By Breanne Sanders
The Laramie Project at On Pitch Performing Arts in Layton is the shocking true story of a hate crime that occurred in Laramie, Wyoming, and the town’s reaction to it. Throughout The Laramie Project, the cast members play dozens of characters – friends of the victim, law enforcement, clergymen, university students, interviewers, bartenders, and more – to paint a picture of all sides of the issue. The issue being explored is that the hate crime occurred because the victim, Matthew Shepard, was gay. The structure of the play works well to show how this might have happened, and how we can keep it from happening again.
There is good energy between every mini-scene or “moment,” so while the play is solemn and heart-breaking, the fast pace helps keep the audience engaged, and so does the fact that the crime is not mentioned outright for the first part of the play. Instead, the audience is introduced to the tragedy gently, unraveling it through clues before it is ever stated outright.
The cast members each played too many roles for me to list them all specifically, but I would like to point out a few moments that really touched me during the show. The scene with the first responders is particularly moving. In the play, the person who finds Matthew (Niamh Helwig), the police officer (Carly Haberman), and a doctor (Kennedy Miller) describe the events of the day Shepard was found. They also describe their feelings of confusion that a human being could treat another human being this way. Their raw reactions really brought home the severity of the situation for me. The scene where the hospital CEO (Blake London) feels a connection between himself and Matthew’s parents and realizes that no child should be treated this way for any reason brought tears to my eyes. At another point, the bartender (Gabe Root) who had served Matthew on the night he was attacked contemplates if he could have done anything differently to stop the crime. I sympathized with the regret that showed clearly on the actor’s face. After the reason (excuse) for the crime is discovered, a university professor (Madeleine Curletto) describes her level of anxiety that perhaps her and her partner or her child could be the next victim of such a crime. The quaver in her voice shook me.
With such a heartbreaking event at the heart of the show, a few moments of joy are needed. One of the interviewers (Brian Harris) is used to a more posh New York lifestyle, and comically describes his hesitation at eating a “country fried steak.” One of Matthew’s closest friends (Natalee Stuart) describes the type of person he was and breaks the fourth wall as she has a hilarious staring contest with one of the audience members to prove her point. The mother of the police officer (Sarah Robinson) goads her daughter to quit such a dangerous job and they get into a good-natured argument. One of my favorite elements of the show was when the cast would take an audible collective breath. I think it helped to remind the audience not to hold all these difficult emotions inside and released some of the tension.
With so many characters, the costumes needed to be simple and clear, and costumer Sawyer Balinski accomplished that with layers of black and then bright accents like scarves, hats, or jackets to differentiate between the characters. The lighting by Dan Tate helps move the audience through different scenes, from the spotlights on the accused, to the candlelit vigil, to the sparkling lights seen from the fence. Sound by Josh Rice and Stage Management by Anna Graff-Rice also add to the experience. Set Painter Heather Poulsen creates a powerful message that will stick with attendees for days to come.
Director Kristie Post Wallace asks in her author’s note how we are changed by hearing perspectives other than our own; while that answer may be different for everyone, I think her work on The Laramie Project emphasizes that we are changed when we listen with love. I recommend attending the show, and letting yourself be open to those other perspectives.
On Pitch Performing Arts presents The Laramie Project by Moises Kaufman and the members of Tectonic Theater Project.
On Pitch Performing Arts, Creator’s Stage, 587 North Main Street, Layton UT 84041
March 10-11, 13, 16-18, 2023, 7:00 PM.
Tickets: $12.00
Contact: 385-209-1557
http://www.onpitchperformingarts.com/
On Pitch Perfoming Arts Facebook Page
From the author’s note: “This production is a piece of documentary theatre, meaning it was created from over 200 interviews with real people connected to the town of Laramie, Wyoming and the brutal murder of Matthew Shepard. Because it is real people speaking their truths this show features strong adult language.” You are required to click an “I agree” button when buying tickets.
Note: The Story: In October 1998, a twenty-one-year-old student at the University of Wyoming was kidnapped, severely beaten, and left tied to a fence in the middle of the prairie outside Laramie, Wyoming. His bloody, bruised, and battered body was not discovered until the next day, and he died several days later in an area hospital. His name was Matthew Shepard, and he was the victim of this assault because he was gay. Moisés Kaufman and fellow members of the Tectonic Theater Project made six trips to Laramie over the course of a year and a half, in the aftermath of the beating and during the trial of the two young men accused of killing Shepard. They conducted more than 200 interviews with the people of the town. Some people interviewed were directly connected to the case, while others were citizens of Laramie, and the breadth of the reactions to the crime is fascinating. Kaufman and Tectonic Theater members have constructed a deeply moving theatrical experience from these interviews and their own experiences in Laramie. The Laramie Project is a breathtaking collage that explores the depths to which humanity can sink and the heights of compassion of which we are capable.
Please consider carefully the age of patrons under 18. This play is important and transformational, but can be traumatizing for some.
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