ENSEMBLE MEMBERS
Christian Levatino - Artistic Director
Matthew Heron - Managing Director
Leon Shanglebee - Resident Director
Mancini Graves - Production Manager
Jonathan Fontaine Burbridge - Marketing/Media
Mike Flowers - Audio Director
Alex Burton - Associate Producer
Rob Saunders - Technical Director
Sierra Fisk - Web Mistress
Heidi Huber - Director of Public Relations
Matthew Mann - Director of Finance
Mary Kelsey - Event Coordinator
Missy Hairston - Design & Decoration
Trent Hopkins
Christian Levatino - Artistic Director
Matthew Heron - Managing Director
Leon Shanglebee - Resident Director
Mancini Graves - Production Manager
Jonathan Fontaine Burbridge - Marketing/Media
Mike Flowers - Audio Director
Alex Burton - Associate Producer
Rob Saunders - Technical Director
Sierra Fisk - Web Mistress
Heidi Huber - Director of Public Relations
Matthew Mann - Director of Finance
Mary Kelsey - Event Coordinator
Missy Hairston - Design & Decoration
Trent Hopkins
CHRISTIAN LEVATINOChristian recently received an L.A. WEEKLY AWARD nomination for his turn as the nitrous-wielding Dopey in Lanford Wilson's BALM IN GILEAD. Levatino is a graduate of the University of Connecticut with a B.F.A. in Theatre and a B.A in English. Some of his favorite roles onstage include: Barry Champlain in TALK RADIO, Ricky Roma in GLENGARY GLEN ROSS, Vinnie in SIMPATICO, Ubu Roi in UBU ROI, MacMurphy in ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST and Billy Wilson in STREAMERS. Besides acting, Christian also writes and directs. He is currently working on THE ATTEMPTED ASSASSINATION OF THE AMERICAN THEATRE: Or HOW THE MEDIA, POP CULTURE AND AN IRRESPONSIBLE GOVERNMENT RAPED OUR GENERATION, a modern day textbook for theatre students. It will be published by Random House in the spring of 2008. He is very proud to be the GANGBUSTERS THEATRE COMPANY's Artistic Director.
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MANCINI GRAVESMancini is fresh off a BEST ACTOR NAACP nomination for his portrayal of Roger Moore in The GANGBUSTERS production of STREAMERS. BALM IN GILEAD was his tenth show with the company. Some of his past shows include: HUGHIE, ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST, DRINKING IN AMERICA, ALL IN THE TIMING, POUNDING NAILS IN THE FLOOR WITH MY FOREHEAD and SEX, DRUGS & ROCK N' ROLL.
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MIKE FLOWERSMike grew up near a creek in Shawnee and has been a resident of sunny California since the turn of the Millennium. He has been a GANGBUSTER since HUGHIE in the fall of 2002 and has been a part of every production since. Mike is the musician that recently composed, mixed, and produced two albums as a part of the trip-hop duo The Thousands. He engineers a home recording studio here in Hollywood where he keeps himself available for creative projects. For the past few years, Mike has been working attentively with Mr. Shanglebee to enhance the audio experience for the audience through original compositions, voice-overs, samples, and creating unique ideas for sound design.
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MATTHEW HERONMatthew arrived to LA after graduating from the University of Connecticut’s prestigious training program at the Connecticut Repertory Theatre. There he worked professionally on the stage with such seasoned New York directors as Connie Grappo and Tony Stevens (East Coast Premiere of a 90’s adaptation of HAIR) and Michael Montel (SIX DEGREES OF SEPARATION). Other credits at CRT include THE MISER, the East Coast premiere of STAGES, and THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR. His first role on the LA stage was working under Gordon Hunt in the Young Playwright’s Festival production of ABSOLUTELY. Other favorites include AS IS (named one of the top ten plays of 2004 by Frontier’s Magazine), and 36 Solutions’ production of THE BLANK BALL and THE FOUR TWINS. On the small screen, Matthew has appeared in CHARMED and in numerous spots for Direct TV, Blockbuster, Coke and Hallmark, to name a few.
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TRENT HOPKINSTrent comes to us from Sneedville, Tennessee (formerly known as Greasy Rock). Past GANGBUSTERS credits include STREAMERS (Sgt. Rooney), BALM IN GILEAD (John), AND TALK RADIO (various callers). He played Alan Strang in EQUUS (Asst. Director Tim Busfield) for which he won the E.T.S.U. Best Actor Award. Other stage favorites include: THE CRUCIBLE (John Proctor), FINIAN'S RAINBOW (Finian), A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE (Stanley), FLOWERS FOR ALGERNON (Charlie), and PETER PAN (Captain Hook). He has starred in the independent films POSERS and HANDMAID'S TALE. Trent studied acting with Ellen Burstyn and the late Susan Strasberg. He was the Managing Director of the Professional Actors Council of Hollywood, where he produced, directed and acted numerous productions.
