"The Making of ROCK, PAPER, SCISSORS!"

 excerpts from the film "Lights, Camera, Youth" directed by Martin Bedogne

directed by Cristina Frias and William Seymour, the play was created by the youth in LACER's Bancroft Stars Theater Workshop and produced at the Greenway Court Theater in Los Angeles.

QuickTime Movie

Contact the director of "Lights, Camera, Youth!" Martin Bedogne.

In 1998 I was awarded an 'Artist in Residency' Grant from the California Arts Council.  My goal was to create a theater workshop with middle school youth in Los Angeles.  Working within the LACER Afterschool Programs located at Bancroft Middle School, classes began in 1998. 

The workshop was an opportunity for the youth to learn theater, Commedia dell'Arte, Improv and a healthy dose of collaboration.  Our first production was an adaptation of the San Francisco Mime Troupe's "Whack 'em, Smack 'em" a commedia about domestic and violence.  Co-directed by Clare Carey, the Theater Workshop performed for hundreds of their peers, families and the community.

WHACK 'EM, SMACK 'EM, 1999

The next year, with the addition of actress Cristina Frias (Guest Artist) they wanted to write their own play.   Over the course of nine months they wrote a multi-media play about immigration, family and making choices.  This play was produced for a week at the Greenway Court Theater.

YOUNG AMERICANS, 2000

Now playwrights, actors and directors, the youth wanted to write a full length play.  This time, Cristina Frias and I were joined by Susan Goldberg and we all set out to write a play about "community".  The result was a funny and touching story of two girls, friends, making their way in Los Angeles.  This play ran for a week at the Greenway Court Theater and was documented by filmmaker Martin Bedogne in LIGHTS, CAMERA, YOUTH.

ROCK, PAPER, SCISSORS! 2001

Working with the youth of LACER has been awe-inspiring and and a great lesson in how to teach, direct and collaborate.  Some of my greatest moments on stage have been acting with these young people- knowing what they have to tackle just to show up everyday after school to make a play happen.

-Will Seymour