interrupting our guests, but we have to take

a break. We're going to take a quick break and be back with Jacob Butler here is a word from Randy

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I'm not known. Hey, everyone. We are back. No title needed with our guest, Jacob.

Butler Jacob is a wonderful actor, singer. You can move very well, by the way.

Pretty good dude, too. Yeah. And he's a great guy. And a professional working actor here and

across the country, because you work at my gosh, we just don't know whether they're being theater

up in New Hampshire. And you've been up there a few summers. Yeah, the past two summers.

Yeah. And it's gorgeous up there, of course. It's amazing. Yeah.

Fall up there and insane. Yeah. Yeah. It's beautiful.

But when you went to school or when you went to school and you weren't a theater major,

yeah, you know, at all. However, when you were a kid, go.

So yeah, when I was a kid, when I was an elementary school, I did choir.

I did choir in fourth and fifth grade, just, you know, the little kids' songs that they make

everyone sing. But the choir director in fifth grade was like, I really think you should audition

for the Cincinnati Boy Choir, which is a fairly prestigious boy choir partnered with the Vienna

Boys Choir for multiple years. And I said, okay, I'll give it a shot. I didn't have to be the

center of attention in a choir. I could sort of blend into the group. So I auditioned for the Cincinnati

Boy Choir and got in when I was 10. And I did that for only two years. They had three levels of

choir, like a training choir, like a medium choir and a touring choir. So I did the beginning,

I got into the middle choir and then they had people drop out of the touring choir. So I auditioned

and jumped ahead. And I went to Canada, went to Michigan and performed with the boy choir then.

So and then after the boy choir, I got into, I was in middle school. I started doing band,

played alto saxophone and decided to concentrate on that. So I left the boy choir.

Lennon. Hold on.

Surprise.

So you you play the alto sax?

Yeah, I played for eight years in middle and high school. So you, I think I can still do it.

The easy stuff. I think so.

Yeah, well eight years. I mean, yeah, it's still in there. Yeah. I mean, reading music for theater

now, I still know like the fingerings for the saxophone.

Have you ever had to do it in a show? No, you don't, do you tell people you do? I've never,

I think it's, it's one of those that I'm like afraid to like put on there because they're like,

here's this really hard alto saxophone part. And I'm like, I've been playing since I was 18.

Yeah, that would be fun to pull out and see what you just so got with it.

That's you think? Yeah, absolutely. People always love an actor's play. Well, it's a big deal.

It can play an instrument. It's the action musician thing is silly popular right now.

And it has been for quite some time. It is a big deal.

So I feel like those those shows are more like guitar or bass or piano. They aren't a lot of like

saxophone opportunities. I bet they could be implemented though if they knew. You're right.

Yeah. Anything can be implemented, you know, usually. Maybe throw it into my next show.

What's your fun? Well, now. We're spreading the word now. That's for sure.

You know, being in that boys choir. And it sounds like because you said it's a pretty,

pretty big deal. Yeah. That, that discipline. I mean, it must have helped you at a young age.

Yeah. It was very disciplined, very regimented. They, it was to the point where they would say

A440 and all the boys would have to sing that note. And we could just whip it out, pull it out

and nowhere. Easy with that. I know. I tried. I tried. Too last. Nobody was whipping it out

since the naughty boys choir. No, but, but that is your, your, yeah, you got to train your,

your skill, your sight reading. Yeah. It was also, it was also one of those like hardcore

boy choirs, where if someone feels there was a performance where I started feeling like

headed. And the director is playing piano and he saw me start to like wobble. And he was like,

and I just sat down and stayed there for the rest of the performance. Because if you drop,

they're like, keep going. Keep going. Wow. So intense. Yeah. Oh, yeah. Oh, I feel kids. Yeah.

But it teaches you. Yeah. It taught you. You're like, keep going. Very, very disciplined. But,

yeah, even in theater, it, you, if something happens, you got to roll with it. If there's a,

if there's a emergency, we're going to stop. But if something messes up, you just got to figure out

how to get around it and keep going because everything's being judged. Yes. Everything's being

judged. It's a live show. You can't stop in the middle unless it's something huge.

So it's sort of plays with that improv side. Yes. Making things up and trying to just get back

on track with Kim. Yeah. Yeah. How are your parents now that you're successful?

