The Porters of Hellsgate

We are a young classical theatre company based in Los Angeles, CA. It is our intent to bring the work of Shakespeare and other classical authors to life here in the City of Angels.

We do this because we love it. There is great joy in studying and staging the masters. It is also our belief that in our electronic and virtual age the communal experience of theatre and classical theatre's communion with the past is vitally important. Ours is an art that media can at times push out but never replace; we are proud of that, and are working to help keep the classics alive and well in Los Angeles.

It is our hope to one day be a major force in the theatrical community of our city. No matter how difficult that path is, nothing can stop us from having an incredible time trying the get there.

The Porters of Hellsgate were formed in late 2006 by Edward Castuera, Jack Leahy and Charles Pasternak. Their inaugural production of William Shakespeare's Julius Caesar opened at the end of that year. Since then the Porters have produced ten more Shakespearean productions: Twelfth Night ('07), Richard III ('07), Titus Andronicus ('07), Two Gentlemen of Verona ('07/'08), Much Ado About Nothing ('08), Macbeth ('08), Love's Labour's Lost ('08), Richard II ('09), Hamlet ('10), and The Comedy of Errors (%u201810). They have also produced Tom Stoppard's Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead ('10, in rep with Hamlet), an original work, Deity Clutch (originally produced in '10, then remounted for the 2011 Hollywood Fringe Festival), penned by Associate Artistic Director Gus Krieger, and earlier this year, the world premiere of a new translation of Oedipus the Tyrant ('11), translated by resident artist Jamey Hecht, Ph.D. In 2010, Artistic Director Charles Pasternak was awarded %u201CShakespeare Performance of the Year%u201D by StageSceneLA for his performance in the title role of Hamlet in The Porters%u2019 production of The Bard%u2019s timeless tragedy (which also received a %u201CGO!%u201D from the LA Weekly). Also awarded, Executive Director Edward Castuera, in the role of Horatio, earning %u201CBest Performance by a Featured Actor/Drama,%u201D and Associate Artistic Director Thomas Bigley, earning %u201COutstanding Direction of a Drama.%u201D It is the Porters' continuing intent to bring powerful productions of classical work to the Los Angeles community.

We pray you, remember the Porters...