Members of The Tectonic Theatre Project played by Arrow Coker, Adah Mosher, Jonathan Rubin, Charles Burdsall, Clark Sayre, and Nola Stowe. Photo by Mikki Schaffner. Costumes by Diabou Fall.
Cincinnati, OH- Following a fantastic season last year, the Walnut Hills High School Theatre Department is eager to welcome back audiences to The Rick Steiner Black Box Theater with THE LARAMIE CYCLE.
Part I, The well-known classic THE LARAMIE PROJECT, runs November 2nd-4th, 2023 at 7 p.m. with an additional 2 p.m. matinee on Saturday, November 4th. Part II, the lesser-known THE LARAMIE PROJECT: TEN YEARS LATER runs December 9 &10, 2023 at 2 p.m. with an additional 7 p.m. performance on Saturday, December 9.
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.
Ten years later on September 12th, 2008, five members of Tectonic returned to Laramie to try to understand the long-term effect of the murder. They found a town wrestling with its legacy and its place in history. In addition to revisiting the folks whose words riveted us in the original play, this time around, the company also spoke with the two murderers, McKinney and Henderson, as well as Matthew’s mother, Judy Shepard. THE LARAMIE PROJECT: TEN YEARS LATER is a bold new work, which asks the question, “How does society write its own history?”
“On the 25th anniversary of Matthew Shepard’s death, we are incredibly honored and excited to be the first high school theatre program in the area to do both of these plays as a cycle.” says director Mike Sherman. “Matthew’s murder was a watershed moment for our country that inspired a generation of activists, and we feel these two plays still have many lessons to teach us about how we as a country react to, respond, and view national tragedies like this.”
Tickets are $13 for adults and $11 for students. They are now available, and can be purchased at: https://sites.google.com/view/whhstheatredepartment/tickets.
CONTENT WARNING: Verbal descriptions of violence, assault, death and use of sexual orientation slurs.
This production and the entire WHHS Theatre Season is graciously sponsored by the Walnut Hills High School Class of 1964 Performing Arts Fund.
THE LARAMIE PROJECT
Featuring cast members Katie Berich, Norah Boehm, Charles Burdsall, Andrew Canter, Nate Caudill, Arrow Coker, Elijah Cook, Aida Doumbia, Kyra Doty, Noa Jaffee, Christian Jordan, Josie Leanza, Caroline Lovelace, Adah Mosher, Hoyt Noble, Larena Peart, Khara Rosebrook, Jonathan Rubin, Clark Sayre, Lauryn Shafer, Jude Shotwell, Wolf Singer, and Nola Stowe.
Directed by Mike Sherman
Assistant Director by Laylah Torain
Technical Direction by Helen A. Raymond-Goers
Production Stage Manager- Abbie Kershner
Assistant Stage Manager- Richie Bell
Costume Designer- Diabou Fall
Hair and Makeup Designer- Lizzy Rebber
Co-Props Designers- AJ Frecker and Oran Wilkins
Props Manager- Oran Wilkins
Lighting Designer- Sophie Glenn
Scenic Designer- Ryan Peerless
Sound Designer- Maya Busche
Mistress Electrician- Maya Busche
Head of Marketing and Publicity- Lizzy Rebber
THE LARAMIE PROJECT: TEN YEARS LATER
Featuring cast members Corrine Adams, Andrew Canter, Theo Davis, Kyra Doty, Morgan Felsburg, Clare Graff, Izzy Lachey, Clark Sayre, and Wolf Singer
Directed by Mike Sherman
Assistant Director- Emma Dalton
Production Stage Manager- Abbie Kershner
Assistant Stage Manager- Maya Busche
Costume Designer- Katie Berich
Costume/Hair and Makeup Assistant Designer- Lizzy Rebber
Hair and Makeup Designer- Corrine Adams
Lighting and Scenic Designer- Ryan Peerless
Mistress Electrician- Maya Busche
Props and Set Decoration- Morgan Felsburg and Wolf Singer
Props Manager- Oran Wilkins
Sound Designer- Oran Wilkins
Head of Marketing and Publicity- Lizzy Rebber
Behind the Curtain Cincinnati 