Players Plan ‘Laramie Project’ Production, Auditions Scheduled

The White River Valley Players will present "The Laramie Project" for their fall production this October. Auditions are Tuesday, Aug. 14 and Thursday, Aug. 16 from 7-10 p.m. at the Rochester High School music room.

"The Laramie Project" is a docudrama written in the aftermath of the 1998 murder of Matthew Shepard in Laramie, Wyo. The WRVP production will be directed by Peggy Mays, who has had a long career in theater in the Boston area. She owns a house in the Hawk community in Rochester. The remainder of the production team includes Robert Melik Finkle, producer; Dick Robson, set designer; Dorothy Robson, music director; Kristi Tate, stage manager and assistant director; Jemmo Seeger, technical director; and Robert Meagher, lighting designer.

Shepard, a 21-year-old student at the University of Wyoming, became the victim of a brutal hate crime because he was openly gay. The writers of "The Laramie Project," Moises Kaufman and the members of Tectonic Theater Project of New York City, traveled to Laramie six times in the year and a half after the murder. They conducted over 200 interviews with the people of Laramie whose lives were deeply affected by this tragedy.

The media from all over the U.S. and around the world focused its attention on the town of Laramie, as it was seen as an example of how homophobia can result in the loss of an innocent life.

Shepard was majoring in foreign languages and political science at the university and as his faculty advisor tells us in the play, "was definitely headed for a career in human rights." He was also active in the gay and lesbian organization on campus and was dedicated to the cause of abolishing prejudice.

On the night of October 7, 1998, he was tricked into accepting a ride from two young men from the town of Laramie who pretended to be gay. Once in their truck, they beat him and tied him to a fence on the outskirts of Laramie. He was discovered there 18 hours later, in a coma from which he never recovered.

This event is not seen in the play, but is described and talked about by a variety of people including college professors, police and hospital staff, clergy, students including Shepard’s friends, business people and ranchers. Their lives were deeply affected by this tragedy and by the barrage of reporters and TV cameras. Their 60 voices are heard in this serious play, filled with interesting and colorful characters, some somber and some even humorous, as they each tell of their involvement with this event and reveal their attitudes about homosexuality.

The play was originally performed with the eight members of Tectonic Theater Project playing all 60 roles. In this production by The White River Valley Players, the roles will be divided among 14 women and 14 men. Most of the parts are small to medium and it is hoped that participation in this production will be a meaningful community experience. Those who have seen or read this play describe it as powerful and deeply moving as it explores the depths to which human beings can sink and the heights of compassion of which they are capable.

For further information and for advance script reading, call Robert Finkle at 767-4770.

____________