From this whole event a variety of questions are likely to pop up. The laramie project summary from litcharts the creators of. The laramie projectbefore reading the social justiceela. Oct 03, 2005 the result was the laramie project, an awardwinning, starstudded film that challenges your ideas about life and tolerance in america, and presents a new sense of what it means to be part of a community.
Hundreds of interviews were conducted by the members of the tectonic theatre project. The laramie project study guide from litcharts the creators. The laramie project analysis high point university. The laramie project is a 2002 drama film written and directed by moises kaufman and starring nestor carbonell, christina ricci, dylan baker, terry kinney, and lou ann wright. On saturday, october 5th, i attended the play, the laramie project. Ten years after the premiere of the laramie project, the creators of the play returned to wyoming to do additional interviews with the residents of laramie. The true story of an american town in the wake of the murder of. The common experience office and the adult student center cohosted the event. Join us for a showing and discussion of the laramie project at 8 p. It also gave the most closely unbiased view of the incident. Presentational theatre often tells a story from many different perspectives, or with many different voices. The play is based on over 400 interviews with about 100 laramie residents, as well as journal en tries from the members of tectonic theater project. The play incorporates hundreds of interviews with laramie residents, news reports, and the theater members journal entries. It stared christina ricci, steve buscemi, peter fonda, janeane garofalo, dylan baker.
There is a film adaptation of the laramie project play that was opened in 2002 at the 2002 sundance film festival. The great debaters directed by denzel washington and cocomposed with james newton howard. This is a documentary to find out what happened to matthew shepard in. The laramie project questions and answers discover the community of teachers, mentors and students just like you that can answer any question you might have on. Discussion forum the laramie project online community. The idea of enfranchisement for people who are gay is a part of the dynamic in the drama. While at the fireside bar on the 6th of october 1998, aaron mckinney and russell henderson approached matthew. At first, i was not really excited to see this play.
The laramie project is a documentarystyle play created by the venezuelan playwright moises kaufman and members of the tectonic theater project, an experimental company whose work has often touched on social themes. It follows and in some cases reenacts the chronology of shepards visit to a local bar. With christina ricci, steve buscemi, kathleen chalfant, laura linney. The result was the laramie project, an awardwinning, starstudded film that challenges your ideas about life and tolerance in america, and presents a new sense of what it means to be part of a community. The 1999 play the laramie project explores the true story. The laramie project discussion questions moises kaufman this study guide consists of approximately 25 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of the laramie project. The laramie project cycle with judy shepard and moises kaufman duration. The result was the play later made into an hbo feature film called the laramie project. The laramie project isnt really about homosexuality or the matt shepard murder its bigger than that. The laramie project summary and study guide supersummary. The play revolves around a series of interviews by the tectonic theater project with laramie, wyoming residents reckoning with the 1998 murder of university of wyoming student matthew shepard, who was killed for being gay. Over the next few months, will host an online forum between two catholic high schools as they rehearse and perform produ started by matt freeman in.
The question and answer section for the laramie project is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel. The laramie project has also been staged at high schools, colleges, and professional theaters across the united states, as well as in canada, ireland, and australia. The diversity leadership summit will be held on campus. This is a film version of the play they wrote based on more than. Mar 01, 2011 your observation about the onesided dialogue spills into so many other interesting questions about the laramie project, too. Moises kaufman and members of new yorks tectonic theater project went to laramie, wyoming after the murder of matthew shepard. Based on the play of the same name, the film tells the story of the aftermath of the 1998 murder of matthew shepard in laramie, wyoming. Some of the characters represent the extremes, such as the reverend fred phelps, who believes so deeply that homosexuality is wrong that he preaches that god himself has hate.
Wohs place todd wehr center the diversity leadership summit will be held on campus. It is hard to say for sure why the laramie project took off while the others are less recognized, but it is probably because it is the movie that was written and directed by the same person that wrote the widely popular play of the same name. Decatur high schools advanced acting ensemble is putting on a production of the laramie project this week. It focuses on aftermath of the death of matthew shepard, a gay college student who was beaten and tortured in laramie, wyoming in 1998. Frozen river directed by courtney hunt and nominated for 2 academy awards.
