Playwright, Actor, and Minister David Butler Passes Away

This past Wednesday, June 1st, a great friend left us. David Butler, playwright, actor, minister, and extraordinary human, passed away. To know David was to be in the company of abundance - of laughter, intellect, wit, warmth, and love. And Mad Horse had the tremendous fortune to share in that abundance over the years.

David graced the Mad Horse Theatre's mainstage three times - as Sir in 2009's The Dresser by Ronald Harwood, as Don Warner in Digby's Home by Brent Askari in 2016, and as The Professor in Life Sucks by Aaron Posner in 2019. His commanding presence, comedic timing, and ability to draw out the humanity in each of his characters made him a joy to share the stage with and a pleasure to watch.

This season, Mad Horse had the unique opportunity to produce David's play, Dying to Know. David wrote the play years ago, inspired by his experience as a minister and frequent presence at the bedside of those in their final stages of life. As his own battle with cancer accelerated, the desire to give Dying to Know a full production became more urgent. Company Member Nick Schroeder spearheaded the effort and we proudly presented the show this past December. Nearly every performance sold out.

The Mad Horse Theatre Company could write pages and pages about David and it would all fall short. His impact on the theatre community is indelible. Our lives are better for knowing him.

The Mad Horse Theatre Company sends their love and deepest condolences to his wife and former Company Member, Maureen, and to his children and grandchildren. If you'd like to read more about David, click below for the featured obituary in the Portland Press Herald.