Dana H. Tells True Story Of Horrific Kidnapping

Deirdre O'Connell as Dana H.

By Darlene Donloe

In the 1990s, Dana Higginbotham was a psych hospital chaplain who was kidnapped by Jim, one of her ex-convict patients and held for five months during which time she endured terror, rape and violence while trapped in a series of Florida motels. 

Years later, she spoke about her ordeal, for the first time, to a reporter. The entire interview was taped and is now being used in Tony Award-nominated playwright (A Doll’s House, Part 2, The Christians) Lucas Hnath’s drama, Dana H., currently enjoying its world premiere at the Kirk Douglas Theatre in Culver City, through June 23, 2019.

The show, reconstructed for the stage by Hnath, is directed by Lew Waters. It tells the real-life story about Hnath’s mother. It’s told in Dana Higginbotham’s words, adapted from interviews with Higginbotham conducted by Steve Cosson.

In what can only be called a brilliant piece of direction, Waters opens the show with actress Deirdre O’Connell, who is portraying Dana H., sitting with a microphone on in a blue chair downstage center.  She’s preparing to give a series of interviews.

Deirdre O'Connell as Dana H.

With only a purse and a manuscript as props, O’Connell slowly takes on the persona of Dana H., while actually lip-synching the words from the actual pieced together interviews. Dana’s actual voice is heard recounting her harrowing and violent encounter with Jim, a mentally ill ex-convict and member of the Aryan Nations.

O’Connell is mesmerizing. She has spot-on gestures, pauses, laughs, shuffles, and giggles as she conducts this kind of lip-synch dance with the dialogue.  We hear the interviewer ask the questions and we hear Dana’s replies. The audience feels the terror that Dana endured as every suspenseful and shocking moment of this true story unfolds.

As O’Connell portraying Dana H. slowly recounts what led up to the kidnapping and then the day-to-day terror Dana H. endured – she creates a chilling scenario. The audience is taken on a terrifying ride as the buildup creates fascinating moments of uneasiness. The show is riveting. It’s full of terror, violence, and suspense.

The set behind Dana is a motel room – indicating one of the many locations where she was held prisoner.

What’s so good about this show is the uniqueness. As a reviewer, I haven’t seen anything like this production. It was moving and entertaining and although we don’t actually see any of the violence, the words and voice of Dana H. capture the terror she suffered.

This show is hard to watch and hear. It will stick in your gut and shake you at your core. You keep thinking, how could something like this happen?

O’Connell gives an engaging and powerful performance.

A must see and hear!

Dana H. was originally commissioned by The Civilians (New York) and Goodman Theatre, it will appear at the Goodman from September 6 through October 6, 2019, during their 2019/2020 season.

On the DONLOE SCALE: D (don’t bother), (O) Oh, no!, N (needs work), L (likable), O (oh, yeah) and E (excellent), Dana H. gets an E (excellent).

Dana H. runs 75 minutes with no intermission.

Dana H., Kirk Douglas Theatre, 9820 Washington Blvd., Culver City; 8 p.m., Tues.-Fri.; 2 and 8 p.m. Sat.; 1 and 6:30 p.m. Sun. through June 23, 2019; $25-$79; www.CenterTheatreGroup.org; 213 628-2772; Free three hour covered parking at City Hall with validation (available in the Kirk Douglas Theatre lobby).