Teen-Founded THE RIOT STAGE Returns to Los Angeles with Cinematic Shakespeare

The Riot Stage, a teen-founded Shakespeare theater and film company led by 15-year-old Company Director Samantha Leeds, will return May 20 and 21 to the Odyssey Theatre Ensemble with a new original production that blends live performance and cinematic storytelling.

The Riot Stage first gained attention in its inaugural season, with both performances selling out and drawing a notable cross-section of the Los Angeles creative community. Audience members included artists and performers such as Bill Hader and Alanis Morissette, while Leeds was featured in a cover story by The Argonaut highlighting her work building a student-led theater company from the ground up.

Created by Leeds and developed in collaboration with Creative Director Zoey Zimmerman, the production pushes beyond the boundaries of a traditional school play, integrating high-end filmed sequences shot specifically for the show into a fully staged theatrical experience. The result is a fast-moving hybrid that reimagines Shakespeare through a contemporary, youth-driven lens, moving fluidly between stage and screen.

Now in its second season, The Riot Stage brings together student performers from multiple Los Angeles schools to collaborate on original work rooted in classical text. The company's mission is to transform young people's lives through the timeless stories and themes of Shakespeare, while bringing that work to new audiences in a way that feels immediate, cinematic, and accessible.

Leeds, who serves as Company Director, was recently awarded the New Talent Award at the National Film Festival for Talented Youth, one of the largest and most prestigious festivals for emerging filmmakers under 25. The Riot Stage's long-term vision includes expanding its productions beyond the stage, with plans to adapt this work into a feature film.

With its combination of classical foundation, original storytelling, and cinematic execution, The Riot Stage represents a rare student-driven model, bridging professional-level creative ambition with a collaborative, youth-led company structure.

Performances will take place May 20 and 21 at the Odyssey Theatre Ensemble in West Los Angeles. Tickets are available via Eventbrite.

ABOUT THE RIOT STAGE