The laramie project script, moises kaufman a play by kaufman and members of the tectonic theater project about the reaction to matthew shepards murder. This is a film version of the play they wrote based on. The film is a mixture of documentary and performance piece designed to display the complex and varied responses of the residents of laramie to the murder of matthew shepard. The students soon decided to film selected scenes themselves for an inclass project. It was written as if it were an actual documentary. As a result of the plays success, hbo commissioned a 2002 film of the laramie project, also written and directed by kaufman. Two catholic high schools in conversation about the laramie project.
Sometimes we get to see the creation of dialogue for instance, with father roger and the waitress at the chuckwagon, but otherwise these characters arent responding to other people. This is a film version of the play they wrote based on more than 200 interviews they conducted in laramie. View the hbo film the laramie project based on the events surrounding the murder of college student matthew shepard and stay for a post film discussion with fc director chuck ketter and the original fc cast. Through the use of documentary theatre techniques, interviews, and news reports, the laramie project was born. The laramie project explains that matthews gender performance strongly indicated that he was homosexual. Other articles where the laramie project is discussed.
The film has its flaws of course, but it is a well made movie. This was a real event, and the interviews were given by real citizens of laramie, where the murder occurred. Discuss a social conflict analysis of the play the laramie project by moises kaufman. A variety of actors portray the townspeople of laramie and their dialogue of the film is drawn from the interviews that kaufman and the tectonic theatre project conducted. Because of this, the play is presented from a large number of different point of views, depending on the person who is interviewed. Oct 17, 2014 the goal of the laramie project cycle is to promote thoughtful discussion and give audiences the opportunity to hear many different pointsofview from those most associated with from those most associated with the murder of matthew shepard. The laramie projectduring reading the social justice. Originally written as a play, and developed using the transcripts of real interviews with the people of laramie, wyoming, the film version of the laramie project tells viewers the story of matthew shepard, a 21yearold gay man living in laramie who was viciously murdered in. Julia louisdreyfus and jason alexander discuss seinfeld and more for direct relief fundraising duration. You will express strong opinions, and you may find the discussions and materials disturbing, but this is a small price to pay for leading us all in the dire. Matthew shepard was a twentyoneyearold student at the university of wyoming. Sep, 2019 30 students and community members gathered in university center north on thursday, sept. The laramie project contains frank language and references to sexual themes.
The laramie project summary from litcharts the creators. Jan 29, 2020 decatur high schools advanced acting ensemble is putting on a production of the laramie project this week. Kaufman along with his theater troupe made six visits to laramie, wyoming, where the murder. This book is filled with quotes from the people of laramie, wyoming who believed they were living in a friendly town until the brutal murder of matthew shepard. The theme of prejudice is an undercurrent in the laramie project. Fred roden will lead a discussion about these issues after this powerful film. In this play, the town deals with varying levels of prejudice.
The laramie project is a play but it is peculiar in the sense that the play is composed of interviews taken by the theater members of the people living in laramie. The story of the documentary film the laramie project revolves around matthew shepard, an openly gay student at the university of wyoming. He adapted the play for the screen and directed the hbo film the laramie project. Peter golub is the composer of numerous works for film, the concert hall, theatre and dance. Using those interviews, tectonic theater project wrote a second play, entitled the laramie project. Your observation about the onesided dialogue spills into so many other interesting questions about the laramie project, too. Topic of discussion will center on the creation of the laramie project, the birth of the matthew shepard foundation, their relevance then and now.
It premiered at the 2002 sundance film festival and was first. Kim pelle, coordinator of nontraditional student programs at iu southeast, led a discussion afterwards. The laramie project was adapted as a film by hbo in 2001. Doc oconnor, the taxi driver, recalls that matt was forthcoming about his sexuality, and stated i want you to know, i am gay and we are going to a gay bar kaufman 19. The laramie project brings lgbt community discussion to. The laramie project tv movie 2002 plot summary imdb. The laramie project analyzes the death of matthew shepard, an openly gay college student who was brutally murdered in laramie, wyoming, in.
