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Culture_Voyeur
Culture_VoyeurThursday, October 15, 2009 at 8:09:00 AM EDT
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Monday marked the eleventh anniversary of Matthew Shepard’s death, the young man who was brutally beaten and left for dead in Laramie, Wyoming because he was gay.
Since Matthew’s death, his mother and countless others have lobbied Congress to pass hate crimes legislation that extends protections to sexual orientation, gender identity, and disability; and it finally looks like it will head to Obama’s desk in the next week or two (despite Republican outcry that it will imprison people for their homophobic thoughts).
Shortly after his murder, the New York-based Tectonic Theatre Project headed to Laramie with the intention of interviewing people affected by the event. The resulting play, The Laramie Project, has become one of the most-performed plays worldwide. I had the privilege of being a part of the cast at one of the first high schools to perform the show in 2002 (in Kansas City, Missouri).
To commemorate the Matthew’s death, Tectonic returned to Laramie to interview those individuals who had been included in Laramie Project to see what, if any, impact his death still had on the community. The Laramie Project: Ten Years Later was performed in hundreds of cities across the US, as well as several countries, and showed us that even though Matthew Shepard has remained a prominent figure in the LGBTQ community, many in Laramie would just as soon forget about the entire incident.
I was able to catch the performance in Washington, DC produced by Arena Stage and it was spectacular.
One of the more depressing aspects of this epilogue is the fact that, even though it really woke up America to the violence facing its LGBTQ citizens, so many have spent the last eleven years trying to disprove the murder was a hate crime. ABC’s 20/20 produced an episode casting the event as more of a drug-induced robbery gone wrong (PBS later disproved most of ABC’s accusations). Earlier this year, Congresswoman Virginia Foxx (R-NC) called his death a hoax. And now that it looks like hate crimes legislation will finally be passed on the federal level, Republicans and conservative pundits are coming out of the woodwork and revealing their hatred towards LGBTQ individuals.
As I sat in the theatre on Monday and listened to the producers tout the fact that Laramie Project has been seen by thousands of people, I found myself wondering how much of an impact theatre, and this play in particular, could have on audiences? Is theater – a stereotypically gay safe haven – the best artistic medium to change people’s minds? Or has The Laramie Project simply been preaching to the choir?
I remember being a senior in high school and putting on the show. I was still coming to terms with my sexuality so I was not very knowledgeable about LGBTQ issues, but I do remember the school-wide dialogue the play cultivated. And surprisingly, most of the conversations were generally very supportive. And while television, film, and the internet certainly have a larger audience, perhaps plays are better tools for younger generations, being more interactive and engaging. And even if the cast members are the ones most affected by the production, it’s a start.
The Laramie Project may not have changed the minds and hearts of millions (as evidenced by many of our elected officials), but it gave a voice to those who had none. And if nothing else, I can speak on behalf of those who are a part of the show’s production: It really does make you want to stand up and fight!
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Amazing post. I am ashamed to say that I have not seen the Laramie Project yet but I really would like to. I will be back home to the Dc area a few times in the upcoming week so hopefully I may be able to catch the Arena Stage play if possible.
# Posted By vanessaaishacoleman
| 10/17/09 09:51 PM
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vanessaaishacoleman
| 10/17/09 09:51 PM
| Reply
Great post. I got to catch the live-web intro from here in Chicago at the Goodman Theatre. It really was remarkable and moving and emotional. Never will forget the impact Matthew and his family has had on my life. Even if I don't know them personally, and I probably never will but nevertheless, it's breathtaking.
# Posted By tsefer
| 10/17/09 11:41 PM
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tsefer
| 10/17/09 11:41 PM
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