Kasan Butcher

Every so often, a prodigy is born of immeasurable talent and potential... Kasan Butcher doesn't really fall into this category, but he's a nice guy nonetheless. His tireless journey began 32 years ago in Glen Cove, New York on April 7, 1973. His childhood was, well, uneventful due in large part to his being an introvert. Most parents have trouble keeping tabs on their kids' whereabouts. They wonder and worry if their children are safe when they are not at home. Kasan's parents did not have this problem; in fact, they used to beg him to leave the house. They often used the phrase, `Why don't you go somewhere!' It seemed hopeless. Although Kasan was about as shy as one person can get, he was a clown and loved entertaining his friends and family. His mother would always tell him that she was going to put him on TV to make her some money. This got him to thinking. After graduating high school, Kasan slowly began to break out of his shell and surprised everyone by announcing that, he wanted to pursue an acting career. One day he went to an open call audition at a casting agency and it changed his life. Soon after the open call he booked his first commercial, it was only background work, but it was a commercial nonetheless. As with everything in nature with good comes bad, doing the commercial costs Kasan his day job. Conundrum: does he risk losing every job he holds until he can support himself with just acting (which could take forever), or bank on faith? Somehow, he combined the two, did several commercials and countless student films in New York, before deciding to take on Hollywood. He arrived in Los Angeles with a group of aspiring actors and was supposed to stay a week, seven years later he is still plugging away. Kasan's battle for success in the early stages was rough. He tried his best to shake it off and keep going, but rejection is never easy. Finding comfort in the little things made life bearable. Unhappy at work, homesick and loneliness started to take its toll. As we, all know success may be elusive, but it is out there. After a heart to heart with a very wise and close friend, Kasan proceeded to book his first national commercial, then his second. He worked on a USC short film that won him an award for "Best actor in a short" at a well-known film festival. He followed that up with appearances on shows like "The Parent'Hood", "Any Day Now", "Boston Public" and "Sabrina". Reuniting with actor/writer/director/producer Robert Townsend, Kasan helped make history by becoming a member of the first family of black superheroes in "Disney Channel's Up, Up, and Away". On returning from Vancouver, he earned a spot on "Malcolm in the Middle" and was recurring for the entire second season. Kasan's most challenging role and to some his best performance came on "MTV's Undressed" where he played a character who starts out gay, but turns straight. Achieving a personal milestone, he books his first guest-starring role on "One on One". Kasan supported a talented cast in the low budget horror film "Drive-In", and followed that up with his first starring role in the feature "Tapped Out". Pilot season is not always kind, but he managed to get a piece of the pie by booking "ACES". Warner Bros. passed on the pilot, but booking "Jeepers Creepers II" brought back that infectious smile of his. Returning to the short film circuit landed him in "Instinct vs. Reason", yet again playing a superhero. Lightning striking twice? His most recent endeavor finds him mercilessly harassing the President's daughter on "Commander in Chief". All of these experiences are what prepared him for, in his opinion, his greatest accomplishment. Writing, producing, financing (which he's still hurting from), and starring in "El Mariachi Negro". A black Mariachi who can't sing, play an instrument or speak Spanish. Semi-autobiographical, it holds a special place in his heart, and, as stated earlier, his wallet. He has not figured out yet if it is luck or talent that has gotten him this far, but whatever it is Kasan Butcher is thankful for each and every one of his blessings.