The laramie project research for the the laramie project, moiscs kaufmans internationally successful play, began. It is a true story about the homophobic murder of mathew shepard. Related posts about the laramie project act 1, chapter 4 analysis. Bileric project matthew shepard, a 21yearold college student, is murdered on the outskirts of laramie, wyoming. Aaron kreifels character timeline in the laramie project. Oct 17, 2018 abundant thanks must be delivered to artistic director david drake, who invited leigh fondakowski here to direct the laramie project. The laramie project is the latest production from local theatre company, the ashton hayes theatre club. The laramie project act 1, chapter 4 analysis freebooksummary.
The laramie project at mclean high school dc metro. This october marks nineteen years since the death of matthew shepard. The laramie project is a docudrama, and kaufman wrote the play as if he were filming an actual documentary. Shepard, who is openly gay, is found brutally beaten, burned, and tied to a fence, where he hung, comatose, for some 18 hours before being found. The matthew shepard foundation supports dozens of productions of the laramie project and its epilogue the laramie project.
Oct 07, 2008 both galloway and kreifels are glad they were interviewed by the teutonic theatre project and playwright moises kaufman for the laramie project, because the play has taught so many people about. Aaron kreifels played with great sensitivity by roneet aliza rahamim is the stunned young student who happened upon matthew while bicycling along an unfamiliar path. Keeping matthew as the poster boy of gayhate crime and ignoring the full tragedy of. He gathered interviews, recorded reactions to the murder, and structured or formatted the play as if it was a reenactment not merely a. This play, an epilogue to the laramie project, is edited from those interviews as well as journal entries by members of the company and other found text. I also refound this section from an article by amy tigner in modern drama, 2002 titled the laramie project. The laramie project summary from litcharts the creators. Presently, after matthew, i would state that laramie is a town characterized by a mishap, a wrongdoing. Trumansburg hs drama tackles intense topic trumansburg. Thats what got her cast in the original stage production of the laramie project as, among other roles, teenager aaron kreifels, the bicyclist who found matthew shepard tied to a fence. Aaron discovered him almost by chance while he was biking. On september 12th, 2008, the members of tectonic theater project returned to laramie, wyoming, ten years after the murder of matthew shepard and conducted interviews with the people of the town. The laramie project is a masterful production of a powerful play and a must see theatrical event this summer.
Authors note by moises kaufman the laramie project was written through a unique collaboration by tectonic theatre project. The laramie project is a 2000 play by moises kaufman and members of the tectonic theater project specifically, leigh fondakowski, writerdirector. That is the only word to describe the feeling of walking out of the huss center after watching st. On october 7, 1998, aaron kreifels was riding his bike through a field in wyoming.
Character description, analysis and casting breakdown for actor 8 leigh fondakowski, zackie salmon, alison mears, romaine patterson, aaron kreifels, tiffany edwards from the laramie project. Stephen belber, greg pierotti, barbara pitts, stephen wangh, amanda gronich, sara lambert, john mcadams, maude mitchell, andy paris, and kelli simpkins about the reaction to the 1998 murder of gay university of wyoming student matthew shepard in. I think its pretty safe to say none of us knew what were getting ourselves into when we first auditioned for the laramie project. Hes a longtime supporter of the laramie project, but has also blogged positively about the book of matt. Filmography tucker james flash forward, ben kurtzman liberty heights, jason nelson family law, berke landers get over it, max warner boston public, aaron kreifels the laramie project, matt arnold big trouble, trevor adams bang bang youre dead, russell corwin six feet under, darren. After the residents of laramie introduce their town, members of tectonic theater project describe how the theater companys leader, moises kaufman, asked them to join him in laramie, wyoming. The laramie project is a 2000 theater production of the play by moises kaufman. The laramie project offers numbing truth the rubicon.
Nick garrison as aaron kreifels, the student who discovered matthew shepard tied to the fence. The laramie project is a galvanizing rite of theater. Aaron spotted what he initially thought was a scarecrow next to a fence. Reserve your tickets for the following performances. Judge jeffrey donnell, who presided over the trial of matthew shepards killer aaron mckinney. During the yearandahalf development of the play, members of the company and i traveled to laramie six times to conduct interviews with the people of the town. Anthony stratton the laramie project aaron kreifels monologue. Regarding costumes, all actors will be dressed very casually in clothes items that you would expect to see on the street ordinaryplain tshirts, jeans, shorts, skirts. Suspects aaron mckinney and russell henderson were arrested shortly after the.
