The first hospital in Los Angeles has opened its basement for Below The Basement Experience presented by Royva and the Hospital of Emotions. This is the former St. Vincent Medical Center, founded in 1856 by the Daughters of Charity. It served the city’s poor and immigrant communities for 164 years before closing in 2020. The building is now being redeveloped into a behavioral health campus for mental health, veteran, and unhoused communities, and proceeds from this exhibition go toward that work. One of the most unique things about Below is that you get to be in a part of the hospital you would never otherwise see.
The writer, Annie Lesser, leans into that history. The story moves you back in time and follows Sister Raphaela, a nun trying to learn what happened to Patient 13. The characters you meet in the hospital along the way slowly reveal information to help you piece together what happened. The journey to uncover the truth is a spooky, mysterious path through the dim corridors. This is not a scary walk with masked actors jump scaring you, it is a theatrical performance where you are part of the story.
The cast does a fantastic job of staying open and authentic in their performances. Sister Raphaela, portrayed by Prince Kelly, led us from room to room while keeping us engaged in the action. Sister Raphaela carries the emotional weight of the piece. Prince brings her to life through their superior talent and vulnerability as an actor. The performers connect strongly with each other and the audience. One moment that stood out for me was when Sister Raphaela grabbed my arm and cowered beside me for protection. A performer choosing a guest to lean on turns the audience into their scene partner immersing us even deeper into the world they’ve created.
The Edge Interactive created multiple casts to continuously share the story with guests throughout the night. You may have different performers and I’m sure they will also give solid performances. They do a wonderful job on the story, direction, casting, and costumes for this production. I am looking forward to seeing what they create next.
Below The Basement Experience is great for people who love immersive and for anyone who enjoys exploring unique venues. It is restricted to ages 12 and up. This is separate from the art exhibit upstairs, but you can purchase a combo ticket for After Dark if you’d also like to explore the multiple floors of art with a spooky twist. If you haven’t experienced Hospital of Emotions yet, I highly recommend getting the bundled ticket option.
More info at: https://www.hospitalofemotions.com
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Thank you to Hospital of Emotions for inviting me to cover these experiences.