To read Michael Butler's bio from the First Program click here.
To read Michael Butler's bio from the L.A. and San Francisco programs click here.
 

"It's a human problem and they are the hardest to solve" said Michael Butler to his director who was calling him from 3000 miles away.  "Let's sort it out, and I'll get back to you."

Solving problems in a quiet, shy and gentle manner, Michael has put thousands of little pieces together all over the world, and has built a house of HAIR that supercedes, contradicts and revolutionizes all that has gone before it, and has touched and perhaps changed the lives of millions.

Life, Look, Time and Newsweek, all the current media have written reams of copy referring to Michael as a: "hairy heir", "hippie millionaire", "polo-playing producer", "advisor to Eastern kings", "fifth generation tycoon".  But no one has touched upon the great moment of truth: when the man is faced with his absolute future.  That time for Michael was the month before HAIR made its auspicious debut in New York, the month of April 1968.  Michael Butler was on an uncharted course.  His crew was unknown and untried.  His vehicle was a loose and leaky contraption that had been handwrought out of the frustration of the abysmally empty commercial theatre.  The barracudas of Broadway were circling - investors, theatre owners, brokers, advertising agencies looked at HAIR with more than a jaundiced eye.  "It wasn't broadway.  It didn't belong.  Michael Butler didn't belong." Costs mounted. Prior to opening the box office til contained enough money to pay the cast for one week.  The show was technically rocky; the pieces grew together very slowly.  The "experts" volunteered all sorts of advice, and through it the man who made it all possible smiled quietly, trusted the people that he had brought together, and kept his cool.

Copyright Natoma productions.