Black Bag Job

Acting - Taut. Patient. Haunting. Setting and atmosphere - Thick. Heavy. Wet. As the date and time kept crawling towards the inevitable assassination of MLK, we are living with the men charged with a mission yet confronted with their humanity. Questions of what would you do pop up? What fear can do to men who are in power and want to keep it. How a great country trying to find its way can get lost in their pursuit of a liberating idea. Representative Democracy. Nothing is perfect. This idea is as close as it gets🇺🇸... full review

Go see Black Bag Job! It's a compelling look at what may have taken place behind the scenes on the day of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King.... full review

such a unique storytelling of a historic loss from the POV of insiders... full review

This show is PHENOMENAL. A masterful job of ratcheting up tension. The show is riveting to the degree that you feel as much a part of the team (and the guilt) as the characters, given the stakes and dramatic irony. ... full review

Christian Levatino and the Gangbusters Theatre Co. continue their exploration of major political events in the 20th Century with this disquieting play about the FBI agents monitoring Martin Luther King, Jr. on the day before and the day of his assassination. The production does a great deal with a few historically specific props to create a set and an atmosphere both dark and tense. Each of the four Special Agents justify their presence only a few dozen feet from King's hotel room in ways mundane or insightful, and avoid feeling much guilt for their actions. As Levatino's Agent Hanna explains, when the responsibility for what's being done is divided among so many people, no one believes they're to blame. One of the best dramas of the 202... full review

Smart, engaging writing excellently performed by a superb ensemble. Thought provoking and original. ... full review

Black Bag Job is a gripping and thought-provoking theatrical experience that sheds light on one of the lesser-known chapters surrounding the Civil Rights Movement and final days of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The play masterfully blends historical fact with dramatic storytelling, drawing audiences into a world of surveillance, secrecy, and political tension. From the opening scene, the writer and director Christian Levatino creates an atmosphere of suspense. The title itself—Black Bag Job, a term historically associated with covert break-ins and intelligence operations—sets the stage for a powerful exploration of the lengths to which government agencies went to monitor and undermine civil rights leaders. The script skillfully humanizes Dr.... full review

My overall impression was very positive. I haven’t seen a lot of live theater, but this definitely was one of the best that I’ve seen. The cast was incredible. Needed a really good job of immersing the audience into the story and tension it builds on.... full review

A gripping, slow-burn espionage drama that puts you in the room with government agents as they collect recordings of MLK Jr's final moments. Impressively executed with sharp, period-appropriate detail.... full review

Christian Latvatino has once again exceeded our greatest expectations with yet another incredibly crafted, written, and executed theatrical piece at the Hollywood Fringe Festival. This a MUST SEE SHIOW!! ... full review