Loose Leaf Notes

– The following first appeared in The Floyd Press on May 21, 2015.

The Floyd Community Theatre Guild’s production of the Laramie Project was received with a sustained standing ovation. Performed at the June Bug Center, the Sunday afternoon play was followed by a cast reception line, where audience members thanked the director and actors for their powerful presentation.

The Laramie Project is the story of Matthew Shepard, a 21 year-old gay student of the University of Wyoming who, in 1998, was beaten, tied to a fence and left to die in Laramie, Wyoming, in what many believed was a hate crime.  Written by Moises Kaufman and members of the Tectonic Theatre Project, the play draws from hundreds of interviews that the theater company conducted with Laramie residents – as well as entries from theater company member’s journals and published news reports.   

The Floyd play was a “black box” production, which means that the sets were purposefully minimalistic.   It was directed by Floyd County High School (FCHS) drama student Jason Beckner, under the guidance of FCHS drama teacher Casey Worley.  Actors who skillfully performed in a multitude of roles were FCHS students Gray Miley, Trevor King, Mikey Baker, Grace Martin, Arianna Agnew, Skyler Goad, Jaired Brooks, Jordan Ingram, Reno Jungmann and Kaylee Carico.

Thought provoking and humanizing, the three-act play was broken up into “50 Moment” scenes with titles like The Fence, Live and Let Live, Medical Update, It Happened Here, The Verdict, Dennis Shepard’s Statement and more.

Because the Laramie Project deals with adult subject matter and contains some adult language, it is often met with controversy.  “This is not a play about gay rights, although many will believe it is.  It is not a play about religion or politics or the death penalty or anything like that. This is a play about the dichotomy of love and hate,” said student director Jason Beckner in a pre-play address to the audience.  “This is Matthew’s story,” Bekner continued. “Everywhere it is produced his spirit and the spirit of many like him lives on.” – Colleen Redman

Photos:   1. A theatre company member interviews the girlfriends of the killers. Watch a video clip HERE. 2. FSHS Laramie Project director, Jason Beckner, gives a play introduction in front of a projected picture of Matthew Shepard. 3. A scene set in the Fireside Lounge, where Shepard was last seen on the night he was murdered. Watch a video clip HERE.  4. A court scene for the sentencing of Russell Henderson, one of the men convicted of Shepard’s murder. 5. Audience members, some who were visibly moved, meet and shake hands with the director and cast members. 6. Cast takes a bow.

The above is a character reenactment of a statement that Matthew’s father gave on whether or not the killers should get the death penalty or not.