The laramie project will most likely have an impact on any viewer that will watch the film, and it is a film that you cant forget. Originally written as a play, and developed using the transcripts of real interviews with the people of laramie, wyoming, the film version of the laramie project tells viewers the story of matthew shepard, a 21yearold gay man living in laramie who was viciously murdered in 1998 due to his sexuality. The true story of an american town in the wake of the murder of matthew shepard. The laramie project begins as various members of the laramie community praise the town of laramie, wyoming, speaking glowingly about towns closeknit community and expounding on its natural beauty. Essay about the laramie project 1907 words bartleby. Jun 06, 2012 this is a film version of the play they wrote based on more than 200 interviews they conducted in laramie. The laramie project film screening and discussion jeremy. It follows and in some cases reenacts the chronology of shepards visit to a local bar, his kidnap and beating, the discovery of him. There is a discussion in part of this play about why the murder of matthew shepard received so much media attention. After all, the statement goes, there was a policeman who was killed during.
Diversity leadership summit the laramie project film and. Kim pelle, holding a physical copy of the laramie project, leads a discussion following the showing of the film. To create the stage version of the laramie project, the eightmember new yorkbased tectonic theatre project traveled to laramie, wyoming, recording hours of interviews with the towns citizens over a twoyear period. Participants should agree on a set of ground rules that will steer the discussion. The laramie project sparks discussion about tolerance and human. A film adaptation of the play opened the 2002 sundance film festival and went on to receive four emmy nominations. Tectonic theater project gratefully acknowledges t the rockefeller foundation, time warner and hbo for their generous support of this audience guide.
In order to grapple with these issues in a safe, academic setting, it is necessary to also examine what makes us human. An english teacher at bay high school in panama ci t y, florida, and a staff member of the florida. The laramie projectafter reading the social justiceela. The laramie project is a critical play that addresses the brutal murder of openly gay teenager matthew shepard in the small town of laramie, wyoming, an incident that sparked national debate back in 1998. After the brutal murder of mathew sheppard in 1998.
In the movie the laramie project you actually see those locations. According to tectonics website, the laramie project has been seen by more than 30 million people around the country. I show it to my film students every year and never fails to generate great discussions. Over the next few months, will host an online forum between two catholic high schools as they rehearse and perform produ. Diversity leadership summit the laramie project film and discussion. He is the founder and artistic director of tectonic theater project, a new york city based theater company. Ten years after shepards murder, members of tectonic theater project returned to laramie to conduct followup interviews with residents featured in the play. Diversity leadership summit the laramie project film.
Laramie project support matthew shepard foundation. The tectonic theatre project is a nonprofit theater dedicated to exploring the language and form of theatre. The laramie project is a gripping tour through the actual spoken words of laramie people drawn from hundreds of hours of interviews to show the outrage, the sense of being unfairly singled out, the quiet hope for change among gay and lesbian residents and the sometimes callous behavior of journalists. It was a saturday night and i hate going to any kind of theatre, including movie theatres. The goal of the laramie project cycle is to promote thoughtful discussion and give audiences the opportunity to hear many different pointsofview from those most associated with from those most associated with the murder of matthew shepard. The play takes the structure of a documentary in the sense that it tries to bring to mind the occurrences of that fateful night. Synopsis the laramie project is set in and around laramie, wyoming, in the aftermath of the murder of 21yearold matthew shepard.
Debra taylor showed students at grandfield high school in grandfield, oklahoma the laramie project, a 2002 film based on the play of the same name, about the murder of matthew shepard. The play lays out viewpoints of different sorts of people in society in a way that is unbiased and yet encouraging of self reflection, and motivates change without actually calling for change. The laramie project study guide from litcharts the. The laramie project by moises kaufman and the tectonic theater project is a play that makes audiences shudder in horror and understand the true evil in the world. The laramie project, written by moises kaufman, is a compilation of interviews by the tectonic theater project, news publications, and journal entries. I think that kaufmans work can be analyzed quite effectively through the lens of social conflict.
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