Butler man heads west to act in historical city
By Burton Cole
BUTLER — Newspaper editor Horace Greeley is credited with coining the phrase, “Go West, young man” in an 1865 editorial.
Falmouth native Michael English, 22, now living in Butler, is taking that advice — and even is sticking to the time period.
From June 1 to Sept. 1, English will be part of the summer stock in Virginia City in the southwest corner of Montana. It was a popular gold mining town in the 1860s.
When he is not on stage in the at the Opera House, a former feed stable, he will roam the streets of Virginia City in cowboy garb as a historical re-enactor, playing the part of an early resident of the old town.
English likens it to Colonial Williamsburg in Virginia, where historical re-enactors inhabit the town and interact with each other and with guests while in character.
“My family goes every year. We’re huge history buffs,” he said.
VIRGINIA CITY
The application for the Illustrious Virginia City Players said the group was looking for someone who also wanted the creative freedom to write. English knew he’d found his place.
“I’ve always been an actor and a playwright,” he said.
English will act in all four summer stock shows this summer:
He plays Frank L. Baum in “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz,” which is based more on Baum’s book that the 1939 movie; he will be writing and performing skits and playing guitar for “Rustle Your Bustle,” a vaudeville show; and he will act and/or sing in the “Christmas in July” variety show and the play “Wolfman of the West.”
In 1961, Virginia City and surrounding area were designated by the U.S. government as a National Historical Landmark District — the Virginia City Historic District. Much of the town keeps the 1800s and early 1900s look.
In the winter, Virginia City has a population of 219, according to the 2020 Census, but in the summer, the town hires about 200 performers and workers for its booming business of a tourism center and entertainment hotspot.
English and his buddy Mikey Mills of Alexandria, also hired for the summer, will live in rustic cabins when not performing on stage or in the streets. Mills restores band organs.
“It’s about 1,700 miles away. I’ve never traveled that far before,” English said.
THEATER DREAMS
The 2019 Pendleton County High School graduate attended Northern Kentucky University for two years for musical theater. He took time off from his studies to focus on performing in musical theater.
He and his now-wife, Bethany Beckett English, previously owned What the Duck, a store in Falmouth dealing in rubber ducks.
Bethany is playing Mrs. Howell in the Kincaid Regional Theatre production of “Gilligan’s Island: The Musical” July 19 to 28. Between that and her regular job, she will be unable to join Michael for the summer in Virginia City.
“She will visit,” he said. “Maybe next year (we can do summer stock together).”
English has appeared in many productions for Kincaid Regional Theatre, the community theater in Falmouth.
“I wrote and directed ‘Horseman: A Sleepy Hollow Tale’ (October 2023),” he said. “My favorite was when I played Johnny Cash in ‘Million Dollar Quartet’ last summer. I played Seymour in ‘Little Shop of Horrors’ — that was another favorite.”
After this summer, he said he will add the summer stock experience to his resume and pursue theater jobs around the country.
“I have the heart for theater,” English said. “It’s more of a hobby than a job to me. I love making it my job.”
“I would love to open a theater of my own one day,” English said. “Until then, I want to go around the country doing theater. That makes me happy.”