Highway Patrol

We missed the opening press night for this production, and with so many plays coming within the next few weeks, I thought about missing Highway Patrol, but I'm sure glad I decided to see it. Dana Delany, known for her roles in China Beach, Body of Proof, and one of my favorite movies, Tombstone, shared a captivating, frightening, and suspenseful true story about a person who sets up a fake online identity as a young boy from Costa Rica, who was battling health issues with his second heart transplant, Cam. She learned about Cam from her friend while doing promotional work for her television show. After speaking to Cam once, she had a continuous text communication relationship with him for years on a new online platform called Twitter.

The friendship grows so that Dana develops a motherly love for Cam and becomes deeply invested in his welfare, missing some of the signs of catfishing. However, as Cam begins to receive messages from members of Delany's family and friends, her amazement with Cam's abilities to speak with light and dark figures takes a shocking turn when one pristine text message makes her question if she is speaking with a brave little boy, who is struggling with health issues or just another fanatic fan.

For close to a decade, Delany shares this incredible, eerie, and tantalizingly interesting real-life story that grips the audience for over two hours. With so many celebrities sharing their private lives for financial gain, the most genuine part about the play is that Delany opens up and allows us to see her vulnerability to getting trapped in an online relationship without doing her due diligence. The love that materialized for Cam became so intoxicating that it evolved into a dependence. Like a drug or her daily consumption of wine, she was lured into a relationship like a fish to a hook.

The cast featured Dot-Marie Jones (Nan/others), known for her role as football coach, Beiste, on the hit show Glee. Jones, who has received several Emmy nominations, was outstanding in her multiple roles' performances and did a pretty good job lip-syncing with Thomas Murphy Molony. Molony is a star in the making and performed exceptionally, playing the role of Cam. He debuted at Goodman, and I hope to see more of this amazingly talented actor. Peter Gallagher provides the off-stage voice who sets up Delany with Cam.

Dane Laffrey pulls another rabbit out of his hat, magically setting the design with incredible digital images, giving the audience a profound glimpse into this enthralling narrative. Along with Delany, Laffrey, who created Highway Patrol, was Mike Donahue, who directed the production, and playwright Jen Silverman.

The ending, which seems to splutter around looking for a way to conclude, needs a little re-work; however, I was thoroughly intrigued with the storyline of Highway Patrol, and I recommend you get your tickets to this fantastic play.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Goodman Theatre

Highway Patrol

Playwright and Text Curator Jen Silverman

Created by Dana Delany, Mike Donahue

Dane Laffrey, and Jen Silverman

Directed by Mike Donahue

January 20 – February 18, 2024

For tickets, click the above logo. For additional reviews, click below.