William Peace Theatre to Present THE LARAMIE PROJECT This November

Just weeks before Matthew Shepard would have celebrated his 40th birthday, William Peace Theatre honors his life and the struggle of LGBTQ Americans with a special production of The Laramie Project, November 10 - 20, 2016.

This emotionally-charged piece, created in 2000 by Moises Kaufman and other members of the Tectonic Theater Project, examines the reactions of the townspeople in Laramie, Wyoming, to Shepard's brutal murder in 1998. Shepard, a college student at the University of Wyoming, was robbed, beaten, tied to a fence, and left for dead by two perpetrators in an apparent hate crime because he was gay. The assault and murder brought attention to the lack of hate crime laws in Wyoming and across the nation, and has become a catalyst that has helped turn the tide against homophobia and rallied support for gay rights in the two decades since.

After conducting hundreds of interviews with residents and combining their own journal entries, the Tectonic Theater Project members assembled a collage of personal memories around the tragedy. Over 60 characters are portrayed onstage in short vignettes that describe the aftermath of Shepard's death.

Just before the November 12 performance, at 6:30 p.m., there will be a special discussion with Jason Marsden, Executive Director of the Matthew Shepard Foundation, which was founded by Shepard's parents, Dennis and Judy. The foundation runs education, outreach, and advocacy programs to raise awareness and promote non-violence and tolerance for diversity.

The Laramie Project is directed by Assistant Professor of Musical Theatre and Theatre, Amy White. She was last seen onstage regionally in Raleigh Little Theatre's production of Stick Fly in February and directed/choreographed William Peace Theatre's production of Green Day's American Idiot last April. This spring she will present research on the mutual impact of LGBTQIA legislation and the performing arts at The Sorbonne with WPU Criminal Justice Professor, Dr. Elizabeth Kusko. White has worked in professional theatre for over a decade, in New York off-Broadway and in touring productions. She holds a BFA in Musical Theatre with a minor in Dance from the State University of New York at Fredonia, along with a MFA in Performing Arts from the Savannah College of Art and Design.

IF YOU GO:

THE LARAMIE PROJECT

Location: Leggett Theatre, Main Building, 15 E. Peace St., Raleigh

Dates: November 10 - 20, 2016

Time: November 10, 11, 12, 18, 19 at 7:30 p.m.; November 20 at 2:00 p.m.

Tickets: $15 Adult, $10 Alumni/Faculty/Senior, $5 Student

Ticket link: http://bit.ly/WPUTLP16

Facebook Event Page: http://bit.ly/WPUTLPFB

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