A look at award-winning playwright & director Erika Jenko's fruitful collaboration with Immersive Art Collective
Since Rachel Adams founded the Immersive Art Collective in 2021, the DTLA-based nonprofit organization has helped all manner of artists in the Los Angeles area, from creating job opportunities to offering affordable performing spaces to providing creative guidance and more.
With two large venues – the stylishly spooky Count’s Den and the multipurpose Immersive Arts Center – and no shortage of creative expertise and resources, IAC has proven itself more than capable of bringing any artist’s dreams to life. Even the strange ones.
Just ask award-winning director and playwright, Erika Jenko.
As the founder and Creative Director of Windy Hallows – which produces macabre yet whimsical plays centered around themes of mental health – Erika is no stranger to the theatre world; she is a member of the Dramatists Guild, and her credits include “53 Months,” “Penelope,” “Darling", “The Firefly Web,” among others.
She first approached IAC in spring of 2023 about turning her play, “Up Here, Down There” – which reimagined Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland as a story about anxiety and emotional abuse – into an immersive brunch production wherein audiences interacted with the darkly fantastical characters in a tea party like no other.
The playfully grim tone of “Up Here, Down There” made it the perfect production for the Count’s Den, which boasts antique furniture, Victorian-inspired decor, and plenty of other morbid touches. However, for Erika, it wasn’t just the use of the space that she appreciated.
“The Count's Den is such a gem in DTLA. The beauty of how the space is designed makes it incredibly versatile for events. The element that pulls it all together are the people who are a part of the Count's Den. From security and bartenders to the designers, every single human who touches the Count's Den are some of the best in the industry and there is such a level of care that goes into the space.”
In 2024, Erika again reached out to the Immersive Art Collective about putting on her next play, “Penelope,” and Rachel responded with a unique offer: Volunteer for IAC in exchange for use of the Immersive Arts Center. The industrial atmosphere of the space perfectly suited Erika’s tale about an artistic couple haunted by the lore of their fisherman town and the ghost of a tragic past.
And so, Erika happily accepted, putting her many talents to good use, such as using her organizational skills to oversee several private events at the Count’s Den and sharing her expansive knowledge of the stage in the form of a Theatre Acting Masterclass.
But again, it wasn’t just a versatile venue that helped Erika turn her play into a reality – it was the continuous support she received from the IAC team and the passionate atmosphere of the space that she found most helpful.
“Every single time I ran into someone on-site, the first question they would ask me is 'How can I help?' In a field that is so completely isolating at times, Immersive Art Collective has formed a community and I always feel at home there. There is always an energy that something exciting is happening. There is always a way to make the impossible possible. And there is a standard for creating the best with the audience always in mind.”
Theatre is a medium that doesn’t draw quite as big a draw as, say, film or concerts, and so, even with an impressive resume, Erika always found it challenging to produce her works.
“As an artist, I've often had to play the waiting game when it comes to putting up my work. Even with the energy to put up my own work and not wait for others, I would usually hit a wall when it came to the cost of producing theatre, from the theatre rental to rehearsal space. Over the years, it became less and less sustainable to create art.”
However, with IAC, Erika had an experience whose rewards extended well beyond simply having a space to forge a unique theatrical experience.
“Immersive Art Collective reignited the hope that theatre can absolutely be sustainable. And it comes down to community. I was able to produce a full run of my play, ‘Penelope’ (we're talking 8 performances, something that would've been impossible for me in the past) in a gorgeous space. I was able to actually rehearse in the space that we performed in (truly a GIFT). Because the process was sustainable, I was able to – for the first time – truly throw caution to the wind with the art I was creating. All of the barriers that normally suffocated me and made me more careful were now gone. I've also had the opportunity to sharpen different skill sets and do so in such a supportive environment. From sculpting an acting class series to event management at the Count's Den.”
The Immersive Art Collective is exactly what its name implies: It’s a community of artists deep in the beautiful and mysterious waters of the creative process.
Sure, we provide access to affordable venue spaces, resources, tools, and talent, all of which are of immense value to any emerging artist.
But it’s our never ending support of creators that really sets us apart from the pack. It’s our commitment to realizing the dreams of all artists…even the strange ones.
If you’d like to learn more about how IAC can help bring your creative vision to life, email us at info@immersiveartcollective.org
About Erika Jenko
Erika is a native Californian ghoul who has been writing, directing and producing plays in Los Angeles, New York City, Chicago and Boise for the past 17 years. She is the owner and Creative Director of Windy Hallows, where she creates original theatrical productions. Erika is a haunted creature who enjoys creating worlds in the realm of magical realism and giving a voice to children navigating themes of mental health including suicide, grief, depression and anxiety.
Her work on the tragic play, “The Firefly Web” (Playwright / Director) won the awards of Best Director as well as Best Production at the 2022 SheLA Theatre Festival. “The Firefly Web” is a part of the SheNYC program, New Pages and is currently available for licensing. Erika is also a proud member of the Dramatists Guild.
Past credits include “Dex: A Killer Parody Musical,” (bookwriter), “Darling” (Playwright), “Up Here, Down There” (Co-Director, Playwright), Horrific Puppet Affair (Contributing Playwright + Director), and many more.
Erika is the creator of the storytelling group, “The Rabbit Hole Society,” which got its start in iconic mansions in the Chicago area. When she’s not creating a macabre environment for the stage, Erika can be found working on the Production Management team for Halloween Horror Nights (Universal Studios, Hollywood) where she strategically plans Halloween year-round.
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