What happens in The Laramie Project?
In October 1998 in the middle of the prairie outside Laramie, Wyoming, Matthew Shepard, a 21 year old student at the University of Wyoming, was tied to a fence post, severely beaten, robbed, , tortured and left, alone, to die. His body — battered, bloody, barely clinging to life — was discovered eighteen hours later.
What is The Laramie Project book about?
The Laramie Project is a 2000 play by Moisés Kaufman and members of the Tectonic Theater Project (specifically, Leigh Fondakowski, writer-director; Stephen Belber, Greg Pierotti, Barbara Pitts, Stephen Wangh, Amanda Gronich, Sara Lambert, John McAdams, Maude Mitchell, Andy Paris, and Kelli Simpkins) about the reaction …
Why is The Laramie Project Significant?
The Laramie Project, drawn from 200 interviews conducted by Artistic Director Moisés Kaufman and members of his Tectonic Theater Project in the year following Shepard’s murder, is now routinely studied in schools as a method for teaching prejudice and tolerance.
What are the lead roles in The Laramie Project?
The Laramie Project Characters
- Matthew Shepard. Matthew Shepard was an openly-gay university student in Laramie, Wyoming who was murdered in 1998.
- Aaron McKinney.
- Russell Henderson.
- Dennis Shepard.
- Jedadiah Schultz.
- Rebecca Hilliker.
- The Baptist Minister.
- Father Roger Schmit.
Is The Laramie Project factual?
The Laramie Project — one of the most-performed plays of the last decade — is based on the true story of Matthew Shepard, the young man who, in October 1998, was savagely beaten and left to die in Laramie, Wyo.
What is the overall tone of The Laramie Project?
The tone of the show is dramatic and it fully comes to life when it hits the stage. Sophia McClennan is a professor here at Penn State and she teaches a class on Human Rights and Literature in which she has students read The Laramie Project.
Is The Laramie Project based on a true story?
“The Laramie Project” is oriented as a self-aware docudrama, a play about making the play. It is not just a loosely-based true story: the audience is told Shepard’s story by actors playing the people of Laramie. Actors talk directly to the audience, and the words of the script are the real words of the real people.
What happened Matthew Shepard?
Casper, Wyoming, U.S. Fort Collins, Colorado, U.S. Matthew Wayne Shepard (December 1, 1976 – October 12, 1998) was a gay American student at the University of Wyoming who was beaten, tortured, and left to die near Laramie on the night of October 6, 1998.
How long is Laramie Project?
1h 37m
The Laramie Project/Running time
Who is the main characters in The Laramie Project?
Jeffrey Lockwood is a middle-aged Laramie resident. The interviewers ask him about his reaction to the murder. Jen is Aaron McKinney’s friend from childhood. Stephen Belber runs into Jen at the Fireside Bar one night with Shannon.
What is the plot of the Laramie Project?
Plot Summary The play begins with an explanation of the “Laramie Project” and how the play will proceed, with members of the Tectonic Theatre Project voicing those people they interviewed. Throughout the play, these different and often contradictory or conflicting voices overlap, creating a mosaic of perspectives and opinions.
What was the confession in the Laramie Project?
As the trial begins, the play enacts the dialogue from Aaron’s taped confession to Rob Debree. In the confession, Aaron admits to beating Matthew to death and leaving him tied to a fence to die because Matthew hit on him. The jurors convict Aaron of murder.
Who was the officer in the Laramie Project?
Aaron Kreifels, the university student who found Matthew the next morning, recalls his shock at seeing Matthew badly beaten and tied to a fence, where Aaron McKinney and Russell Henderson had left him to die. Officer Reggie Fluty responded to Aaron Kreifels’ 911 call, stabilizing Matthew and putting him in an ambulance.
Why did the actors go to Laramie Wyoming?
What seemed to be common was a sense of fear that dominated and the sense that their presence would be intrusive in the small town. The actors agreed nevertheless to go to Laramie and interview people about Matthew’s case. The company felt out of place in Laramie and they were all amazed to see herds of buffalo.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gq4ViHwXHoA