Erin dillon, center front, has help holding up her wings as she and donovan harris, left, and catherine moddes portray angels as jesus puente looks on in a scene from the laramie project at. Aaron james mckinney aaron kreifels aaron mckinney alison mears amanda gronich andy paris angels in america baptist minister bill mckinney cantway catherine connolly church death penalty denver doc oconnor eileen engen ensemble father roger schmit fence fireside fred phelps. The laramie project is one of the most frequently performed plays in america, as its messages still resonate with audiences today. The character of aaron kreifels in the laramie project. The laramie project plot summary, character breakdowns, context and analysis. The truth behind americas most famous gayhate murder world. I needed this book for my uni course i had to read it then write a 3000 word essay on verbatim theatre.
The laramie project is a play that attempts to examine the aftermath in laramie, wyoming, of murdered college student, matthew shephard. The severity of their assault on matthew is clarified from the meetings with aaron kreifels, reggie fluty and dr. Aaron kreifels, a kid, was lost while taking a ride out of town on his bike at dusk. Exactly a decade ago, matt galloway and aaron kreifels both. Paul academy and summit schools production of the laramie project. The laramie project 10jan2002 aaron kreifels get over it 9mar2001 berke liberty heights 17nov1999. The laramie project is a 2000 play by moises kaufman and members of the tectonic theater. Lyric arts theater kicksoff new season with the laramie. Summary of the tectonic theater project 725 words bartleby. Facebook gives people the power to share and makes the world more open and connected. If you would have asked me previously, i would have let you know, laramie is an excellent town, segregated enough that you can have your own character a town with a solid feeling of network. Join stageagent today and unlock amazing theatre resources and. True the laramie project is fictional, inspired by an event moises kaufman read about in the newspaper.
Our teacher edition on the laramie project can help. The three trials of oscar wilde, and the laramie project which he cowrote with the members of tectonic theater have been among the most performed plays in america over the last decade. I basically bought this to use as a case study for an upcoming college exam in moral theology. Moises kaufman and the members of the tectonic theatre company traveled to laramie to conduct interviews with the residents, police personnel, and other members of the laramie community. May 19, 2000 the laramie project, which has been overseen by the director and writer moises kaufman, the inspired talent behind gross indecency. Aaron kreifels will wear simply jeans and a tshirt. The tectonic theatre project, a company based in new york city, traveled to laramie, where they interviewed several townspeople and recorded their stories. The laramie project now playing at the union square theatre in new york, is the joint product of the directorplaywright moises kaufman and a group of eight lively actors who call themselves the tectonic theatre project ttp. One that opens your eyes, and has you sitting on the edge of. The character of aaron mckinney in the laramie project from. The the laramie project community note includes chapterbychapter summary and analysis, character list, theme list, historical context, author biography and quizzes written by community members like you. Wes cameron greg pierrotti aaron kreifels russell henderson shannon.
Members of kaufmans the 2000 atrical group, tectonic theater project, volunteered to travel with their director from new york city. Greg is a member of tectonic theater project who went to laramie to collect interviews and help with the writing of the play. The laramie project was performed at the huss center for performing arts on nov. The laramie project tv movie 2002 cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. He was riding his bike the night matt shepard was murdered. Join stageagent today and unlock amazing theatre resources and opportunities. The laramie project at music mountain theatre is based on interviews of residents in laramie, wyoming, after the murder of matthew shepard. The laramie project emerged from a series of interviews with residents. He gives a moving characterization of a quirky aaron kreifels, who found matts body on the barbed wire fence on a. The laramie project on stage at visalia community players. Ben foster is the american actor who played bertrand zobrist in the film adaptation of inferno. Freebooksummary offers study guides on over top books from students curricula.
The acma theatre company opens its 201819 season with the laramie project, a play about the murder of gay college student matthew shepard in oct. Over the following days, months, the quiet city of laramie, wyoming struggles to come to grips with the 1998 murder of gay college student matthew shepard in st. The character of aaron kreifels in the laramie project from. Shepard was found 18 hours later by laramie resident, aaron kreifels, who was biking through the mountains. Wesley morris claims that the books mislaid, your face in mine, the sellout, and loving day wrestle with race as both a fact as well as a mutable obscure construction.
