Len Wechsler

LEN WECHSLER (Co-Author) From the time Len was in his early 20s, whether he was in Paris, Lisbon, Marrakech, or New York, he has always been fascinated with society's outcasts. The first time he pulled into the Oki Dog in Los Angeles it was 1:30 in the morning and the place was crowded. It was the early 1980's. As he ordered coffee under the bright fluorescent lights, he could smell the aroma of spicy food, tobacco, and pot. A cacophony of young voices competed with two lousy speakers that blared out the Ramones, Billy Idol, and Dire Straits. At first, he felt like an intruder. Still, the place felt familiar to him even though he had never been there before. When he left that night, he knew he would be back. 40 years later, Len was still thinking about some of the characters he met there. He got in touch with his old friend and writing partner, Jeff Smith, and shared some stories of the Oki Dog. Jeff loved the idea of turning it into a play, especially if it captured the humanity of the characters. The Last Night of the Oki Dog was coming to life.