Fullerton College Theatre Brings Sequel of "The Laramie Project" to Orange County in "Epilogue"
Fullerton College will present 3 staged readings of "The Laramie Project: 10 Years Later, An Epilogue" as part of a nationwide premier and will open its theatre to the public with free admission.
Online, September 23, 2009 (Newswire.com) - On October 12th, 2009 Fullerton College will be one of 100 nationwide participants premiering a staged reading of "The Laramie Project: 10 Years Later, An Epilogue", a sequel to the original HBO presentation "The Laramie Project" produced by Tectonic Theatre Project. This date marks the 11th anniversary of the death of Matthew Shepard, whose murder is that on which the production is based. Staged readings will be performed by city and academic leaders, faculty, community members and current and former FC students. There will be three readings in the Campus Theatre on October 12th: 9:00 a.m., 12:00 noon, and 7:00 p.m. . Following the 7:00 p.m. reading, there will be a candlelight vigil held on the Fullerton College Quad in remembrance of those lost to hate crimes and violence. Admission is free.
"We are thrilled to bring this epilogue to "The Laramie Project" to Fullerton College," said Bob Jensen, Dean of Fullerton College Fine Arts. "This important piece of American theater tells a universal human story and has been a transformative experience for the cast and audience," continued Bob. "Our hope is that the epilogue helps us better understand the impact of Matthew's death as well as provide truth and context as this piece of American history is retold to a new generations," concluded Bob
On October 6th of 1998, college student Matthew Shepard was beaten and left to die tied to a fence in the outskirts of Laramie, Wyoming. He died 6 days later. His murder became a watershed historical moment in America that highlighted the violence and prejudice lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people face.
A month after the murder, the members of Tectonic Theater Project traveled to Laramie and conducted interviews with the people of the town. From these interviews they wrote the play "The Laramie Project", which they later made into a film for HBO. The piece has been seen by more than 50 million people around the country.
"Epilogue" is the return of the members of Tectonic Theatre Project to Laramie, 10 years after the murder. They examine and document how the community has changed, how it remains the same and, through multiple interviews, including Matthew's mother Judy Shepard and Matthew's murderer Aaron McKinney, how they each continue to deal with the effects the murder has had on their town, their community and their lives.
NOTE:
Fullerton College will also be presenting a film screening and post film discussion of the original "The Laramie Project" on Sept. 30, in the Wilshire Auditorium located at 315 E. Wilshire Ave, Fullerton, CA 92832 across from the main Fullerton College campus. Admission is free. Screening begins at 7:00p.m.
The Fullerton College is located at 321 E. Chapman Ave. Fullerton, CA 92832. Tickets are free but reservations are required. Please call our Box Office at 714-992-7150 for tickets.
Visit Fullerton College Theatre for more info and additional events.