It was October 1998 when 21-year-old Matthew Shepard, a college student filled with promise, was kidnapped in the dark of night. He was severely beaten and left to die, tied to a fence on the outskirts of Laramie, Wyoming. Matthew’s murder became a watershed historical moment in America that highlighted many of the fault lines in our culture.
“The Laramie Project” and “The Laramie Project: Ten Years Later” tell the powerful story surrounding Matthew Shepard and the impact his murder had on the town of Laramie a year later and ten years later. Both plays, created by Moisés Kaufman and fellow members of the Tectonic Theater Project, will be presented by the Jewish Community Center Performing Arts Series, under the direction of Mark Swezey. These productions will take place in the White Theatre at the Jewish Community Campus, 5801 W. 115th St., Overland Park, Kansas.
Performances of the “The Laramie Project” will take place on April 21, 26, May 5 at 7:30 p.m. and April 29 and May 6 at 2 p.m.; “The Laramie Project: Ten Years Later” performances are April 22 at 4:30 p.m. and April 28, 29, May 3 at May 6 at 7:30 p.m. The ensemble cast includes eight local actors who portray numerous roles throughout the plays.
Talk-back sessions featuring the actors and a moderator follow every performance.
Although Shepard’s brutal murder took place almost 15 years ago, Director Mark Swezey said the timing was right to present these strong works.
“Shortly after the brutal murder of Matthew Shepard, this country began a dialogue that brought to the surface how we feel and think about many different issues, including the difference between tolerance and acceptance,” Swezey said. “|’The Laramie Project’ and ‘The Laramie Project: Ten Years Later’ uses the power of theatre, to try and make the world a better place, by forcing us to face the unsettling questions about the potential for violence in even the most ordinary corners of the American landscape.”
“The Laramie Project” and “The Laramie Project: Ten Years Later” are the Performing Arts Series’ Theater of Conscience offerings for the 2011-2012 season. Theater of Conscience concept is designed to enhance the theater experience and encourage dialogue by providing a series of free “surround events” in conjunction with the production. These events are a diverse assortment of pre- and post-performance salons, mini-concerts and forums with area scholars and artists, all relating to themes found within the on-stage production. Among these events is the April 29 appearance by playwright Greg Pierotti, who was the co-writer of both plays. Pierotti’s work on “The Laramie Project: Ten Years Later” drew particular notice because of his dramatic rendering of the prison visits he made to Aaron McKinney, the main perpetrator of Matthew Shepard’s murder. There will be a panel discussion featuring Missouri State Senator Jolie Justus and BullySafe USA founder SuEllen Fried.
For more details about the surround events, please visit www.jcckc.org/laramieproject. Contact the box office at (913) 327-8054 to purchase “Full Experience” tickets. For single show production tickets, contact the box office, with hours 3-6 p.m. Monday through Friday; or you may purchase tickets on line by visiting the JCC web site at www.jcckc.org, and click on Cultural Arts.
Cast of “The Laramie Project” at Jewish Community Center
Actor/residence
David Martin/Overland Park
Christina Martin/Overland Park
Kipp Simmons/Kansas City, Kansas
Josh Gleeson/Merriam
Greg Butell/Kansas City, Missouri
Rebecca Johnston/North Kansas City
JC Dresslaer/Kansas City, Missouri
Erika Crane Ricketts/Overland Park
Laramie Project Surround Events
The White Theatre, Jewish Community Center
*All events are free unless otherwise indicated.
April 21 – “Laramie Project,” White Theatre, 7:30 p.m., Talk-back with the cast following the show
April 22 – “Laramie Project: Ten Years Later,” White Theatre, 4:30 p.m., Talk-back with the cast following the show
April 26, 2012 – “Laramie Project,” White Theatre, 7:30 p.m., Talk-back with the cast following the show
April 28 – “Laramie Project: Ten Years Later,” White Theatre, 7:30 p.m. Talk-back with the cast following the show
April 29, 2012 – “Laramie Project,” White Theatre, 2 p.m.,
- Performance by the PerformOUTKC (tentative)
- Playwright Greg Pierotti presentation and Question and Answer, White Theatre; Panelists include: BullyUsa Founder SuEllen Fried; Judy Hellman, Jewish Community Relations Bureau/American Jewish Committee; Pastor Dr. Robert Lee Hill; Missouri State Senator Jolie Justus and LGBT Activist Bailee Webb. Panel will be moderated by Chris Hernandez of NBC Action News
- “Laramie Project: Ten Years Later,” White Theatre, 7:30 p.m., Talk-back with the cast following the show
April 30 – Greg Pierotti, Presentation and events at Johnson County Community College, 10 a.m. – Noon
May 3 – “Laramie Project: Ten Years Later,” White Theatre, 7:30 p.m., Talk-back with the cast following the show
May 5 – “Laramie Project,” White Theatre, 7:30 p.m., Talk-back with the cast following the show
May 6 – “Laramie Project,” White Theatre, 2 p.m., Talk-back with the cast following the show
- Performance by the PerformOUTKC (tentative)
- Panel discussion featuring SuEllen Fried, Judy Hellman, Mikaela Carson, Bailee Webb and others to be announced; White Theatre, Jewish Community Campus
- “Laramie Project: Ten Years Later,” White Theatre, 7:30 p.m., talk-back with the cast following the show
The White Theatre is located inside the Jewish Community Campus, 5801 W. 115th S., in Overland Park, KS.
