Chasing ‘The Why’ — LA Actor Dakota Loesch Turns Creator
The serial experiment’s Kickstarter wraps this weekend
We first took notice of Dakota Loesch in the Ceasless Fun show Why I Want to Fuck Ronald Reagan that was inspired by the JG Ballard novel of the same name. Loesch played a man seemingly possessed by the odds and ends of language, attempting to stitch together meaning from a fractured landscape of words.
Frankly, I could relate.
Since then he’s been a regular presence in other CF shows, and had a starring role opposite Katelyn Schiller in The Sideshow as an alcoholic clown.
Now Loesch is turning his eye towards producing and creating an original piece with some of his regular collaborators along for the ride. Not just a show, The Why is a four-part episodic series about “fringe belief systems,” set up so that each stands alone but is part of a greater whole. It’s slated to run for four episodes in June, and he’s crowdfunding the project.
We caught up with Loesch via email.
No Proscenium: What’s the inspiration for The Why?
Dakota Loesch: The Why came out of a few different aspects of my life getting blurred together.
For the last few years I’ve been researching ancient religions, conspiracy theories, astrotheology, all sorts of “fringe” belief systems. During that same period of time I was introduced to immersive theater by my friends Derek Spencer, Meredith Treinen, Scott Monahan and Ceaseless Fun. And I started regularly performing in immersive shows over those years. I also went through a lot of personal tragedies during that time period. My father died, I had a life-changer of a break-up, and I moved out to Los Angeles permanently.
Can’t remember exactly when it was. But one day I’m having a coffee and a smoke and doing my morning writing. And then all of a sudden those three different things — the independent study into belief systems, my own personal struggles and search for meaning, and my experiences in immersive theater — clicked together in my head. And it was just like, “Alright, we’ve got a show to do here.”
NP: Who is the ideal audience member for The Why?
DL: I think it’s a show for immersive die-hards and first-timers alike. The world and the story is very much a communal one, one that audiences and performers experience and feel-out together as the show progresses. And on a deeper or more thematic level? I think The Why is especially impactful for anyone who has questions about life, anyone who wonders what we’re doing here, anyone looking for meaning, or anyone just looking to connect with other human beings.
NP: Immersive comes in a lot of different flavors, what’s in the mix for The Why?
DL: It’s similar to that of a religious service or a spiritual ceremony or a TedTalk even. The audience is invited to our Holistic Campus to attend a presentation (or “Session”) with our Founder. After that Session, the audience is given greater agency to explore our world and interact with our family here at The Why. I don’t want to give away too much though, each show will have its own surprises and revelations for audience members.
NP: Why go for a series right from the start, as opposed to starting with a singular show?
DL: I think a series can help tell a broader story. The Why, specifically, felt like it had to be a series. We really want to create that communal feeling of going to a church, a temple, a mosque, a place of worship every week. I found in all these systems of belief and organized religions that same need for community and ritual. So the idea behind The Why is you can come visit us for one Session or (if the spirit moves) you to join our family and be there for all four Sessions. The series gives you a greater opportunity to be a part of our community, our family, our world.
NP: You’ve been in a lot of immersive shows from a lot of different creators, what do you feel like you’ve learned from those experiences? What is coming with you from them?
DL: Honestly, I’ve learned so goddamn much that it’s hard to put into words. I owe so much to the LA immersive scene and the past shows I’ve been in and all the wonderful collaborators I’ve been lucky enough to work with. In some ways, I think that The Why is my way of trying to show my gratitude and thanks to all these people and lessons from my last few years in immersive. I think the best I can do is create something personal and heartfelt for the community that I love so much. So I guess I just want to do good by the people and the art-form that have done so much good for me.
NP: Why go the Kickstarter route?
DL: Simply put: the show can’t happen without it. We need to secure our location, cover our start-up fees and pay our production costs up-front. We also need to compensate all our hardworking performers and artists and technicians for their time.
Tickets to The Why are only available through our Kickstarter. This let us to offer tickets at a discounted price which I’m really happy about. Plus, there are lots of unique in-world incentives to check out. And tickets are available now until the campaign ends on May 26th.
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