Immersed sits down with Trap Street founder Chad Eschman to discuss the evolution and inspirations for this amazing new immersive company as well as their newest event, Darkness Comes Alive<\/em>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Much like the trap streets of the past, Eschman explains that they follow a similar approach in their design: \u201cWe start with real spaces, but then add a little magic. Here\u2019s how it works: We hunt down a space in L.A. we think is beautiful or strange or interesting. After spending some time there, we create an event that helps you explore and appreciate it. Then\u2026we add that \u201ctrap street\u201d element, to make you question your experience.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Providing an example, he discusses a previous immersive experience they imbued with a little of this magic: \u201cNautapocalypse<\/em> was set at Iron Triangle Brewery, which is a beautiful space on its own. But at our show, a giant earthquake hits, and a submarine surfaces in Echo Park Lake. The show builds from this fictional \u201ctrap street.\u201d We let you decide if it\u2019s all a hoax, or if the apocalypse has finally come.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cAt its heart, Trap Street is a group of storytellers who like to explore the unexpected,\u201d Eschman explains. While their work spans multiple mediums, all of their work is about uncovering secrets. \u201cWe want to show you the story behind the story, and blur the lines between fiction and reality.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong>As for who is part of Trap Street, Eschman says, \u201cWe have an amazing, tight-knit group of artists. It\u2019s like a family, and we think that comes through in the work. Our process is highly collaborative and a bit unorthodox, but it kind of has to be. When we\u2019re custom-building a theatrical event for a neon art studio, for instance, there\u2019s no rulebook. That gets us excited, and we want to share that feeling of excitement with you.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Their current project is an off-the-map audio tour of neon art within the Lili Lakich Studio called Darkness Comes Alive<\/em>. \u201cMy collaborator Amy Thorstenson had the idea of doing an audio tour, and she was also really excited about neon art.\u201d This experience was inspired from one of Eschman\u2019s first memories from when he moved to L.A.: the neon Mona Lisa in front of Lakich\u2019s studio. \u201cIt struck me, especially because there was no info on how to get inside. So, when we met Lili, we discovered this hidden wonderland of neon art, and a rich backstory to her life and career. There was this ongoing theme of spirituality, and we thought: Let\u2019s bring people in to tour the space like museum, but sprinkle in something supernatural.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n While Trap Street are fans of interactive and immersive experiences, their experiences are often no-contact and are as interactive as the guests want it to be. \u201cWe let you wander and exist in an off-kilter world, and decide how involved you want to get, or how deep you want to dig.\u201d<\/p>\n For Darkness Comes Alive<\/em> specifically, three different guides\u00a0\u2014 an undertaker, a vigilante, and a true believer \u2014 will lead tours through the space, each with their own beliefs and their own agendas. \u201cYou can start and end the tours whenever you want, and listen in any order. Because of that, each person\u2019s experience will be different. There are also some extra secrets to discover.\u201d As for the three guides, Eschman teases, \u201cThey\u2019ll ask you to do a few things on your own in the gallery. But it\u2019s also possible they\u2019ll be standing right next to you, sipping on wine. So: Make sure to take off your headphones and talk to someone new.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n A beer-fueled party celebrating the fact that we\u2019re all still alive\u2014Nautapocalypse<\/em> was a fantastic, immersive party pervaded by a live-radio broadcast. This broadcast provided a play-by-play of the dangerous happenings in Los Angeles and helped progress the narrative. \u201cWe want it to feel like you\u2019re part of one big group, facing the apocalypse together, making the best of your last night on Earth. You\u2019re ordering beers and mingling\u2026when suddenly the person next to you gets into a big fight, or starts doing push-ups, or bursts into song. And in those moments, the real story unfolds.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n This event was a favorite of the Trap Street team. \u201cThe members of Trap Street really do like to party together, so this show is a lot of fun.\u201d And when asked about a remount, well, they\u2019re definitely talking about it.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Craft alcohol is a common staple in Trap Street experiences. \u201cPersonally, I\u2019m a big cocktail geek, and most of our meetings are stocked with beer and wine.\u201d Focusing on party atmosphere and inclusivity, Eschman describes his motivations: \u201cWe want our shows to feel like celebrations, where everyone\u2019s welcome, and you can make new friends.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The inclusion of specialty cocktails, great wine, or craft beer in a party-like atmosphere can also make immersive entertainment a little more inviting to the unindoctrinated. \u201cProsecenium theatre sometimes feels elitist, and the haunt community sometimes feels intimidating. Here, we want you to relax and raise a glass.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Trap Street is constantly looking to the future, scheming over late-night drinks, and discussing what\u2019s next. Eschman does not mention any upcoming immersive experiences, but he does speak to their film and podcast work: \u201cWe have a short film called Never Stop<\/em>, which is currently in post-production, and an ongoing podcast called Rogue Bottle<\/em>. This fall we\u2019re starting a new film project, but I can\u2019t say much more than that.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Trap Street experiences are a hidden secret within a grounded reality. There\u2019s something special, something clandestine, and something personal in this feeling. \u201cWe want you feel like you just discovered a secret. Something hidden in plain sight, that you\u2019ve walked passed a hundred times. Like if you found out that your favorite bar is run by vampires, or if you stumbled onto a Metro line that takes you back in time.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhen you leave our shows, we want you to look around the city, and feel like you can see something shimmering beneath the surface.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" A Trap Street Old school cartographers would spend a lot of time to create accurate maps. So, as a sort of copyright, they would add a \u201ctrap street\u201d \u2014 a little alley or avenue that doesn\u2019t actually exist. The idea of adding in a little secret or magic to a real space helped inspire the…<\/p>\nHidden Magic<\/h3>\n
![\"Trap](\"https:\/\/Becomeimmersed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/dca-2-matthew-johns_preview.jpeg\")
A Family of Storytellers<\/h3>\n
![\"Trap](\"https:\/\/Becomeimmersed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Table-readings-1-chad-eschman_preview.jpeg\")
Darkness Comes Alive<\/h3>\n
![\"Trap](\"https:\/\/Becomeimmersed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/dca-3-mun-yi-cheng_preview.jpeg\")
Dive to Your Own Depth<\/h3>\n
Nautapocalypse<\/h3>\n
![\"Trap](\"https:\/\/Becomeimmersed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Nautapocalypse-1-chad-eschman_preview.jpeg\")
A Big Cocktail Geek<\/h3>\n
![\"Trap](\"https:\/\/Becomeimmersed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Nautapocalypse-2-chad-eschman_preview.jpeg\")
The Future of Trap Street<\/h3>\n
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Final Words from Chad Eschman<\/span><\/h3>\n