The laramie project is set in and around laramie, wyoming. Moises kaufman is a tony and emmynominated director and playwright, and the cofounder and artistic director of tectonic theater project. A western pastoral that discusses kreifels as a kind of hero in the plays western narrative. Both galloway and kreifels are glad they were interviewed by the teutonic theatre project and playwright moises kaufman for the laramie project, because the play has taught so. Reason aaron kreifels believes god wanted him to find matt shepard. Thats a new, 90minute epilogue to the the laramie project, a landmark, denver centerborn play developed from interviews conducted by new yorks tectonic theatre project after the 1998. Although far from perfect, this is a well acted and directed docu drama that tells a remarkable true story. The laramie project is the movie to watch on the matthew shepard ordeal. The laramie project research for the the laramie project, moiscs kaufmans internationally successful play, began moises kaufman one month after a horrific crime occurred in the city of laramie, wyoming. Cantway, matt mickelson, russell henderson, aaron mckinney, philip dubois, kerry drake the laramie project play. The laramie project is a glaad media award nominated theater production. Excerpts from the laramie project at zach theatre duration. Join facebook to connect with aaron mann and others you may know. In october 1998, shepard, then 21, was a firstyear college student at university of wyoming.
The laramie project is a docudrama created by the tectonic theater project in search of answers. Finding mathew shepard this is the climatic turning point in act 1 where college studentcyclist aaron kreifels finds mathew shepards body tied to a fence along the outskirts of laramie, wyoming. The lyric arts main street stage is kicking off its 202014. You know that feeling you get when youve just binge watched a really good netflix documentary. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one. Laramie project at music mountain theatre delves into. Ten years after was new to me, and i enjoyed it almost as much as the original. Research for the the laramie project, moises kaufmans.
Matthew shepards life, death, trial, and its aftermath have inspired numerous works, including documentary and narrative films and television shows, stage plays such as the laramie project, and musical and written works. In the laramie project by moises kaufman, one of the company members leigh fondakowski interviewed aaron kreifels, the guys who found my body, his description of the morning that he found my body on the fence was so touching. The the laramie project quotes below are all either spoken by aaron kreifels or refer to aaron kreifels. The contrast between who the two murderers had become was striking, and the whole thing was one long lightbulb moment of oh, thats how my classmates all had such terrible opinions in 2006. This weekend starts a new chapter for a longtime theater in downtown anoka. Twentyeight members of the trumansburg high school drama club will be portraying 70 characters in the presentation of the laramie project on dec. The play covers many of the issues i intend to focus on ie. A deep and emotional nontraditional play, it explores the depths to which humanity can sinkand the tolerance, understanding, and. Senior leo grandinetti effectively depicts a soulsearching aaron kreifels, who was mountain biking when he found shepard. Aaron kreifels aaron is a student at the university of wyoming. By accident, he hit a rock and catapulted over the handlebars. The laramie project is a masterful production of a.
Matthew was beaten by two assailants, aaron mckinney and russell. It was in the bar that the accused murderers, aaron mckinney and. The laramie project is a series of wordforword reallife interviews conducted with people in the town of wyoming. The laramie project takes on particular significance in light of a book published in 20, which claimed shepards death was not motivated by homophobia. Laramie project support matthew shepard foundation.
The truth behind americas most famous gayhate murder. At 6 foot 1 with closecropped hair, kelli simpkins has what she calls a masculine presence. Keeping matthew as the poster boy of gayhate crime and ignoring the full tragedy of his story has been the agenda of many gaymovement leaders, he says. It is both a retelling of the events that transpired and a portrait of the residents and town of laramie in the year following matthews murder. 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. Selected monologues from the laramie project including video examples, context and character information. Fondakowski is one of the group of tectonic theater project members who journeyed to laramie, wyo.
The laramie project matthews story as told through interviews. What i find sort of interesting is that, i dont think ive felt as close to the aaron kreifels monologue since the first time i read it at the audition, until two days ago. He wasnt expecting that day to be different from any other beautiful sunny afternoon in the vast plains surrounding laramie, but that day would change many lives. Oct 12, 2009 ten years later, the matthew shepard story retold the 1999 play the laramie project explores the true story surrounding the death of matthew shepard, a young gay man who was beaten and left to. 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. Cindy bower eileen engen marge murray waitress judge pp. Apr 06, 2011 i think its pretty safe to say none of us knew what were getting ourselves into when we first auditioned for the laramie project. Oct 26, 2014 hes a longtime supporter of the laramie project, but has also blogged positively about the book of matt. Aaron was a man born and raised in laramie and he was known as being a. Laramie project scene breakdown character breakdown aaron kreifels sri kaushik aaron mckinney benjy cunningham alison mears zoe chase amanda gronich isabelle luongo andrew gomez james boyle andy paris benjy cunningham anonymous kate macauley april silva miranda brown. Aaron is a laramie resident who found matt tied to the fence. Those interviews became the backbone of the laramie project, a readers theatre that explores life in laramie.