Look for Trent in the GANGBUSTERS future producition of Edward Albee's two-man play THE ZOO STORY.
ACT Management (818) 752-4664
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ALEX BURTONAlex is a graduate of U.S.C. with a B.F.A. in Acting through the theatre program. He is originally from Minnesota, where he started his acting career with such roles as Tartuffe in TARTUFFE, Dave Moss in GLENGARY GLEN ROSS and John Barrymore in I HATE HAMLET. He also studied with Shakespeare & Company in 2000. He has been seen in the GANGBUSTERS productions of STREAMERS and BALM IN GILEAD. Alex is also an avid filmmaker. Together with his film partner Rick Schultz, they have written, produced and directed numerous short films, including "The Briefcase I and II" and "In Retrospect". Alex is very proud to be apart of "the best and most dedicated theatre company in LA - Believe it!"
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SIERRA FISKSierra's first collaboration with GANGBUSTERS was in BALM IN GILEAD, in the role of the much-harassed waitress Kay. She claims this award-nominated piece as the single most exhilarating production of her career, and has been a dedicated company member ever since. Sierra is a graduate from UC San Diego's Theatre Department and the Drama School at the University of Kent in England. She remains dedicated to the stage in Los Angeles while also acting in various independent films (CHOKER) and national commercials (JEEP, COKE, SATURN). Another source of pride and joy is her children's theatre group, of which she is the Artistic Director. She's directed them in five musicals and one Shakespearean tragedy. www.sierrafisk.com
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FONTAINEFontaine has done three productions with GANGBUSTERS - two of them "in the booth", with the contribution of his lighting design. He will be seen onstage in this spring's production of TALK RADIO, acting and lighting simultaneously. When not working with Leon Shanglebee he makes his living as a professional Falconer (really). He hails from the glorious Coachella Valley where he made a name for himself in local theatre in productions too numerous to list here. XIII
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MARY KELSEYMary's NYC theatrical work includes: Juilliard: A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM; Off Off Broadway Ensemble Studio Theatre production of One-Acts HARBRINGER and DAMN YANKEES; The Playhouse Theatre: THE MIDNIGHT CALLER. OTHELLO. Television credits include LAW & ORDER: SVU, JOHNNY ZERO, and CSI: VEGAS. You can also see her in the upcoming independent film NEVERDOWN. She has a BA from Arizona State University and an MFA from Neighborhood Playhouse.
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ROB SAUNDERSRob Saunders is a B.F.A. graduate from the University of Connecticut, having gone to school with fellow company members Matthew Heron and Christian Levatino. Rob spends his days working as a Puppeteer, Actor and Voice-Over Artist. Moving to Los Angeles in 2001, he has performed in such films as SPIDERMAN 2 and TEAM AMERICA: WORLD POLICE. He was also a regular performer on the always amusing Comedy Central show CRANK YANKERS. He joined the GANGBUSTERS for their production of TALK RADIO and he hopes that he can help in the company's continued effort to make a difference in how theatre should be done in Los Angeles!
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HEIDI HUBERHeidi is a real life farm girl from Tuscola, Illinois.
The last of six kids, she moved ever northward and received a BA in Acting/Directing from Northern Illinois University. She got her feet wet on the Chicago stage with Tight & Shiny Productions performing in All Men are Whores, Life & Limb, The Poet and the Rent, Delores, and the Madness of Ladybright. She can been seen in various LA honky-tonks crooning Bluegrass tunes with the band Pilgrim & Poorgood and may pop up from time to time with the band Zachariah and the Lobos Riders. Heidi was last heard as various callers in GANGBUSTERS production of Talk Radio.
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MATT MANNMatt is a graduate of Baylor University where he received a B.F.A. in Film. He is also the bassist for the Los Angeles powerhouse rock band known as El Camino.
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MISSY HAIRSTONMissy hails from West Virginia and while she still has all of her southern charm, her heart has always longed for the big city and bright lights. Missy graduated cum laude with a BFA in acting and has studied and performed at The Williamstown Theatre Festival, Stand Up NY Comedy Club, and the National Theatre Conservatory at the Denver Arts Center. Her theatre and film credits include TALK RADIO, BALM IN GILEAD, CAMINO REAL, HAMLET, FLYIN WEST, and ST. DENISE (film).
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LEON SHANGLEBEELeon is ecstatic about being the resident director of the GANGBUSTERS THEATRE COMPANY. He last helmed the LA WEEKLY AWARD-nominated production of BALM IN GILEAD. The season previous, he was nominated for an NAACP AWARD for his direction of STREAMERS. Besides directing, Leon is also an accomplished playwright with such pieces as: MEET ME ON CRENSHAW AND SLAUSON; IF BLACK IS BAD, I DON'T WANT TO BE GOOD and the Award-Winning THAT NIGHT IN THE AUDOBON BALLROOM. Mr. Shanglebee received a B.F.A. in play-writing from Yale University, he is also a lifetime member of the NAACP.
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