Matt Butler’s “Reckless Son”
Written & Performed by Matt Butler
Directed by Richard Hoehler
21st Century version of ‘On The Road’ meets
‘Folsom Prison Blues’
Reckless Son, the nationally acclaimed solo show written and performed by singer-songwriter Matt Butler, was inspired by his journey performing over 100 concerts in jails and prisons across the country. As heard on NPR Morning Edition and featured in SPIN’s Album of the Year list, Reckless Son sheds light on the stories of people who have experienced incarceration.
Through a powerful combination of spoken word and song, the performance turns a compassionate eye to their lives before, during and after their time behind prison walls and evokes empathy and understanding for those who are all too often considered out of sight and out of mind. It’s a story of hope, forgiveness, and what it means to discover a deeper sense of purpose through service to others. Raising awareness, shifting perspectives, and empowering individuals to create change within their communities, Reckless Son is more than just a show, it's a calling.
Reckless Son was developed in part by the HB Studio Artist Residency program and was workshopped in Oregon State Penitentiary, The Theater Workshop at Otisville State Prison, and the Chesterfield County Jail. For additional impact, performances of Reckless Son can be accompanied by visits to correctional facilities, hospitals, treatment centers and schools. Talkbacks, post-show discussions and workshops are also available.
About Matt Butler
Matt Butler is a songwriter, poet and storyteller as well as the founder of Art That Serves, an organization dedicated to bringing the arts to the incarcerated. His solo show Reckless Son tells the story of how his concert at the Albany County Jail led to over 100 performances in jails and prisons across the country. He’s been featured on NPR Morning Edition, The Blue Grass Situation, and PBS with SPIN saying “Butler is doing something special for the American arts'' after adding him to their albums and artists of the year lists. He’s performed at events held by The David Lynch Foundation, The Columbia Center For Justice, American Folk Art Museum,
National Alliance On Mental Illness (NAMI), The Caron Foundation and was an inaugural ‘Activist In Residence’ at the Kripalu Center in the Berkshires and Artist In Residence at HB Studio in Manhattan. Along with correctional facilities, he speaks and performs at performing arts centers, universities, high schools, and retreat centers. He’s written two collections of poetry, The Sonnets Of Becoming and Sonnets Of The Sea. Learn more about his work at mattbutlersongs.com and artthatserves.org.
