Madcap Motel Transports to "Elsewhere"
A maid stands in a room where the furniture is wildly angled, and a television shows a Clint Eastwood spaghetti western, at the Madcap Motel, on Saturday, May 8, 2021. Marco Palloti | The Corsair
Once checked in at the Madcap Motel, visitors are transported to an alternate reality. The 1960s themed interactive exhibit holds 18 rooms and 17,000 square feet of "whimsical wonders and amusing adventures," as promised by their website.
The imaginary history of the Madcap, created by the installation's founder, Paige Solomon, tells of a once bustling motel and premier roadside destination in Downtown Los Angeles. The fictional story begins with the mysterious J.P. Sando, who opened the motel in 1946. Just two decades later, he vanished without a trace, leaving the motel shuttered for the next 53 years.
When his grandchildren began renovating the motel in 2019, strange postcards appeared, signed by Sando. They revealed news of a hidden portal to another dimension behind the walls of room #433. He called this dimension "Elsewhere."
Inspired by films and television shows like "Interstellar," "Big Fish," "Beetlejuice," and "The Twilight Zone," Solomon combined cosmic dreamscapes with mid-century style for the motel's design. Her first successful installation, Dream Machine, in Brooklyn, New York, provided rooms of a more modern aesthetic, popular for Instagram photo ops.
Paige Solomon, entrepreneur and creator of the immersive experience, “Elsewhere” at the Madcap Motel on May 19, 2021. Marco Palloti | The Corsair
"[Dream Machine] felt pretty, but it didn't feel creatively fulfilling. We wanted to add more complex storylines,” said Solomon. “[It’s named] Madcap because it's wacky and crazy and zany, which is what that word means...I really like that idea of catering more to the ‘weirdos’ or people who have interests outside of this common or basic lifestyle.”
A trip to Elsewhere is a mix of guided tours, accompanied by theatrical performances, magic tricks, and the option to explore solo, fulfilling the itch for a wanderlust experience. Where one door may lead to a rocking chair fit for a giant, another may lead to dancing lights and optical illusions.
Stepping into Elsewhere is an opportunity for visitors of all ages to stretch their creative muscles and access their imagination.
"I kept seeing a lot of [videos on the app TikTok] and it looked interesting so we bought tickets," said visitor Armando Laprada. "There are interactive exhibits that allow you to be a part of the pieces...the actors make it so much easier to get sucked into the world they want you to be a part of."
"I loved the actors that were involved in the exhibit. They really helped you get immersed into this alternate universe they take you to," said Laprada’s partner, Bethany Nava. "I also loved how unique each room was. It was like walking through a very vivid dream. When you have [actors] as part of an art exhibit, it turns visual art into performance art.”
Solomon plans to keep the Madcap Motel as a permanent attraction downtown, with more ideas on the drawing board for future events.
"Hopefully this is more of a Downtown Arts District fixture. [We plan on] doing more community building, like creative artists' talks in the atrium, singer-songwriter nights, or more date nights," said Solomon. "[We] are changing the storyline dramatically with the seasons...the beauty of the Madcap Motel is...the portal will always be different."
The installation is open Thursdays through Sundays, and tickets must be purchased in advance on Madcap's website.
