Nonprofit Spotlight: G.K. Chesterton Theatre Company

Formed by father-son duo Cathal and Peter Gallagher, who wanted to bring great biographical plays to the stage, the mission of the G.K. Chesterton Theatre Company is to highlight the lives of heroic characters from history, with a special emphasis on faith and culture.

Its last play, An Act of Reparation, focused on the true story of a German World War II conscientious objector named Franz Jaggerstatter, who refused to join the Nazi army because of his religious faith as a Catholic. He was eventually put on trial and executed. "Even his own church told him it was OK to serve in the German army, but his faith told him no," Cathal Gallagher said. An Act of Reparation premiered in the spring at the Odyssey Theatre.

Manhattan Beach Patch: How did you get started?

Cathal Gallagher: We started about two years ago. We don't have our own space yet, but we're looking for one. We're in a fundraising stage right now. To start, we put ads in Santa Monica papers and Catholic papers like The Tidings to tell people that a new theater company was being established to put on great historical and biographical plays. We put inspirational characters on the stage. G.K. Chesterton was a famous English writer who wrote about questions of faith and culture. We decided since G.K. Chesterton didn't use profanity in his novels, we would not put profanity in our plays.

Patch: What has been a highlight of your organization's tenure?

Gallagher: I'm a playwright. I'm kind of writing the plays for the company, so for me it's when someone e-mails me afterwards, as one young woman did two weeks after she saw the play, saying, "I'm still thinking about a scene in the play and it's affecting me in a good way." Getting positive feedback from audience members [makes it worth it], particularly those who come a second time to see the play. 

Patch: How has the economic downturn affected your membership/ donations/interest?

Gallagher: The way it has worked so far with the two plays, one at The Odyssey and one at the Promenade Playhouse, is opening weekend was slow, but the word of mouth was so good that we sold out. When we put on our next production in the spring we'll know. We're in the fundraising period. We haven't made any profit. All we want to do is since we think we are putting out a very positive message, especially for youth, we just want to put our plays on. 

Patch: What gaps do you think you are filling with your nonprofit?  

Gallagher: On the radio I heard three or four days ago a commentator saying that the dominant force affecting the worldview of modern society [is] Hollywood films. I believe that. Now I'm one of those people who says enough of all the films we see are not inspiring. We need entertainment, but now and again we need something that will inspire us. We can't buy a studio and make films, but we can put on plays. We're starting small. We show great heroes because we believe that great plays can reach the youth of today and we can reach them. There is some good work out there, but we need more. It's a big challenge but we have to start somewhere. You see an inspirational character on stage and it can change your whole life… When a young man or woman sees something like that, the young man or woman who went in the theater is not the one who leaves.

Patch: What kind of a response have you gotten from the public since you opened?  

Gallagher: It's been great. My experience with plays is if people don't like a play, they leave at intermission or as soon as it's over. But if they like the play, they hang around; they want to know about the research and the characters. [We've gotten] the message that they're getting something of value out of what they've seen there.

In the spring, the G.K. Chesterton Theatre Company is putting on Viva Cristo Rei. It is still looking for a venue. For more information, visit its website or e-mail it at gkctheatre@yahoo.com.

Know of a Manhattan Beach-based nonprofit in need of wider recognition for its work? E-mail the editor at andrewk@patch.com.