Goodman Theatre’s ‘Highway Patrol’ fueled by star Dana Delany and fan power

If you’ve ever commented on a social media post by one of your favorite actors, musicians, sports figures or the like, you know the twinge of excitement you feel if your post gets acknowledged by that individual. If you get a personalized comment, not just a Like, even better.

In the world-premiere play, “Highway Patrol,” playing at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago through Feb. 18, Emmy Award-winning actor and play co-creator Dana Delany (“China Beach,” “Desperate Housewives,” “Tulsa King”) gives us a close look at her off-screen life in 2012-13. That’s when she discovered how social media interaction with a fan could change not only their life, but also her own. “Highway Patrol” is promoted as part love story, part thriller – in this reviewer’s opinion, it’s an illuminating, sometimes funny, often dramatic on-stage memoir of Delany’s Hollywood and cyberspace life.

When you walk into the Goodman, you see a makeup/hair trailer set on the left of the stage. Delany takes a seat in one of the chairs while the audience is still arriving. She’s perusing her iPad and listening to some music (“How Deep Is Your Love,” “Shake Your Groove Thing”). On the right of the stage, we see a huge projection of what Delany’s Twitter feed looked like in the fall of 2012, when ABC asked her to use social media to promote her series “Body of Proof.”

As the play begins, it’s September 2012, and Delany takes a call from Peter Gallagher, who was starring in “Covert Affairs” at the time. He’s a friend, he’s also new to Twitter, and he’s reaching out about a mutual follower: Cam, an ailing 13-year-old in Costa Rica who’s had a couple of heart transplants.

Cam is upset because of a Twitter “fight” he got into with another Delany fan. Cam is worried that Delany might be mad at him. Since Cam’s grandmother has closed Cam’s Twitter account, Delany sends an email through Gallagher to soothe Cam’s feelings. When Cam responds back, part of the message endears him to Delany: “Maybe you and Mr. Gallagher can come visit me in Costa Rica, and I will take you to the jungle and see the really pretty birds. I am very happy you still like me. I will sleep a lot better now. Love, Cam.”

That’s just the start of the communication back and forth between Delany and Cam, as the star gets to know him better (Cam’s medical condition, his family members, even his mysterious shadow-like visions of people and animals who’ve passed away). Delany also shares her feelings about being overworked, why she isn’t in a relationship and more.

We see Delany in her trailer and different parts of her impressive home (kudos to set designer Dane Laffrey, who co-created the play with Delany, director Mike Donahue and playwright/“text curator” Jen Silverman). When we see Cam (Thomas Murphy Molony, a young Chicago actor making his Goodman debut) and eventually his grandmother, Nan (Dot-Marie Jones, best known for her Emmy-nominated role as Coach Beiste on “Glee”), they – like Delany – face the audience, not each other, delivering the words of the electronic messages they’ve been sending. We begin to wonder if Delany and Cam will ever have the chance to meet in person during the timeline of the play.

That’s all I’m going to share about the plot – no spoilers here. Suffice it to say that Delany, Molony and Jones are all excellent in the roles they’re playing here (although Molony needs to occasionally project a bit more). While Delany is essentially playing herself, the fact that the play is based on her “digital archives” means she’s sharing an incredible amount of information about herself and the time that a young fan became the friend she looked forward to “seeing” every day.

Projections, designed by Yee Eun Nam, are well done and are an integral part of the play, showing the month and/or date and/or time of each interaction (for example, Cam sending multiple messages in a single day, anxiously awaiting a response from Delany) and photos/images that give us a better understanding of these individuals.

A couple of minor quibbles: First, the title can be misleading. This clearly isn’t a remake of Broderick Crawford’s 1950s crime drama of the same name. Second, the final scene before intermission was confusing, but don’t worry – all was made clear in the second act.

In summary, though, if you want to see an intriguing true story starring and co-created by a wonderfully open and talented actor, “Highway Patrol” is worth speeding to.

• Paul Lockwood is a local theater actor, singer, Grace Lutheran Church (Woodstock) and Toastmasters member, columnist and past president of TownSquare Players. He and his wife have lived in Woodstock for over 23 years.

IF YOU GO

WHAT: “Highway Patrol,” starring Dana Delany

WHERE: Goodman Theatre, 170 N. Dearborn St., Chicago

WHEN: Through Feb. 18

INFORMATION: GoodmanTheatre.org/Highway, 312-443-3800