OPEN UP TO L.A.'S ARCTIC ANIMATRONIC

The brainchild of Jason Woliner and Eric Notarnicola, 'Man in the Tuskhut' brings visitors face-to-face with a robotic hermit

- BY MADDIE CONNORS

Two years ago, at Jason Woliner's birthday party, there was a strange guest in attendance.

Mysterious, wise, uncanny — it was an animatronic robot cowboy named Dale.

In the years prior, Woliner had become transfixed by immersive theater and animatronics, prompting him to purchase Dale. Woliner's obsession with him became akin to Frankenstein and his monster.

Dale's presence was a triumph. Using a complex software system, Woliner made the animatronic conversational. “I set him up in my garage. People came in and asked him questions, and he gave advice on relationships,” Woliner says.

A disquieting collection of animatronics became fixtures in the director's life. More encounters ensued. Dale hosted an event at the Dynasty Typewriter theater in place of Woliner. Later, another one of his animatronics had campfire side chats with audiences at the Overlook Film Festival in New Orleans. Woliner’s creative partner of 15 years, Eric Notarnicola, joined the endeavor as well.

Notarnicola and Woliner, known for comedy projects like “Nathan for You,” “The Rehearsal,” “Paul T. Goldman” and “Borat Subsequent Moviefilm,” found that animatronics aligned with their body of work — absurd, amusing and occasionally devastating explorations of truth and vulnerability.

Dale — now better known as “the man” — will host guests starting Thursday at the Velaslavasay Panorama in a show called “The Man in the Tuskhut.” The six December events have sold out, but more are expected next year. The Nova Tuskhut is a space within the venue designed like an Arctic trading post. For the show, attendees have a one-on-one encounter with the man in the Tuskhut. That’s after watching a documentary about frontiersman Henry James Entrikin, enjoying a drink at a saloon and grilling hot dogs.