Contact: Sue Bodilly, (920) 465-5502, bodillys@uwgb.edu

 

GREEN BAY–The University of Wisconsin-Green Bay Theatre program’s upcoming production, The Laramie Project will close out the 2020-21 season of plays designed to create social awareness. Written by Moisés Kaufman and members of the Tectonic Theater Company, following an unimaginable crime—the murder of Matthew Shepard—The Laramie Project examines our ability to hate, love, and understand through the eyes of the citizens of Laramie, Wyoming.

The product of more than 200 interviews with the citizens of Laramie, the catalyst for The Laramie Project was the 1998 murder of college student Matthew Shepard. Severely beaten, tied to a fencepost and left for dead in the middle of the Wyoming prairie, Matthew survived for several days before succumbing to his injuries. The motivation behind such a heinous crime: Matthew Shepard was gay. The Laramie Project chronicles the months that followed Matthew’s murder, as the citizens of Laramie sought to understand how such a crime could happen in their town and the Tectonic Theater interviewers questioned if Laramie is so different than any other town in America.

Directed by Rebecca Stone Thornberry, UW-Green Bay Theatre’s production of The Laramie Project features a diverse cast with each actor playing multiple roles. A powerful production examining the prejudice and bias against the LGBTQ community, the play also offers hope by exploring our ability to rise above a tragedy, as well as inspiration that change and a more accepting culture can be achieved.

Because this production presents such a powerful and timely message, the Theatre department will stream the production, free of charge, to increase its accessibility. The Laramie Project will be available to stream on-demand April 29-May 2, 2021. Registration is required to receive the streaming link. Audiences should note that the production contains adult content and strong language, including profanity and hate speech and is recommended for mature audiences. Additional information about the production and instructions to register for access to the streaming link can be found at www.uwgb.edu/theatre.

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