Students from programs across the McPherson College curriculum will work together to present the next campus theatre production, “The Laramie Project(s)” on April 28-30 at 7:30 p.m. in Mingenback Theater at McPherson College.
“The Laramie Project(s)”, by Moises Kauffman and the Tectonic Theater Project is two plays offered together – “The Laramie Project” and “The Laramie Project: 10 Years Later.” The McPherson College theatre department first staged the “Laramie Project: 10 Years Later,” during the 2009-2010 theatre season as a world premiere in partnership with the Tectonic Theater Company.
“I cannot wait to revisit ‘The Laramie Project’ and ‘The Laramie Project: 10 Years Later,’” Jd. Bowman, professor of theatre, said. “It is such an interesting study of how we see others and how we see ourselves, especially in a town like Laramie, Wyoming.”
On October 6, 1998, Matthew Shepard was beaten, tied to a fence, and left for dead outside of Laramie, WY. Shepard’s killers said they did it because he was gay and he hit on them. The case kicked off a national conversation, which resulted in the creation of hate crime legislation in America. Within weeks of Shepard’s attack, a group of actors from New York City flew to Laramie and set out to interview many members of the town to understand how this could happen. They returned 10 years later to continue their interviews. The resulting play is a documentary of those interviews.
Multiple classes worked to bring this production to the McPherson College stage including Tech Theatre 1 class, taught by Jen Pollard, assistant professor of theatre; Acting, taught by Bowman; and Understanding Popular Culture, taught by Julia Largent, assistant professor of communication.
A meal for season ticket holders will be offered prior to the Thursday night performance. For more information or reservations, visit https://www.mcpherson.edu/programs/theatre/season/