The Porters of Hellsgate profile picture

The Porters of Hellsgate

The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars but in ourselves, that we are underlings.

About Me

The Porters of Hellsgate present,William Shakespeare’s MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHINGDirected by Charles Pasternak Produced by Eddie Castuera and Jack Leahy Starring Gus Krieger as Benedick and Jennifer Bronstein as Beatrice“A promising young company with a fine handle on iambic pentameter.” -David C. Nichols, LA Times“Worthy of comparison with the Mercury Players.” -Amy Bowker, Tolucan TimesPresented at the Whitmore-Lindley Theatre Center 11006 Magnolia Blvd, NoHoOpens Friday, May 16, Closes Sunday, June 8 The show will run Friday and Saturday evenings at 8pm and Sundays at 3:30pmTickets $20, $15 for students and seniors For tickets: (310) 497-2884“A group with promise.” -Jeff Favre, BackstageWestThe Porters of Hellsgate are proud to open their second season with William Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing. Set in 1946, as the boys return from war, we can watch with wonder as war thoughts left vacant are turned to love. Lead by the famously sharp wit of Benedick and Beatrice and their merry war, plots arise, vows are broken, but love, of course, wins the day.The Porters, as always, intend to present Shakespeare for Shakespeare’s sake, without ulterior motives or political bias.“There's nothing worse than watching a Shakespeare play performed badly. Conversely, witnessing Shakespeare played out by an inspired cast is not only a wonderful theatre experience but also a celebration of the genius of this master wordsmith. Most of the bard's work performed in L.A. falls somewhere in the middle. So it is a refreshing change to see one of his most dramatic works done so well here.” -Jim Crogan, BackstageWest (on Julius Caesar)

My Interests

"Here's a knocking indeed! If a man were a porter of hellsgate, he should have old turning the key... Anon, anon! I pray you, remember the porter." The Scottish Play, Act 2, Scene 3 Or, as it were, remember the Porters...

I'd like to meet:

Everyone who can make it out to the shows...

Music:

Lisa Hammer, the brilliant Actor and Composer. Visit her at www.LisaHammer.com, www.myspace.com/blessedelysiummusic, or www.myspace.com/juliuscaesarsoundtrack (this last is the incredible score she composed for our inaugural production of Shakespeare's Julius Caesar)

Movies:

To Date: Joseph L. Mankiewicz's 'Julius Caesar' ('53), Kenneth Branagh's 'Twelfth Night, or What You Will' (directed for the screen by Paul Kafno) ('88), Trevor Nunn's 'Twelfth Night: Or What You Will' ('96), Laurence Olivier's 'Richard III' ('55), Richard Loncraine's 'Richard III' ('95), Al Pacino's 'Looking for Richard' ('96), Julie Taymor's 'Titus' ('99), and Kenneth Branagh's 'Much Ado About Nothing' ('93)

Books:

The Arden Shakespeare Complete Works, Shakespeare: The Invention of the Human by Harold Bloom, Asimov's Guide to Shakespeare by Isaac Asimov, Speaking Shakespeare by Patsy Rodenburg, Will in the World by Stephen Greenblatt, Shakespearean Tragedy by A.C. Bradley, Lectures on Shakespeare by W.H. Auden, The Meaning of Shakespeare by Harold C. Goddard, A Shakespearean Actor Prepares by Adriane Brine and Michael York, Confessions of an Actor by Laurence Olivier, Year of the King by Antony Sher, Being an Actor by Simon Callow, The Intent to Live by Larry Moss, Advice to the Players by Robert Lewis, Shaw on Shakespeare collected essays and criticism by George Bernard Shaw Three Theban Plays by Sophocles, translated by Jamey Hecht

My Blog

A Letter to the Porters...

Upon sending out our end-of-season thank you to our mailing list, this was emailed to us by a very special Porter-supporter. It is very dear to us, so we are reposting it here (with her permission)......
Posted by The Porters of Hellsgate on Thu, 24 Jan 2008 02:34:00 PST

BackstageWest Review of Two Gentlemen of Verona, by Neal Weaver

The Two Gentlemen of Verona January 09, 2008 By Neal Weaver In the 1947 Broadway musical Finian's Rainbow, an amorous leprechaun sings a song called "When I'm Not Near the Girl I Love, I Love ...
Posted by The Porters of Hellsgate on Thu, 10 Jan 2008 04:12:00 PST

LA Times Review of Two Gentlemen of Verona, by Daryl Miller

Wrestling with 'Two Gentlemen'Shakespeare's "The Two Gentlemen of Verona" truly goes to the dogs. Or rather, dog, singular, for a mutt typically proves to be the most sympathetic character in this ear...
Posted by The Porters of Hellsgate on Fri, 04 Jan 2008 01:51:00 PST

Tolucan Times Review of Two Gentlemen of Verona, by Amy Bowker

'Two Gentlemen of Verona' By Amy Bowker on December 26,2007 NORTH HOLLYWOOD- A remarkable young theatre troupe tackles the Bard, and perfectly captures the wit and w...
Posted by The Porters of Hellsgate on Mon, 31 Dec 2007 03:42:00 PST

LA Weekly Review of Two Gentlemen of Verona, by Amy Nicholson

TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA William Shakespeare's early and utterly average comedy stands out for its climactic scene, where antihero Proteus (Thomas Bigley) attempts to rape sweet, sensible ingenue Silvi...
Posted by The Porters of Hellsgate on Tue, 25 Dec 2007 06:11:00 PST

LA Times Review of Titus Andronicus, by David C. Nichols

A 'Titus' that's overwrought Equal parts inspiration and overkill course across "Titus Andronicus." Shakespeare's grisly first tragedy gets a creatively twisted, Mussolini-era overhaul by the Porters...
Posted by The Porters of Hellsgate on Fri, 31 Aug 2007 03:36:00 PST

Tolucan Times Review of Titus Andronicus: RECOMMENDED by M. Jarrett Christensen

'Titus Andronicus' Has Themes of Revenge, Duplicity and Madness By M. Jarrett Christensen on August 22,2007 NORTH HOLLYWOOD  Titus Andronicu...
Posted by The Porters of Hellsgate on Fri, 24 Aug 2007 01:46:00 PST

Backstage West Review of Titus Andronicus, by Jeff Favre

Titus Andronicus August 22, 2007 By Jeff Favre It's one thing to freely adapt Shakespeare's bloodiest tragedy into a child-friendly comedy -- see the Titus the Clownicus review in this section...
Posted by The Porters of Hellsgate on Thu, 23 Aug 2007 04:32:00 PST

LA Weekly Review of Titus Andronicus: GO! by Martín Hernández

  TITUS ANDRONICUS If you thought today's slasher movies were gruesome, get a load of this rarely performed Shakespeare classic, thought to be one of the Bard's earliest tragedies, and generally ...
Posted by The Porters of Hellsgate on Tue, 21 Aug 2007 05:04:00 PST

Tolucan Times Review of Richard III, by Beth Temkin

'Richard III' Features By Beth Temkin on June 27,2007 NORTH HOLLYWOOD  On a dark and grim stage, The Porters of Hellsgate present Shakespear...
Posted by The Porters of Hellsgate on Tue, 03 Jul 2007 11:55:00 PST