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When 21-year-old gay college student Mathew Shepard was murdered in
October 1998, the nation's media attention was focused on Laramie, Wyo.
This horrific hate crime and the responses of members of the Laramie community
is the basis for "The Laramie Project," a script by Moises Kaufman
based on a collection of more than 200 interviews of the citizens of Laramie
conducted by members of the Tectonic Theatre Project of New York.
Iowa State University Theatre
is bringing "The
Laramie Project" to the Fisher Theater stage in early October.
The play, which looks at the events of October 1998 and its aftermath,
will be performed Oct. 4-5, 11-12, at 7:30 p.m., followed by Sunday matinee
(2 p.m.) performances on Oct. 6 and 13.
Tickets are $11 for adults, $10 for seniors and $5.50 for students and
are available at the Iowa State Center Ticket Office, all TicketMaster
locations, or charge-by-phone in Ames at 515-233-1888.
"The play is about the town of Laramie and how it responds to this
tragic event and the subsequent media coverage when it is suddenly thrown
into the spotlight," said Robin
Stone, assistant professor of theatre and the play's director.
Kaufman and other members of the Tectonic Theatre Project conducted interviews
with individuals who knew Shepard, faculty and staff of the University
of Wyoming where Shepard was a student, and townspeople. The play also
includes excerpts from Shepard's father statement at the trial, the taped
confessions of the individuals eventually convicted of murder in the case,
and news bulletins from CNN.
The theatre group traveled to Laramie a month after the murder and made
subsequent visits during and after the trial. Barbara Pitts, a member
of the Tectonic Theatre Project and a member of the original cast, will
be on the Iowa State campus to work with the student cast for a few days
prior to the opening.
"The play is basically excerpts taken directly from those interviews,"
Stone said.
"The Laramie Project" was first produced in Denver in the spring
of 2000 before moving onto New York. A version of the play has appeared
on HBO and was recently nominated for an Emmy award.
Last year, the play was performed by colleges and universities across
the country. ISU Theatre is one of several to offer a production this
year.
"This is not a play that preaches," Stone said. "Instead
it's an attempt to document a town during a horrible event.
"I think this is a story that will inform, enlighten and move the
audience."
Ten actors (five men and five women) will play upwards of 70 characters
in "The Laramie Project." Cast members include Kenneth Oiski,
Jason Nelson, Langley Neely, Derek Paper, Jason Hurst, Jennifer Phillips,
JoLynn Putnam, Danielle Strait, Laura Bestler-Wilcox and Amanda Mayfield.
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