Matt Butler Brings His One-Man Show, “Reckless Son,” to Loyola University, Sharing a Message of Hope and Healing
The School of Music and Theatre Professions is pleased to present an evening with Matt Butler, who will bring his one-man show, “Reckless Son,” to Loyola University’s Nunemaker Auditorium on Oct. 22, from 7-9 p.m.
Butler is a singer-songwriter and poet, and founder of Art That Serves, an organization dedicated to bringing the arts to the incarcerated. His solo show tells the story of his concert at the Albany County Jail in New York, and how it led to more than 100 performances in jails and prisons across the country.
Butler is coming to Loyola as part of a weeklong residency at the Dr. Rodney R. Lafon Performing Arts Center in Luling, said Jessica DeKleva, Assistant Professor and Coordinator of the Music Therapy program at Loyola.
The center is sponsoring Butler’s performance at Loyola, where he will share his stories and play his music for the school’s music therapy students, and then hold a Q&A session at the end, she said. Though Butler is not a music therapist, per se, DeKleva said the work he is doing is integral to the profession.
“There are only 10,000 music therapists in the United States – that’s a tiny number compared to the number of therapists, in general,” she said. “There are not enough of us. We need people like Matt to help fill the gap.”
According to Butler, his performances are meant to evoke empathy and understanding for those who are all-too often considered out-of-sight and out-of-mind. Through a powerful combination of spoken word and song, “Reckless Son” humanizes the experience of the incarcerated by giving them voice and telling their stories.
Though the performance at Loyola is not open to the public, Butler will bring “Reckless Son” to the Lafon Performing Arts Center on Oct. 25 at 2 p.m. For more information or tickets, visit the Lafon website at https://lafonartscenter.org/event/reckless-son/.
About the Lafon Performing Arts Center
The Lafon Performing Arts Center, part of St. Charles Parish Public Schools, is a world-class performing arts venue presenting national touring artists, regional talent and student productions. Through its mission to connect “artists from around the corner to around the globe,” the center serves as a cultural hub for the community and a leader in arts education.
About the College of Music and Media
The College of Music and Media is comprised of two schools — the School of Music and Theatre Professions and the School of Communication and Design. Students who choose to study in the college prepare for careers in music, theatre, music industry, design, fine art, filmmaking, strategy, mass media and more.