MISSION STATEMENT
Imagine some ideal artist who has decided to devote
himself to a single, large purpose in life; to elevate
and entertain the public by a high form of art; to
expound the hidden, spiritual beauties in the writings
of poetic geniuses... His whole life will be consecrated
to this high cultural mission. This is the goal and
entire purpose of the GANGBUSTERS THEATRE COMPANY.
Our motto is simple and straightforward: “staging the modern classics with their original speed and violence." This is what we’ve been doing for the past four years.
The company was created by Christian Levatino and Jennifer Jill Pyle in the autumn of 2001. They immediately put together $250 and opened their first production on January 10th 2002: SEXUAL PERVERSITY IN CHICAGO by David Mamet. The show was performed at THE NEXT STAGE THEATRE and played to full capacity (60 seats) for five performances.
Excited about the process of theatre, The Gangbusters set their eyes on an ambitious second production (Artistic Director Christian Levatino actually put his car up as collateral to secure the funds to put on the 18 character piece, ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO’S NEST by Dale Wasserman. The show was an audience favorite. Performed at THE COMPLEX on Santa Monica Blvd, it ran for twenty-eight performances in the summer of 2002.
A major development occurred in the company at this
time: the incorporation of the video camera, which would become a staple of the Gangbusters Theatre Company. (To date, there are over 1,200 archived hours of footage - comprised of every rehearsal and performance, and occasionally activity backstage).
Five weeks after the closing of CUCKOO’S NEST, the Gangbusters were invited to bring back SEXUAL PERVERSITY IN CHICAGO for a seven week extended run at MASQUER’S CABARET in West Hollywood. It was for this production that director Leon Shanglebee joined the company, as the producer of SEXUAL PERVERSITY. It ran from August – October of 2002.
In November of the same year the company produced the final show of their inaugural season: HUGHIE by Eugene O’Neill. This performance was the first of what would become a long list of plays directed by Leon Shanglebee. The show ran for seven weeks at THE NEXT STAGE THEATRE and would soon be invited to perform an encore performance at Los Angeles Community College for the school’s drama students.
Six weeks later, The Gangbusters opened their sophomore season. A tribute to Eric Bogosian’s work, (referred to as "REFLECTIONS ON CONTEMPORARY MASTERS"), it began with the award-winning author's play SEX, DRUGS AND ROCK N’ ROLL. The show ran for seven weeks and two weeks after it closed it was followed by another Eric Bogosian piece: DRINKING IN AMERICA.
DRINKING IN AMERICA would prove to be the most pivotal show up to this point in The Gangbusters' history. It was a sold-out seven week run and where the company truly found their audience. No less than two hundred fans have seen every one of the companies productions since then.
After a five-week break from performing, The Gangbusters were back in September of 2003 with the hilarious David Ives' play ALL IN THE TIMING. The show was produced at THE ELEPHANT ASYLUM THEATRE. The original run of six weeks was extended to eight weeks after playing to filled houses.
One week after the run, the company was back with the final piece of their "RELFECTIONS ON CONTEMPORARY MASTERS" campaign - Eric Bogosian’s POUNDING NAILS IN THE FLOOR WITH MY FOREHEAD at THE LEX THEATRE in Hollywood.
During POUNDING’S run, The Gangbusters put on the original one-man show DODO by Bob Golub... the true story of a 'one-eyed roofer from Pittsburgh and his eight pain-in-the-ass kids’.
During the hiatus from their second to third season, the company reformatted and made a vow - quality over quantity in 2004. The seeds were set for major growth within the organization. The company finally had the funds to hire a publicist for the first time, and in the midst of the Iraq War, decided to put on one of the greatest military dramas ever written. This was STREAMERS by David Rabe. This play would solidify the company as one of the most talented privately funded theatre companies in Los Angeles. That play received stellar reviews: BACKSTAGE WEST CRITIC’S PICK, BACKSTAGE WEST ACTOR OF THE WEEK SPOTLIGHT, LA WEEKLY RECOMMENDED and three N.A.A.C.P. NOMINATIONS (Best Director, Best Actor and Best Playwright).
This would be the only play of the third season, as the company placed their focus on original playwriting and raising funds to put on their greatest accomplishment to date...
In 2005, The Gangbusters attempted what has been called the “Mount Everest of plays for a theatre director” – Lanford Wilson’s epic BALM IN GILEAD. The play consisted of 28 actors (including a live band on stage), three children and a dog. The production was a monster success, garnering much critical acclaim, L.A. WEEKLY RECOMMENDED and receiving two L.A. WEEKLY AWARD NOMINATIONS (Best Revival Production of the Year and Supporting Actor). This production ran every Tuesday and Wednesday night at THE MET THEATRE in Hollywood for nine weeks - making it one of the only non-mainstage productions ever up for a best production award!
Now in their fifth season, the Gangbusters are getting some of the best reviews they’ve ever had (including another L.A. WEEKLY RECOMMENDED) with their thirteenth
production: Eric Bogosian’s TALK RADIO. This show had not been produced in Los Angeles in nearly a decade.
In August 2005 the Gangbusters held their very first fundraiser, the V SEASONS OF BLOOD & THUNDER Benefit. Proceeds from the event went to the Gangbusters, and to the National Brain Tumor Foundation. The night's festivities included live bands, free beer from sponsor Karl Strauss, cocktails, raffle prizes and a silent auction. Also, the first ever "Gangbusters Theatre Company/Mike DeLuca SPEED & VIOLENCE Award" was unveiled and accepted by Tom Irwin on behalf of the Steppenwolf Theatre Company, for their 1981 production of BALM IN GILEAD. The Gangbusters plan to continue with this tradition and develop a new theatre awards committee for the city of Los Angeles.
In October of 2006, at the Stella Adler Theatre in Hollywood, the Gangbusters presented the World Stage Premiere of George A. Romero's NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD... a production that The Daily Variety called "classic," "captivating," "inventive" and "terror-driven."
The Gangbusters will open 2007 with Howard Korder's SEARCH AND DESTROY, in a first ever co-production with the Mad Scene Theatre Company.