Your mother's like, you know, she's the pharmacist. Yeah. Yeah. I think it's still

playing ABC. It's like, how are you making money? You're between shows now. Oh, what's,

what's happening? Yeah. But I think I figured it out. I've been freelance. I've been performing

since 2021. So five years now, been managing just fine. So I think she's, I think she's starting

to settle into. Are you using your, what you did in school? Yeah. The video and all that are

using it. What are you doing with that? I in 2021. So I was work out of college. I was working for

a video production company. And in 2021, I decided I wanted to freelance try to do the video on my own.

It's a very hard thing to do. It is not for me. I realized doing it for a year and a half.

I'm a team player. I need to be part of an organization, part of a group. That's all working

towards something. And freelance video is not that. It is me having to drive every, every single

element. So I think that that was sort of where I went. I still, I got my own equipment from

doing that freelance thing. I have all my own equipment still. It's sort of something that I've

been getting out of the closet every now and then when something comes up, working with

organizations now trying to work with more organizations and help promote them. And

ultimately share their stories, share the people who are working for those organizations and help

them meet them. Because it's more comfortable for you. Yeah. Because you're working under the

umbrella. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Getting to focus on an element of the big picture and do that well

instead of try to do the whole big picture by myself. I work to 12 stars media in Noblesville.

Okay. For they hired me right out of college. So 2016 to 2021. Okay.

With some break in there. Of course. Yeah. Yeah. Thank you. So I worked for them for five years

and it was very person first storytelling, which I loved. It's interviewing these people,

getting their stories firsthand and then walking around with them, experiencing their life,

filming what they do on a day-to-day basis. And I appreciate the Rocky and Zach who run 12 stars

sort of instilled that in me. It's sort of how I approach storytelling now. It's even in theater,

even with my video stuff still. It's person first. It's you need to tell these people's stories

accurately and effectively and then you'll get everyone to buy in. You know what I have to care

about. Yeah. Right. Just like a character on stage. You got to care about the character. Yeah.

Whether it's whether they're an evil or a good character or whatever. You got to care. Yeah.

You got to care about it. You know, and care about their their story. Yeah. I think to that point,

even if you're playing an evil character, you yourself have to justify what they're doing. You

must. And even if you don't agree with it, even if you don't think that that's the right thing,

you have to justify it and present it in that way. So that the audience can understand.

It's to find something in that character that you relate to to play that character. Yeah.

And that character might be a horrific. Yeah. It's really fun.

Reaching things about as a non-actor with you two is like, yeah, I get that. Like for a second,

I feel like I'm, you know, prepping for a role. And you, I think you have it in you too.

Because when we were morticia and Gomez for the Halloween, he was, oh my god,

I can't tell you into it. You got to. Oh my god. He was so into it.

Um, it was fun. And it can be fun. You know, you talk about all the, it's hard. Yeah.

But if it's not fun, if you are not having fun in your profession, hang it up. Yeah.

Hang it up. You still have to always have that fun. Tell him it. Yeah. You know, I think that's

what my parents also instilled in me that, um, they, my dad was a banker. My mom was a pharmacist.

They, I think they liked their jobs in a way, but they, they're also like a grind. You're constantly

doing these people are depending on you. Um, and they, I remember them saying like, we're doing

these jobs so that you can figure out what you want to do. Uh, right. And if it feels like I'm

letting them down, if I don't pursue that, if I don't take the risks, if I don't follow my passion,

it's exactly. And you are. Yeah. I'm surprised. You are succeeding and your parents should be proud

and sure they are. Thank you. Um, we have to wrap it up. Great. Listen to me. It's a wrap.

You're like, thank God. We'll be with three-four episodes. Oh, Jacob,

thanks to me. Can I have that? Oh, my gosh. Okay. That's fine. Bye. Bye. Bye.

Bye. Yeah. Um, you're a gem. Thanks. And, uh, thank you. It's great being here.

I thank you. Thank you for being here. Thanks for coming. Yeah. Thanks for your talent and for your

insight and just for being a great human being. Um, and thank you for joining us once again for

no title needed. Come on over to find Steins, right? Right. It's a great place.

And sure is. You could see some fantastic entertainment in an absolutely lovely atmosphere.

Great mixologists. Oh, you got to get that in there. And there's just such a wide variety of

entertainment over here. So thank you so much. Thank you, fine Steins. Thank you. And we'll see you

next time. Cynthia Collins. That was born. We'll see you next time for no title needed.