Dakota Loesch is someone who makes an impression. With his gravelly voice and absorbing charisma, one can’t help but follow him willingly into whatever world he’s in. Immersive theatergoers in Los Angeles have enjoyed his raw, compelling presence for years now, both as an actor (Agnosia, The Sideshow) and a composer/musician (They Who Saw the Deep, Re-Lease) – or a combination of the two (Grunge Shop Tavern). His performances are edgy, playful, experimental, and bracingly in the moment. Dakota typifies what makes this artform so exciting to experience. Now, beginning next month, he is bringing all of that experience to bear in his first set of immersive shows as not only a performer, but also a writer and producer: THE WHY.
THE WHY is a four-part immersive theater experience that will run during the four consecutive Saturdays in June. It invites participants to congregate together at a secret storefront location in East Los Angeles where The Founder (played by Loesch) and the acolytes of his newly established religious movement explore a myriad of topics designed to illuminate who we are, what we believe, and WHY we believe it. Each chapter in the series can stand alone, or guests can explore a much larger story by attending all four.
I had the pleasure of sitting down with Dakota to talk about his background as a performer and musician, his time in the immersive theater scene, and his road to creating THE WHY. Highlights from that talk can be found in the video below. What comes across most is his warmth, gregarious spirit, and childlike exuberance for the essence of making art – especially in collaboration with others. He wears his love for the immersive community on his sleeve, and wants nothing more than to offer something up to the community that has helped to nurture and shape this chapter of his life. Take a look!
THE WHY currently has a live Kickstarter campaign to help bring the show to life – pledge here. Find out more information on their website and Instagram.
Interview conducted by Chris Wollman Filmed by Kevin Hsu Edited by Jon Kobryn Music by Davron Mananov
Special Thanks to Dakota Loesch and THE WHY
Ceaseless Fun images courtesy of Nerris Nassiri Re-Lease images courtesy of Elena Kulikova Studio
Keep an eye on our Event Guide for more upcoming immersive shows throughout Los Angeles.
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Chris first checked into the McKittrick Hotel in 2011 and has loved immersive theatre ever since. He holds a Bachelors in Theatre from SDSU, a Masters in Education from USC, and is currently teaching Shakespeare to kids. As Douglas Adams said, he loves deadlines; he loves the whooshing noise they make as they go by.
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