The Laramie Project
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4.3 • 33 Ratings
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- $8.99
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- $8.99
Publisher Description
On October 7, 1998, a young gay man was discovered bound to a fence in the hills outside Laramie, Wyoming, savagely beaten and left to die in an act of hate that shocked the nation. Matthew Shepard’s death became a national symbol of intolerance, but for the people of Laramie the event was deeply personal, and it’s they we hear in this stunningly effective theater piece, a deeply complex portrait of a community.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Moises Kaufman and his Tectonic Theater Project have written a play documenting the aftermath of the savage killing of Matthew Shepard, including the perspectives of both friends and strangers: The Laramie Project. This innovative theatrical composition, structured not in scenes, but in "moments," addresses the various issues relating to the tragedy of Shepard, a young gay man whose murder has since become a symbol for America's struggle against intolerance. Kaufman's approach is actor-based, as opposed to text-based; a side-effect of this actor-based approach is that in print form it seems as though something is missing. However, the play promises to move the reader with its authentic portrayal of a small town facing a terrifying event.
Customer Reviews
A son. A friend. A neighbor. A person.
I want to thank everyone that had a part in the creation of this work. I just bought and read this play because my ninth grader is reading it in English class and the teacher asked us to read it too. Hard to speak positively about the work because the underlying story is real, horrifying and heartbreaking. That said, the presentation is brilliant and powerful. We all know the people - they are us, our friends and our enemies. We can hear the voices. We can feel the hatred and the pain. The guilt. Unfortunately, because we live in a world so filled with hate, this play has everlasting value. I will do my best to make sure that I do not raise children who hate or tolerate hate when I see it . . . and I will not turn my face away so as to pretend to not see it.