Contrary to what you could easily be led to believe, La Casa De Satanas are not Satanists. They don’t mind the accusation and, in-fact, embrace it. As performance artists from Chicago, this troupe of fearless performers has been called far worse. Not that being a Satanist is a bad thing but, you know.

The tactile theatre troupe has relocated to Brooklyn, New York and is planning on making a big, bloody splash upon arrival with a brand new Valentine’s Day themed immersive experience entitled, “Be Mine”. We had the chance to chat via email with creator Amelia de Rudder on the history of her company, their move to Brooklyn, and what the hipsters can expect when they brave to buy a ticket for this new, show, running two days only, in Brooklyn. Enjoy!

HorrorBuzz: Can you tell us a little bit about La Casa De Satanas and the show you are putting on especially for Valentines Day?

Amelia de Rudder: La Casa de Satanas is an immersive, performance art based experience which uses the format of haunted house to explore deeply rooted primal and societal fears. Our Valentine’s Day show focuses on the fears involved with all things love, lust and intimacy. Our theme this year is: “BE MINE” and deals specifically with possessiveness, sex addiction, violent acts committed in the name of love/jealousy, mental illness and winning over a lover using supernatural methods.

HB: Why the move from Chicago to New York?

Amelia de Rudder: Ugh. Long story. But, the short of it was gentrification and violence. NYC is great. I don’t have to fear getting shot here and I’m paying the same I would now be paying in Chicago. Also, my dog of 12 yrs passed during the eclipse and it made me want to leave Chicago even more.

HB: Where specifically in New York is the show being presented?

ADR: Valentines will be in Bushwick, Brooklyn. I always prefer unconventional venues as they are far more conducive not only to our show but also in their hyper-reality. Traditional venues feel safe and public whereas untraditional ones inspire the show and make it more site-specific and creepy. And creepy really is just another term for uncomfortably intimate.

HB: How did your group get started doing immersive shows?

ADR: We started doing theatre for a youth arts organization in Chicago and would always do a pg-13 haunted house sponsored by city arts funding. One year we got our funding withdrawn 2 weeks prior to the show, supposedly because some alderman in Chicago thought it was a satanic holiday and told us his ethics committee could not condone giving city money for it. Not sure if I buy it, but it pissed us off. We were doing good things for the community, Pilsen was and is still a very dangerous place, especially for teens on Halloween. It’s a huge gang night, kids get shot, or dead, that’s scary on it’s own. Anyway we were offering a substance free event that was not cheesy, run for kids by kids. Teens are tough critics, way more than adults and they are much more open and creative. With our funding gone we set out to do an adults only show worthy of the banned status we had received. That’s also where the name came from. La Casa de Satanas is a direct reference to the alderman’s office and the old Yolocalli/Radio Arte spot. For those who know Pilsen they will see the connection. Basically a huge middle finger to dirty politicians. That first year was very visceral. That was the year of the dead goat. We had a whole skinned goat that was part of the show, it was birthed, violated and sacrificed, a parallel to the human condition. After that I was ready to be done, except that people who had attended our 1st show would regularly approach me on the street asking when the next one would be. So I decided  to keep on with it. Subsequent shows became more and more thought out, culturally relevant and elaborate. And here I am now, keeping on. I don’t think we ever planned to be immersive, I think it always just was, accidentally.

HB: What do you call your show; immersive theatre, immersive haunt, extreme haunt?

ADR: Ha, ha, ha…I don’t even know anymore. All of the above. But really it’s a group of visual and performance artists that let their minds go to a very dark place, brainstorm on a theme, formulate on fear and make it happen. It’s a true collaborative. If anything I’d say I direct, curate and hone a show that was conceived by a hive mind.

HB: What is it that these types of shows offer that regular haunted houses don’t?

ADR: I don’t know. I’ve never been to a “real” or “regular” haunted house. I worked once for Blackout for an off season Chicago show but that’s immersive. I’d say we are different from Blackout because we do deal with some supernatural, but the near supernatural, pretty much anything that your grandmother would believe in. She’s not going to tell you tales of vampires or zombies. But she will tell you about psychic events, paranormal activity, religion, superstition etc. There is power in belief and that gives relevance.

HB: What do you think it is that people connect with when taking part in an extreme, immersive horror experience? Why do they go?

ADR: Well, a lot has been written recently about the isolative and addictive properties of cell phones, apps, social media, THE INTERNET. Honestly, I think it’s more fun and far more entertaining to be part of something rather than to just watch. Also in this new age of independence and isolation, the human body craves physical touch and human interaction. It is crucial to a psyche and something we are more and more deprived of. This relates especially to our Valentine’s day show since we are examining hook up culture as a flimsy attempt to both seek and thwart intimacy. I think people go to a Satanas show because it’s far more than just shock value. It makes you examine what’s actually going on in the world, in life, and that’s scary af, truly.

HB:  Why do YOU do these immersive shows?

ADR: It’s cathartic. Artists have the gift of sight and synthesis. We see what’s good, what’s bad, and there’s a lot wrong in the world and with humanity.  We are commenting on it, opening eyes and sometimes laughing at it. This what we do. Be it in 2D, 3D or 4D… I use the term we because La Casa de Satanas only exists as a collective collaboration. And I would not “do” immersive theatre on my own.

HB: Does your show have a safety word and trained staff on hand should anything need attention?

ADR: Yes, there is a safety word, there’s no shame in using it. I’d like to really stress that. Also, I have a staff trained in 1st aid, CPR and here in NYC I also have an EMT who’s in the show.

HB: Is that something you feel is important?

ADR: It is the most important.

HB: If all goes well, are there plans for more terrifying fun later in the fall?

ADR: Yes. For sure. I’d like to do a Halloween show. I’ve actually already made some moves in finding a venue in NYC. For certain Chicago will also happen.

HB: How can people buy tickets?

ADR: Online. Through our website: lacasadesatanas.wixsite.com/satanas