A Westside Experiment Young Actors Laboratory Summer 2026

For Grades 5-8, 9-12, and College
Taught in American Sign Language and English

Dates: August 10 – 15, 2026
Time: Monday-Friday 10am-3pm
Performance: Sat. August 15, 2025 11am
Location: 154 Christopher st 3B NYC
Contact IRT: 212-206-6875 [email protected]

Fully accessible for Deaf, Hard-of-Hearing and Hearing students.

Tuition:Pay-What-You-Can
SUGGESTED Tuition: $0-$600 per student

Since 2007, IRT Theater has served the downtown theater community by providing space, support and community for independent artists through its 3B Development Series. An offshoot of IRT’s 3B Development Series, the Westside Experiment offers students the skills to create original devised theater in collaboration with a working theater company in residence at IRT.

The progressive Young Actors Laboratory program still covers all the theater essentials, like physical-acting technique, improvisation & script writing, but with a decidedly downtown twist. This years unique summer experience will include a fusion of sign language, spoken word, mime, storytelling, dance and music. This is a great choice for students, hearing, Deaf, and Hard-of hearing, who are interested in theater but eager to try something more offbeat than, say, Oklahoma.

No prior acting experience necessary. Artists of all disciplines are encouraged to apply. Bring an open mind and have it blown away!

LEAD TEACHER:

Jules Dameron (he/him) is a deaf trans and gay film & theatre director, working with both deaf and hearing actors. Jules graduated from Gallaudet University with a B.A. in TV/Cinema and then obtained an MFA in Film Production/Directing at one of the leading film schools in the world, the University of Southern California. Shifting between both deaf and hearing cultures, Jules has a strong insight into how the deaf community has a different way of sharing information. Mediating between two cultures has helped Jules harness a direction style and vision that is unique and unparalleled.

Recently, Jules has worked on several videos with Sesame Street, helping provide the same experience and amusement to young viewers through a deaf lens. Jules is also currently the writer and director of the soon-to-be-made feature film, Deaf President Now, a film illustrating the events of the Deaf President Now protests at Gallaudet University in 1988. Jules is also co-writing / co-directing a play called, “What is Emily Drawing?” highlighting the effects of language deprivation in deaf children. When not in the director’s chair, Jules extends his talents to the stage playing various roles in notable shows like Romeo and Juliet, Rocky Horror Picture Show, and Lés Miserables. Jules aspires to work more with hearing creatives to pave the way for more authentic representation in the media.

This program is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in Partnership with the City Council, and New York State Council on the Arts, and National Endowment for the Arts. Support for captioning and ASL interpretation on this production provided in part through funding from Access A.R.T./New York, a program of the Alliance of Resident Theatres/New York (A.R.T./New York).

***IRT is a fully wheelchair-accessible facility. Please reach out to Kori Rushton if you have any accessibility questions or concerns, [email protected] ***

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