McNeese Theatre’s production of The Buried Child opened Wednesday night and will continue to run through the weekend.

The production is directed by Joshua Stenvick and tells the story of a family living in rural Illinois that is tearing at the seams because of a dark secret they do not like to talk about.  

The cast is led by Braden Magness as Dodge. Magness gives a standout performance that cannot be described as anything less than a triumph. His comedic timing is subtle but satisfying, and he is the driving force behind the entire story.  

Ryan Bergeron shows his acting chops in his portrayal of Tilden, a particularly tragic character. Bergeron stunned the audience with his ability to change from a docile, almost child-like character to an intense, intimidating role in an instant.  

Both female leads, Juliet Riviere as Shelly and Zoë Waguespack as Halie, deliver strong performances rivaling those of their male-lead counterparts. Riviere gives a delightfully witty performance as the fish-out-of-water character, and Waguespack channels her best impression of the typical nagging sitcom wife, much to the delight of the audience. 

Sean Polk, Jesse Fudge, and Jaspin Vaughn round out the cast as Vince, Bradley, and Father Dewis, respectively. Jesse Fudge gives a performance that will make your skin crawl in all the best ways. Polk brings a level of intensity that elevates his fellow actors, and Vaughn delivers some truly funny dialogue. My only wish for these three is that they had more scenes throughout the play.  

I will say that I do not believe this production is greater than the sum of its parts. While every member of the cast gives a memorable performance, the story is quite difficult to follow at times. The individual performances make more of an impression than the story itself.  

I give McNeese Theatre’s production of The Buried Child four out of five stars. This play is a must-see for theater enthusiasts who wish to see some truly great acting. Catch this show while you can.

There are two shows Saturday, one at 2 p.m. and another at 7 p.m. Tickets are $20 at the box office or free with a McNeese student ID.