“The Laramie Project” Opens March 31 At Studio Theatre
The cast of The Laramie Project
On October 7, 1998, a young gay man was discovered bound to a fence in the hills outside Laramie, Wyo., savagely beaten and left to die in an act of brutality and hate that horrified our nation.
For most of us, Matthew Shepard's death is symbolic of intolerance. But for the people of Laramie the event is deeply personal, and it is their voices we hear in “The Laramie Project,” the spring production at Penn State Behrend’s Studio Theatre.
Moisés Kaufman, artistic director of the Tectonic Theater Project in New York City, made six trips to Laramie in the 18 months following Shepard’s death. He and fellow Tectonic Theater staff conducted more than 200 interviews with the citizens of Laramie, and from those interviews and their own experiences constructed a deeply moving theatrical experience.
“The Laramie Project” chronicles life in the town in the year after the murder. Eight actors portray 60 different people—from prairie ranchers to university professors—in their own words. The result is a complex depiction that dispels simplistic media stereotypes while exploring both the depth to which humanity can sink, and the height of our compassion.
“Over the past few months the cast and I have researched the Shepard case in preparation for this event,” Christine Mangone, lecturer in theatre at the college and production director, said. “We’ve explored the concepts of tolerance versus acceptance, class and politics, and religious belief in relation to homosexuality.
“It’s our hope that our production not only brings renewed attention to the Shepard case, but also challenges audiences to confront their own view about these kinds of issues.”
The 60 roles are spread evenly across an ensemble cast of eight Penn State Behrend students: Sarah Aulenbacher, Kameron Greene, Amanda Kinross, Kristy McCoy, Alex Mooney, Christopher Schmidt, Kaylynn Smith, and Ryan Westwood.
“The Laramie Project” opens at 8 p.m. Friday, March 31. Additional performances will be at 8 p.m. Saturday, April 1, and Wednesday through Saturday, April 5–8. There will be one matinee performance at 2 p.m. Sunday, April 2. Tickets are $5 for the public and $3 for students, and can be reserved at the Reed Union Building main desk or by calling 814-898-6242.