G. Michael Blahnik

Head and Hands: a Play in 29 Scenes G. Michael Blahnik

Based on a true story, Head and Hands tells the tale of Flora Miller, a retired opera singer, who is implicated in the gruesome murder of her brother, a retired captain from the Cincinnati fire department. Set in the 30?s, this dark comedy thriller brings to life the swing era while unveiling the tragic story of a woman who is either the manipulating mind that orchestrates the brutal death of her brother or the innocent victim of love. Harry Miller, Flora?s brother, hires Heber Hicks, a slick-talking felon who has manipulated women and murdered in his past, to serve as his eccentric sister?s chauffeur. Though twenty-five years separates Flora from Hicks, some type of emotional relationship develops between them and Hicks lands up recruiting three thugs to help him murder Miller and rob him of the stocks and securities that have made him quite wealthy in his retirement. Does Flora entice Hicks to murder her brother, promising him a significant cut of his wealth, or does Hicks seize another opportunity to smooth-talk his way into a woman?s heart in order to obtain her money, only to murder her later? A crime that made national headlines at the time and has worked its way into the folklore of the tri-state area, encompassing Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky, the Head and Hands Murder is one of the most bizarre crimes in history, leaving the rest of us to ponder the limits of human nature, the depths we will sink for love and money, the fragility of the human heart, and the meaning of justice itself. "Fargo meets Psycho at a Swing Fest" The swing era comes to life in this tale of love, murder and madness. Based on a true story that made national headlines in 1936 and captured the imaginations of the country, Head and Hands tells the bizarre tale of Flora Miller, an eccentric retired opera singer, who is implicated in the murder of her brother, a retired captain from the Cincinnati fire department. A tragedy that can produce tears of laughter, a gruesome crime with song and dance, a dark comedy that jumps, Head and Hands truly swings.