Moises Kaufman’s play The Laramie Project, a factual portrait of a town struggling in the aftermath of a horrific event, will be presented by the Ensemble Theatre Company on Oct. 13, 17 and 18 at the St. Andrews Center Theatre.
Kaufman and his Tectonic Theater Project wrote the play documenting the aftermath of the savage killing of Matthew Shepard, a young gay man whose 1998 murder has since become a symbol for America's struggle against intolerance. The play presents a deeply moving, brutally realistic portrayal of a small town - Laramie, Wyoming - dealing with a terrifying event.
Debuting the day after the 10th anniversary of Shepard’s death, the production marks ETC's inaugural producing venture and its official introduction as both an independent professional theatre company and a creative force in the Chattanooga theatre scene.
“Part of the mission statement for ETC states that we will ‘culturally enrich our community’ and that we will ‘courageously eliminate bias,’” said director Garry Lee Posey, who knew Shepard when both were college students in North Carolina. "The Laramie Project is at its core a project that seeks to eliminate bias. With no hate-crime legislation on the books in Wyoming and intolerance towards minorities still prevalent in our societies today, I think we as artists are obligated to use our craft to affect change if and when we can.”
For a year and a half following the Shepard’s murder, Kaufman and the Tectonic Theater Project conducted hundreds of interviews with the citizens of Laramie. The play’s cast portrays Kaufman and his troupe, as well as multiple characters from the town. The cast includes John Thomas Cecil, Sarah D'Angelo, Randal Fosse, Becki Jordan, Dorcas Lewis, Dylan Kussman, Jonathan Nichols, Joseph Tipton, and Julie Van Valkenburg.
Performances are Monday, Oct. 13, at 7:30 p.m.; Friday, Oct. 17, at 7:30 p.m., and Saturday, Oct. 18, at 3:30 p.m.
The St. Andrews Center Theatre is at 1918 Union Ave. directly behind Highland Park Baptist Church.
Admission is $10 for adults and $8 for students.
For more information, contact Garry Lee Posey at (423) 987-5141 or garryposey@yahoo.com.
Becki Jordan, left, and Joseph Tipton portray residents of the small Wyoming town where the brutal beating and death of Matthew Shepard focused national attention. Ensemble Theatre of Chattanooga presents The Laramie Project by Moises Kaufmann and the Tectonic Theatre Project at the St Andrews Center Theatre behind Highland Park Baptist Church.