Support for LAist comes from
Become a sponsor
Audience-funded nonprofit news
Donate
Stay Connected

LAist is part of Southern California Public Radio, a member-supported public media network.

Audience-funded nonprofit news
Listen
Donate
Podcasts The Frame
Lucas Hnath knows 'Dana H.' All Too Well
solid pale red banner
()
The Frame Tile
Episode 19804
Listen • 15:57
Lucas Hnath knows 'Dana H.' All Too Well

The acclaimed playwright fashioned a show from interviews his mother conducted that recount her five-month abduction in 1997.

Deirdre O’Connell in the world premiere of Lucas Hnath’s “Dana H.” at Center Theatre Group’s Kirk Douglas Theatre.
Deirdre O’Connell in the world premiere of Lucas Hnath’s “Dana H.” at Center Theatre Group’s Kirk Douglas Theatre.
(
Craig Schwartz
)

On today's show:

He Has The Write Stuff

Lucas Hnath is one of the leading playwrights of our time. His 2017 play, "A Doll's House, Part 2," was a hit on Broadway, where he is currently represented by "Hillary and Clinton." And his latest play, "Dana H.," just had its world premiere at the Kirk Douglas Theatre in Los Angeles. It's a personal project that recounts his mother's months-long abduction in 1997 by a former felon she had counseled. And the actress who plays Dana lip-syncs to recordings of Hnath's mother telling the story of her ordeal. Hnath spoke to John Horn about his recent work and his writing process.