#leo wetherill

The Human Observation Lab/ Stimulus & Response: 

Leo Wetherill, Eric George, Alec Shepherd

In the late 80’s, a few UMKC Conservatory and art department students were determined to showcase off beat performances in Kansas City.  Stimulus & Response (SARCO) was the answer.  The pop up theatre began showcasing impromptu performances at classic drinking establishments like The Ship and later The Grand Emporium.  Their guerilla theatre approach evolved into an ambitious performance project called “Dimensions in Space” that was funded by a SWAMP grant.  Fifty young artists collaborated on four site specific performances in the West Bottoms, KCK and the old Downtown Airport.  Their audience was shuttled to each location on three rented school buses.  SARCO would also push the limits on street art as they collaborated on a parking lot performance/prank called The Tax-a-Thon at the downtown United States Post Office on Pershing.  The Tax-a-Thon performances showcased original short performance pieces along with Tax Vader, a countdown clock, and moon pies.  Tax-a-Thon became an annual five year project that entertained Kansas City’s stressed out last minute tax filers.  The Tax-a-Thon parking lot project would later be infested with corporate radio stations and political candidates preaching to the lines of cars.

In 1987 the group took over the defunct gay bath house, Club Bath, at 1012 McGee and opened The Human Observation Lab.  At night, this downtown neighborhood was basically deserted except for the old bus station, a few dive bars, and lots of street prostitution.  The Lab’s proprietors rehabbed the building into a two story live/work space that evolved into a legendary live performance venue.  Gorilla Theatre, Eyes Wide Open, Little or No Quality Theatre, Mongol Beach Party, The Cocktails, and DJ Ray Velasquez  are just a few of the off-the-wall performers that evolved out of this underground venue.  Unfortunately, in 1990 The Human Observation Lab closed its doors due to landlord conflicts and cash-flow from tenent improvements.

Text by Pat Alexander. All images/materials courtesy of Leo Wetherill.

Human Observation Lab's Leo Wetherill, Alec Shepherd, Eric George, Littleton Alston.

Leo Wetherill

Tax-A-Thon Flier

An Evening of Observation flier

Artists for Amnesty performance, 1988

Stimulus and Response company presents An Evening of Performance by The Clown's Elbow at HOL, flier

The Cocktails and Mongol Beach Party at HOL flier

Fish at Human Observation Lab, 1987

Audience instructions for Fish, 1988

Photos of Fish crowd, 1998

Rocking Chair Band performance flier

Human Observation Lab "Call for Anything" 1989

A link to photos and videos on The Human Observation Lab Facebook page. In addition, the Facebook page includes memories from many of the artists involved.  Keep an eye out for a Frontier interview with one of HOL's founders, Leo Wetherill.

The Human Observation Lab was Kansas City’s downtown performance & arts space located at 1012 McGee St. Originated in late 1987, the Lab operated until Aug. 1990. The various spaces in the building were home to The Stimulus & Response Company, Little or No Quality Theatre Playhouse productions, Gorilla Theatre Productions and Hi-Sine Productions. Many KC bands (Mongol Beach Party, The Coctails, Psychowelders, BCR, Sin City Disciples, Gin Bankers, Blue Museum and Mudhead) were frequently known to play on weekends.