DM Playhouse Stages THE LARAMIE PROJECT This Weekend

The Des Moines Community Playhouse presents "The Laramie Project," tonight and tomorrow, Sept. 14-15. Tickets may be purchased online at dmplayhouse.com, by phone at 515-277-6261, and at The Playhouse ticket office, 831 42nd St.

In October 1998 Matthew Shepard was kidnapped, severely beaten and left to die, tied to a fence on the outskirts of Laramie, Wyoming. Five weeks later, Moisés Kaufman and fellow members of the Tectonic Theater Project went to Laramie, and over the course of the next year, conducted more than 200 interviews with people of the town. From these interviews they wrote the play "The Laramie Project," a chronicle of the life of the town of Laramie in the year after the murder. "The Laramie Project" is now one of the most produced plays in America.

The Playhouse cast, under the direction of David A. VanCleave, features Sam Bates-Norum, Spencer Gilbert, Kelli Hamlow, Mark Maddy, Jason Rainwater, Becky Scholtec, Emily Stavneak, and Lejla Subasic.

The Playhouse will host post-show talks in conjunction with "The Laramie Project," facilitated by Interfaith Alliance of Iowa. Audiences are invited to stay for 20 minutes after the show to talk about the plays themes with cast members, clergy, parents, and psychologists.

The Playhouse is Iowa's oldest and largest producing theatre. Located at the 42nd Street exit of I-235, the theatre has presented a full season of shows since 1919 and also offers a wide variety of educational experiences including classes for ages 4 to adult, theatre trips to New York, and volunteer opportunities onstage and backstage.

For more information about The Playhouse and "The Laramie Project," contact The Playhouse ticket office at 515-277-6261. Performances run Sept. 14-15, 2013, 2:00 PM Saturday and 7:00 PM Sunday. Ticket prices $10 all ages, general admission. All orders, whether purchased online, by phone, or at the ticket office, are subject to the same service, ticketing, and processing fees. To purchase tickets: dmplayhouse.com or 515-277-6261.

The Des Moines Community Playhouse Ticket Office is located at 831 42nd St., Des Moines, IA.

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