TRUE WEST at the McCadden Presented by The Bus Company Theater

Sam Shepard’s 1980 classic directed by Matt Ritchey

The Bus Company Theater, a new LA-based theater company founded in January 2025 by Nate Bucsko, will present a two-weekend run of Sam Shepard’s 1980 classic, True West. The show opens December 5th and runs through the 14th at Hollywood Theater Row’s McCadden Place Theater. The show stars actors Nate Bucsko, Christopher Gerse, Sean Faye, and Christine Elliott.

Artistic Director and actor Nate Bucsko formed The Bus Company Theater to bring classic, contemporary, and original works to life on stage. “I wanted to reignite the small LA theater scene. I had mostly done a lot of sketch and improv around LA – Groundlings, The Pack, UCB, all over. I have a take-charge attitude so I wanted to join with people who are passionate about theater get back into doing what so many of us love.”

Bucsko grew up doing community theater in Pittsburgh, Minnesota, and Chicago and is fervent in his desire to bring it to more people. “Theatre’s more important than it’s ever been, I think. You find out a lot about yourself. True West is one of my favorite plays ever and super challenging. And that’s the main initiative and goal of the company – do challenging and rewarding work with the right group of people surrounding you, making a lot with a little.”

Established January 2025

Bus Company’s inaugural run of SEMINAR by Theresa Rebeck in May of 2025 was a big success and set the fledgling company up to build a community of actors and technical artists dedicated to storytelling through live theater.

Considered one of Shepard’s most important works, True West tells the story of two estranged brothers – Austin, the Ivy-League schooled fledgling screenwriter who’s on the brink of a big success, and Lee, his older brother who’s been drifting and thieving for most of his life. While house-sitting for their mother, the estranged brothers needs and desires collide, leading to violent conflict.

The production is directed by Matt Ritchey, Hollywood theater local whose recent plays SHPIDER! at Force of Nature and the Alfred Hitchcock-centric Pure Cinema were crowd favorites. “Shepard’s new for me,” he says. “I’ve obviously read his work, but this is my first time getting a chance to really dig in and I’m having a blast! The character relationships and the subtext to every line is so formidable and the psychology is fascinating to explore.”

When, where, go!

True West runs December 5th – 7th and 12th – 14th. Performances are at 8:00 PM except Sunday December 14th performance will be at 2 p.m. To purchase tickets and for more information go to True West Eventbrite.

The McCadden Place Theatre is located at 1157 North McCadden Place, Los Angeles, CA 90038. Street parking is available.