Laramie Project

Peach’s Picks Rating


Title:
The Laramie Project: A Play by Moisés Kaufman and the Members of Tectonic Theater Project

Author:
Moisés Kaufman

Illustrator:
None

ISBN:
0-375-72719-1

Publisher:
New York: Vintage Books

Copyright:
2001

Length:
101 pages

Plot Summary:
The Laramie Project is a three act play telling the true story of events surrounding the death of 21-year-old Matthew Shepard in 1998. Matthew was a college student in Laramie, Wyoming. He was also gay. One October night he was alone drinking a beer at a local bar. Matthew accepted what was supposed to be a ride home from two other young men. Instead they drove him to a remote area outside Laramie, robbed, beat, and tied him to a fence. Eighteen hours later another young man found Matthew, barely alive. He summoned help and Matthew was rushed to the hospital. Matthew died a few months later. This play is told in three acts. It was created using hundreds of interviews and other documents collected by members of the Tectonic Theater Project. They visited Laramie six times during the course of collecting information and writing the play. The narration is presented as monologues that tell the story.

Critical Evaluation:
Moisés Kaufman, Artistic Director of Tectonic Theater Project, and members of the project were moved by Matthew’s experience. They decided to bring his story to the world through a theatrical production. The play does have a beginning middle and end, but not a in a traditional sense. There is no action, only the characters telling their views about Matthew, his accused murders, homosexuality, and their town. The dialogue is so powerful that physical action is not necessary to keep the viewer riveted to their seats. Kaufman says that the project “originated in my desire to learn more about why Matthew Shepard’s was murdered, about what happened that night, about the town of Laramie … How is Laramie different from the rest of the country, and how is it similar?” (Kaufman, page VI). Mr. Kaufman does an excellent job fulfilling his desire and creating a vivid picture of a hate crime that occurred in Laramie, but reflects the larger society. Readers and viewers of the Laramie Project will better understand the play if they are informed of the actual events surrounding the play before reading or seeing it.

Reader’s Annotation:
Matthew Shepard, a gay 21-year-old-college student in Laramie, Wyoming is brutally murdered in a crime of hate. This play tells the story of an actual event that occurred in 1998 and is driven by monologues culled from the citizens of Laramie, Matthew’s friends and family, the accused murders, and others associated with the event.

Author Information:
Born in Venezuela
Founder and Artistic Director of Tectonic Theater Project, New York City
His play, Gross Indecency: The Three Trials of Oscar Wilde, received the following honors: Lucille Lortel Award for Best Play, the Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Off-Broadway Play, the Garland Award for Best Play, the Carbonell Award for Best Play, the Bay are Theater Critics Circle Award for Direction, the GLAAD Media Award for New York Theater, and the Joe A. Callaway Award for Direction

Genre:
Play – theatrical production in three acts – drama

Curriculum Ties:
Use in drama classes and human development classes

Booktalking Ideas:
This play reflects real incidents that occurred to Matthew Shepard, a 21-year-old gay victim of a hate crime.

Laramie, Wyoming is thrust into the national spotlight after Matthew Shepard a college student, 21-years-old, and gay is murdered by two other young men.

Reading Level/Interest Age:
High school / adult

Additional Works by Author:
Gross Indecency: The Three Trials of Oscar Wilde

Challenge Issues:
Homosexuality, language, hate crimes
Deal with challenge by having a challenge policy in place, selection policy in place (ALA policies). Meet with library administration if necessary. Provide positive review(s) from professional publications.

Why this work is included in Peach’s Picks:
The play received a positive review in School Library Journal. The school where I work has a strong and active GSA organization as well as a strong theater program. This play was performed several years ago. Prior to the performance Judy Shepard visited the school and spoke during an assembly. Five stars are awarded for a thoughtful examination of events surrounding Matthew Shepard’s death.

Amazon link:
http://www.amazon.com/Laramie-Project-Moises-Kaufman/dp/0375727191/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1273424856&sr=8-2

References:
Kaufman, M. (2001). The Laramie Project. New York: Vintage Books.