Megan PellegrinoOn Thursday, Nov. 1 members of the Cabrini Theatre opened its doors to perform the powerful and poignant play “The Laramie Project.”
With 16 cast members portraying over 70 different characters, “The Laramie Project” is a play by Moisés Kaufman and members of the Tectonic Theater Project about the reaction to the 1998 murder of Matthew Shepard in Laramie, Wyo. The murder is widely considered to be a hate crime motivated by homophobia.
The play draws on a myriad of interviews conducted by the theatre company who travels to Laramie, Wyo. where the crime took place. With accounts from the inhabitants of the town, friends and family, company members’ own journal entries, news reports, “The Laramie Project” covers every angle of the story of the events leading up to the death of Matthew Shepard as well as the aftermath. Over an extended period of time, the company follows this tragic story and set out to tell it correctly and efficiently to battle hate crime.
“The Laramie Project” brings about the realization of the magnitude which people can hate and delivers every angle of reaction to the tragedy that occurred. Residents of Laramie claiming the town to be “one of the most vocal populations of gay residents in the state” and others asking whether or not Matthew Shepard examined his choice of lifestyle in the last breaths he took truly bring across a plethora of views towards not only the crime that was committed that day but towards the general gay population.
With near flawless choreography and wonderful portrayals, each character performing in “The Laramie Project” accurately and sincerely delivers the story. Perhaps the only downfall to the act is the small space it must take place within. The actors move back and forth between their roles as multiple characters almost naturally and create a dramatic atmosphere throughout the entire production.
Joseph Johnson, a junior political science major said, “The message I believe [The Laramie Project] portrays is not one of speaking out against hate crimes nor is it advocating legislation in harsher punishment for people who commit crimes based on race, sexual orientation.but what I’ve gotten out of the play is that you just really need to look at the bigger picture of things and people. I think it tells the story of Matthew Shepard very well.” Joe portrayed six different characters in “The Laramie Project” and believes the play has raised hate crime awareness but still thinks nothing has been done to change laws against it.
As the play ended with a standing ovation, the performances, the story of Matthew Shepard and the struggling community of Laramie, Wyo. leaves an imprint on the hearts of all who watch.
A truly thought-provoking play that offers insight not only into Matthew Shepard’s story, but into the attitudes of Americans in general is beyond doubt one worth seeing.
