The Laramie Project
by StageCenter Community Theatre
Jan. 18 - Feb. 02 (2020)
21 years ago, Matthew Shepard, a student at the University of Wyoming was offered a ride home from a local bar. That night, he was driven out into a local pasture, tied to a fence, tortured, beaten and left for dead, a price Matthew paid, simply because he was gay. Days later, he passed away in a nearby hospital.
The Laramie Project is a play, comprised of hundreds of interviews with the residents of Laramie, people that lived in the small town before, during and after the trial for the conviction of the two men accused of murdering Matthew Shepard. It highlights the struggle the residents had in having the spotlight turned onto them and witnessing the divide between those that continued to hate someone, based on who they love and the many that stood by Matt, honoring him in his passing.
StageCenter brought The Laramie Project to Bryan/College Station 6 years ago and what we saw each night, as we thanked our patrons for coming, was something that drives many of us to continue pouring time, love and devotion into this artform. It’s the chance to connect with those around us, invite them in and tell them a story and maybe, if we’re lucky, introduce them to an idea or message that they’ll take with them, beyond our four walls.
Next year, we’re excited to have this opportunity again. We’ll introduce our audience to the residents of Laramie, give our community the opportunity to visit a town, much like ours and navigate through a difficult and meaningful discussion. Even though it’s the same play, this production will be unlike anything we’ve brought to our stage and we hope that you join us in this journey, either as an audience member or as one of the many volunteers it takes to bring such a story to life.
Audition Submissions Open: January 18, 2020*
Audition Submissions Close: February 2, 2020
Casting Posted: February 8, 2020
Read Through: February 29, 2020
Online Video Conference Rehearsals: March 2 – April 17, 2020
Technical Rehearsals: April 19 – 23
Production Dates: April 24 – 25, 2020
*Audition details, sides and upload mechanism will be provided on the StageCenter website (CLICK HERE) in January. (Not posted as of January 18).
