Buried Child at ShepardFest

Set on a rain-soaked, decaying Illinois farm, the story focuses on the aging patriarch Dodgea bitter, ranting alcoholicand his hypocritical wife, Halie. Their household is filled with profound dysfunction, shared by their two sons: Tilden, a brain-damaged former football star, and Bradley, a volatile amputee who lost his leg to a chain saw. The fragile status quo is shattered when their estranged grandson, Vince, arrives unannounced with his bewildered girlfriend, Shelly. Strangely, none of the family members recognize Vince, treating him as an intruder. As Shelly witnesses the madness and is subjected to the family's hostility, underlying tensions surface. Eventually, Dodge confesses their darkest secret: Halie had an illegitimate child years ago, whom Dodge murdered and buried in the backyard to protect the family's reputation.