Fine Performances Highlight 'Off The Map'

The Village Theatre Guild's performance of Joan Ackermann's Off the Map draws the audience into the desolate and desperate world of the Groden family.

Off the Map is a tale of an eccentric New Mexico family living a frontier-esque existence somewhere in the deserts of New Mexico. The family in the play lives an existence that's not only off-the-grid, but they truly live in an area that is not found on a map—thus the title of the play. The Groden family is self-sufficient. They grow and hunt their own food, they stockpile clothing and find what they need at the community dump. What money they have they receive from Veteran's Affairs. They live a somewhat idyllic life (for them anyway) in a land that seems harsh, yet offers plenty.

The intimate setting of the Village Theatre Guild allows the audience to experience the emotions the Groden family deals with that fateful summer. Off the Map is a story told from the memory of Bo Groden. Groden reminisces about the eventful summer when she was 11-years-old. Young Bo spent much of the summer writing letters to large companies complaining about their products and demanding free samples. She also spent the summer pursuing an American Express card so she could, "buy a one-way ticket out of this hell hole."

Julia Joyner, who plays young Bo, brings all the sass and vibrancy the character demands. Joyner, a seasoned actor in Chicagoland community theater, does an outstanding job in the role, providing the audience with moments of levity while they struggle with the over-arcing theme of isolation.

During that summer Groden's father Charley falls into a deep depression. Charley cries constantly and resorts to enduring physical pain, including pulling his own tooth, just to feel something. Bruce Varner, a veteran of Village Theatre Guild, gives Charley a quiet dignity as the character struggles with inner demons that may be a result of his service in an unnamed war. Varner does a good job in keeping the shadow of depression hovering around his character while he is on stage.

In addition to the depression of Charley, the Groden's family is also impacted that summer when they are visited by William Gibbs, an agent of the Internal Revenue Service. Gibbs played by Dave Amtato, is dealing with his own emotional roller coaster life. Like Charley, Gibbs is also dealing with depression. He tells Charley he can't remember a day when he wasn't depressed. Amato does an effective job of portraying his character as someone struggling and surviving by simply going through the motions. He is also effective at showing a moon-eyed love for Arlene Groden, Charley's wife.

Karen Bronson, who portrays Arlene, offers a strong performance as she handles her husband's depression, raising her daughter and dealing with the IRS audit and the affections of Gibbs.

The cast melds together and offers a sublime performance for a play that is evocative and humorous, albeit in a bent manner.

Off the Map runs through Nov. 6 at the Village Theatre Guild, located at the northwest corner of Park Boulevard and Butterfield Road. Performances are Friday and Saturday nights at 8 p.m. and on Sundays at 3 p.m. Tickets are $18. For reservations call 630-469-8230.