On October 7, 1998, a young gay man, Matthew Shepard, was discovered bound to a fence in the hills outside Laramie, Wyoming, savagely beaten and left to die. The case garnered international media attention and became a symbol of antigay violence. Moisés Kaufman and fellow members of Tectonic Theater Project made six trips to Laramie over the course of a year and a half in the aftermath of the beating and conducted more than two hundred interviews with people of the town, interviews which form the basis of this powerful play. See links, below, for further information about the play, about Matthew Shepard, and about hate crimes.
The University of New Brunswick—Saint John Production The Laramie Project by Moisés Kaufman and the members of Tectonic Theater Project. April 3, 4, 12, 2003 Tickets: $5. Available at the door or in advance by calling 648-5645. Director: Robert Moore Producer: Miriam Jones Cast: Sandra Bell, Cyndi Brannen, Jennifer Butler, Kaetlin Dean, Joe Galbo, Monique Gionet, Jonathan Goud, Nancy Johnston, Miriam Jones, Shurli Makmillen, Tim O’Brien, Brian Perry, Scott Shannon, Chris Stacey, and David Wilcox Stage Manager: Christina Pickford This production is being made possible by generous support from The Lorenzo Society. Fifty per cent of the proceeds will be donated to Saint John, New Brunswick area gay rights organizations. Produced by special arrangement with Dramatists Play Service, Inc.
Links
The Data Lounge: Matthew Shepard Matthew Shepard Online Resources New York Times Sponsored Archives: Laramie Revisited PFLAG: Parents speak at the occasion of the Toronto Vigil for Matthew Shepard Time Magazine's Laramie Project Classroom Page Tolerance.org: The Laramie Project
Past productions of The Laramie Project: Moisés Kaufman and the Tectonic Company: review in CurtainUp Photos from the HBO production from The Topeka Capital-Journal CATCO (Contemporary American Theatre Company) Central Washington University Department of Theatre Arts
B'nai Brith: 2002 Interim Audit of Antisemitic Incidents in Canada Canadian Heritage: Hate and Bias Activity in Canada: (Vol.4, Dec.21/98) Department of Justice:
Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation GLSEN: creating safe schools for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people The Gender Public Advocacy Coalition Toronto Police Service Hate Crime Unit Statistical Reports hatecrime.org: focus on antigay violence. Many links; online shop. Hate is a 4-letter word: comprehensive page of links to a variety of anti-hate (anti-homophobia, anti-racism, anti-fascism) sites. International, but with a Canadian slant. LAMBDA: An excellent page promoting their Anti-Violence Project (GLBT oriented) Partners Against Hate: U.S. based material on hate crimes Remembering Our Dead: Murder victims of transgender violence
Local resources Closet Chat PFLAG (Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays) Saint John PFLAG meets the first Friday of every month, at 7pm, at the Community Health Centre on Coburg St. Visit the PFLAG Canada site. Saint John Lesbian/Bi Support Network Saint John LGBTQ Lending Library
The Q-Collective: a UNBSJ-based group of lesbians, gays, bisexuals, transgendered persons, and their friends. All are welcome. Women's Resource Centre (WRC): The Women's Resource Centre offers information on health issues, domestic and date violence and other issues, and makes referrals to resources in the city and surrounding area. Visit the WRC in the Thomas Condon Student Centre or call them at 648-5511.
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