S.E.L.A.!, which stands for Southeast Los Angeles, is a performance piece that was the culmination of a series of TheatreWorkers Project workshops for unemployed steelworkers in that area. The play, performed by a group of workers, actors, and residents of the Southeast area, features video, music, and dance to bring alive the stories of the area’s people and culture.

The play begins with actors telling about the history of Southeast Los Angeles when it teemed with jobs for those willing to put in long, hard hours at the industrial plants in South Gate, Vernon, Maywood, Santa Fe Springs, and Commerce. These stories, which echoed across the country, also tell of the devastation when “big steel” started closing plants in the late 1970s, leaving thousands jobless.

During its six-day run in Los Angeles, as part of the Fringe Festival, S.E.L.A.! educated the public about the history of southeast Los Angeles and gave voice to its unheard communities. The workshops were conducted in collaboration with the Los Angeles Poverty Department.