Dana H.
Lyceum Theatre
October 9, 2021 

Photo courtesy of Dana H.

Lucas Hnath’s Dana H. is a compilation of a series of interviews with his mother, Dana H.  She tells the story of how her work as a spiritual and psychological counselor was brutally hijacked for five year by someone under her care.  The performance contains the actual tapes from the interviews.  Deirdre O’Connell, the actor playing Dana H., fully embodies her characters while lip-syncing to the recordings.  Director Les Waters brings depth and texture to this unique and riveting theatrical experience, creating intense, jaw-dropping moments that are viscerally engaging. 

Deirdre O'Connell as Dana H.
Photo courtesy of Dana H.

Sitting in an arm chair center stage, Dana H. (played by Deirdre O’Connell) is open and calm.   She begins to tell of the work she does as a spiritual counselor, helping people cross over and comforting their loved ones and family members.  She reveals the number of death experiences she counsels in one week’s time.  She then asks the interviewer to do the math to calculate the number of these encounters she has experienced in over two decades of doing this work.  It is about this time that you realize that her calm and open demeanor covers an elevated level of detachment.  Dana H. then shifts into the story of Jim.  She was counseling Jim in his transition from prison to living independently.  He was medicated, due to psychological distress, broke from reality, and violently turned against her.  Dana H. tells the details of a five year ordeal under his brutal control.  His involvement with white supremacist gangs kept them on the run.  She was living in constant fear and danger.  An isolated act of kindness by a stranger was the one chance she had to escape and rebuild her life.  

Deirdre O'Connell as Dana H.
Photo courtesy of Dana H.

Deirdre O’Connell steps up in this very unique challenge of lip-syncing to seventy-five minutes of audio recordings.  Her performance is seamless.  Her emotional state is spot on connected to the recorded voice of Dana H.  The timing of her movements is rhythmically at one with the vocal patterns.  Every breath bonds her with the real Dana H.  It is a truly captivating performance.

 Lucas Hnath skillfully edited and compiled these very personal interviews to create an engaging piece of theatre.  The brutal journey is masterfully plotted.  Mr. Hnath far exceed any sense of accomplishment as he applies his writing skills to this horrific and emotional story to which he is so closely related. 

Dana H. is playing at the Lyceum Theatre, running in rep with Is This a Room.  Get a ticket!  It cannot be compared to anything you have experienced in the theatre thus far. 

Domenick Danza

Thoughts of a Colored Man

 Thoughts of a Colored Man
Golden Theatre
October 2, 2021

Photo courtesy of Thoughts of a Colored Man

In Thoughts of a Colored Man, playwright Keenan Scott II takes a deep and insightful look into the hearts and minds of seven unique characters.  Their direct address is full of profound prose and dazzling verse that enlighten the audience with their unique perspective.  They debate, argue, and concur about their community, their heritage, and their upbringing.  Director Steve H. Broadnax III has given these seven amazing actors the room to explore and the freedom to dive deeply into their creative souls to deliver phenomenal performances. 

The Cast 
Photo courtesy of Thoughts of a Colored Man

Dyllón Burnside plays Love.  He speaks in rich, romantic verse that stirs the heart and pulses through the stars.  Bryan Terrell Clark plays Happiness with a smile and openness that brightens the stage.  When his inner conflicts rise, he faces them with acceptance and vigor.  Esau Pritchett plays Wisdom, and he gives it selflessly, sharing his compassionate support with all the men with whom he comes in contact.  Da’Vinchi plays Lust with innocent charm and persistent smoothness.  He and his best friend Love (played by Dyllón Burnside) make a well balanced pair.  Not always in agreement, but always in sync.  Tristan Mack Wilds plays Anger.  He is driven and focused, with a backstory that will break your heart.  Luke James plays Passion, singing to the stars and welcoming his first born son into the world with unconditional love.  Forrest McClendon plays Depression.  His lines open the show.  He grabs the audience’s attention and never lets go.  His perfect comic timing is topped only by his poignant moments of truthful introspection. 

Photo courtesy of Thoughts of a Colored Man

Thoughts of a Colored Man is a uniquely structured play, intertwining the realistic stories of these characters with their inner thoughts and honest perspectives.  Each character speaks in their own distinct rhythm, which allows them to merge and blend in thematic harmony.  The seven skilled actors in this ensemble deliver performances that are not to be missed.

Thoughts of a Colored Man is playing at the Golden Theatre.  Get a ticket today! 

Domenick Danza