Since Moisés Kaufman and Tectonic Theater Project created the Laramie Project, the critically acclaimed play based on the 1998 brutal hate-killing of gay student Matthew Shepard has been produced countless times. Across the country, professional theater companies, community groups, college and high school drama classes have been telling the tragic story as a sort of tribute to the young man. In most places audiences have embraced the play as an important reminder that tolerance still needs a little help in promoting itself.
Unfortunately, the message of compassion and inclusion inherent in Laramie is one that not everybody wants to hear. The Reverend Fred Phelps has been busier than most expressing his rabid opposition to homosexuality and questionable interpretation of the Bible. In the last two years he has tried, with varying degrees of success, to organize protests in local communities where the play is scheduled to appear. His latest venture is a monument he wants to install in Matthew Shepard's home town. The dedication is supposed to mention some nonsense about the boy having entered the gates of Hell. Relatively few people take Phelps seriously, but he remains a sad symbol of the small-mindedness that festers in certain corners.
Looking on the positive side, this season brings a couple of exciting productions of the Laramie Project to Chicago. What makes them special is the fact that each is the result of joint efforts between young theater students and established professionals.
Independent school Francis W. Parker put on the play last month as part of their drama course. Under the guidance of Drama Department Chair Leslie Holland-Pryor, 32 students each played up to three roles while three teachers also lent a hand with the acting. A number of additional students designed the set and costumes. Some parents also volunteered. Holland-Pryor says she chose the play herself because she wanted to "use it to teach tolerance through the arts."
Performers were recruited from grades 9 through 12 because it was important to her to get "a large cast so as to expose many students [to the issue of tolerance]."
Holland-Pryor says school officials were very supportive. They even organized post-show panels where speakers came to engage the audience on the topics of discrimination and hate crimes. It was at one of these discussions that alum Kevin Simmons brought along civil-rights attorney Jay Paul Deratany. The former talked about the personal impact of discrimination based on sexual orientation; the latter explained some legal aspects. But Deratany's contribution to the evening didn't stop there. He also happens to be on the Board of Directors at the Bailiwick and he was so impressed with the students'performance that he invited them to come and perform the play on the Belmont Avenue stage. A two-night slot in between regular runs was quickly found and so it is now official: the kids will get their two nights of fame on Dec. 6 and 7.
The unusual hosting agreement will see the theater provide venue and technical support, but it is likely the young actors will get much more out of this unique experience.
A little further away, Oakton Community College is currently in the middle of its own run of the Laramie Project and it too is the fruit of local collaboration. Jeff Ginsberg, who is Theater Director at Columbia College Chicago, jumped at the opportunity when he was asked to head the Oakton production. Ginsberg says of the Laramie Project: "It has been critically received as one of the most important plays in the last five years. It's a contemporary version of Our Town [the 1938 Pulitzer Prize-winner] by Thornton Wilder, which was set in rural New Hampshire." He then adds, "The themes of tolerance and diversity are relevant in every small town. A community college is the perfect setting for this play. I feel privileged and excited to bring the work to such an audience."
As is often the case for this type of institution, Oakton opened auditions to the whole community, not just to its own students. Ginsberg is directing eight performers in total, two of whom are indeed students. The others are members of the community and some have many years of acting experience.
Francis W. Parker School production at the Bailiwick, 1229 W. Belmont Ave, (773) 883-1090: Saturday, Dec. 6 and Sunday Dec. 7.
Oakton College production at the Footlik Theater, 1600 E. Golf Road, Des Plaines campus, (847) 635-1901: Saturday, Nov. 29 and Sunday Nov. 30.
