Laramie Project is Cast

24 September 2010 Laramie Project is Cast

Under the direction of Pat Collins, professor of education, the Colleges fall play, The Laramie Project, is now rehearsing and will debut at the Black Box Theatre in November. The production is being held in collaboration with the Geneva Theatre Guild.

After four days of auditions, Collins recently cast eight students to perform in the docudrama: Cassie Diaz 13, Amy Gallop 13, Eric Hambury 13, Tyler Hatton-Bullock 14, Drew Monroe 12, Johnathan Patterson 11, Lindsey Polishook 11 and Jordan Youngmann10. Additionally, nine members of the local community were cast: Dan Chacchia, Jim Ditmers, Pat Fegley, Laura Feligno, Simeon Goldstiein, Murray Heaton, Terri Knight-Miller, Pam Rapoza and Joanne Saracino. The 17 cast members will play a combined 70 roles.

HWS students are also vital members behind the scenes, as lighting designers and stage managers. These students include Hayley Bauza 13, Emily Hamburger 13, Pearl Kerber 13, Liz Liebman 11, Ariel Schonfeld 14, and Abby Jordan 13. Educational outreach and multimedia for the play is being led by Kathy Collins 09. Bill Burd, technical director of Bartlett Theatre is the set designer and technical director for the show. Lauren Wilsey10 is stage manager, Elizabeth Cutler13 and Becky Wagner from the Geneva Theatre Guild are costume designers.

The Laramie Project is a docudrama originally written and performed by Moises Kaufman and the members of Tectonic Theater Project. The script is based on interviews with the residents of Laramie, Wyoming, in the aftermath of the 1998 murder of Matthew Shepard, a young gay student at the University of Wyoming. It asks the audience to consider its own town and consider: How would we respond to a hate crime or an act of violence in the name of bigotry? The 70 characters portrayed throughout the play represent many different perspectives of the very real and current discussion of gay rights in America.

The Laramie Project will be performed at the Black Box Theatre in the Geneva Community Center on the first two weekends of November, the 5th through 7th, and 11th through 13th. Tickets may be purchased at the College Store, Area Records and Music, the UPS Store, and online at GTGlive.org. General admission is $12, seniors/students $10, HWS students may pick up a free voucher at the Student Concierge Desk in the Scandling Campus Center. Seating is limited and latecomers cannot be seated. For further information, call Eleanor Stearns at 789-8985.

This play contains adult language and content and is recommended for mature audiences.