The Dysfunctional Theatre Company

Founded in 1997 by playwright Paul Wells, THE DYSFUNCTIONAL THEATRE COMPANY is a collective dedicated to producing ensemble works that challenge the status quo without taking themselves too seriously. The company officially incorporated in 1998, achieved non-profit status in 1999, and has produced over 20 shows in its history, many of them original works. Dysfunctional celebrated its 10 year anniversary in 2007 with the Dysfunctional 10th Anniversary Benefit Extravaganza, which featured selections from Dysfunctional shows both old and new, as well as the appearance of many veteran Dysfunctional actors.

Some early Dysfunctional highlights include Alien Sex Cult Clones Madonna!, a late-night satire of tabloid journalism, which ran successfully for almost a year in various downtown venues; its sequel, Princess Di's Brain Kept Alive in Graceland!, which ran for nearly six months; Vampire Stewardesses from Hell!!, which played to sold-out houses at Under St. Mark's Theater; and How To Have The Ultimate Orgasm Each and Every Time, featuring articles staged verbatim from Glamour and Maxim magazines.

In 2000, the company returned to the NYC International Fringe Festival (where it previously staged Sodom, by Sir John Wilmot) with its hit comedy I Am Star Trek, written by playwright Rick Vorndran. I Am Star Trek was later optioned and produced at the 2001 and 2005 Edinburgh Fringe Festivals to strong critical acclaim.

Dysfunctional shows have been described as "gripping, well-made drama staged with economy and sensitivity and intelligence" (Real Live Sex Onstage, 2001), "eclectic, quintessentially off-off Broadway" (Please Please Please Love Me, 2003) and "Grade-A avant-garde downtown theatre" (Hoover: A Love Story, 2004).

In 2005 Dysfunctional revived one of its early traditions and began staging an annual Christmas show – Jeff Goode's The Eight: Reindeer Monologues. Dysfunctional has staged 3 productions of this dark adult, modern Christmas classic. Time Out New York called the show "a comedy that puts the X in Xmas" and featured it prominently in the 2005 article "Blue Christmas," a piece which focused on non-traditional holiday fare.

2006 saw the long running production of Bite, a new work written by Suzanne Bachner and created in conjunction with Dysfunctional artists. Bite featured audience participation and a "choose your own adventure" format, which offered a different experience for the audience at every performance.

In 2007 Dysfunctional was part of the first ever FRIGID New York festival, produced by its host company, Horse Trade Theater. The festival served as the New York premiere for Orange Murder Suit, a thriller by playwright Rob Matsushita, which was called "gripping theatre; definitely a must-see at this first FRIGID New York festival" by Martin Denton of NYTheatre.com. Dysfunctional returned to the 2008 FRIGID festival with the political satire Chosen, written by company member Rick Vorndran.

Going forward Dysfunctional continues its mission to give exposure to new playwrights, to show audiences the joys of live theater and to prove to the off off Broadway community as a whole, that a small theater company can be self sustaining in the competitive and crowded NY theater scene.