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‘Laramie: Ten Years’ Later’ shouldn’t be missed
By STEPHANIE OTTEY
One month after the brutal murder of Matthew Shepard in 1998, Moises Kaufman and his theatrical group, Tectonic Theater Project, traveled to Laramie, Wyo. They interviewed residents, kept personal diaries, and observed the landscape of a community in tumult. Soon, “The Laramie Project” was born.
The documentary-style play, assembled from the notes taken and interviews recorded, became widely known as a sort of “activist piece,” and was used to promote the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people nationwide.
Ten years later, on the anniversary of Shepard’s death, Kaufman and his team returned to Laramie. They interviewed the same people, met some new ones as well, and documented the changes they noticed within the community. The results of their efforts were pieced together into “The Laramie Project: Ten Years Later,” which can be seen on the Kent-Trumbull stage.
This new script, also written by Kaufman, is stylistically similar to the original. The dialogue is conversational and human, the pace is brisk but not rushed, and the actors address the audience in a presentational style.
“Ten Years Later” touches on themes of forgiveness, denial, justice, ignorance and acceptance, but, unlike its predecessor, focuses primarily on change; the change that has been made, and the change still needed. Kaufman’s script is thought-provoking and emotionally moving, and Kent-Trumbull’s production allows his ideas to ring clear.
Director Daniel-Raymond Nadon has created a very special show, making the expert choice to keep things simple and thus, all the more profound. Only a handful of props are used, costumes are wonderfully casual, and nothing hinders or distorts the tragic, yet hopeful air of “Laramie.” Nadon’s staging flows cleanly, allowing the actors to act and emote without the burden of overly complicated movement. He displays a strong connection with the piece and leads his cast to make that connection as well.
The cast works as an ensemble. No actor outshines another, and they work together to hit the right emotional marks. It seems that the cast is as invested in “The Laramie Project” as the original Tectonic Theater gang, and the sincerity they bring to the stage is compelling. Marissa DeFrancesco, Beth Mauerman, Brandi Baker and Aaron James Brazofsky narrate clearly and stoically, generating a feeling of reverence throughout the show. This is maintained by performances from Noelle Bowles, Gabriel Cole, Miriam Cole, Hannah Gillespie, Shane Glaeser, Jacob Glosser, Christiana Ozimek and JoAnn Schuller.
Some of the most emotionally moving moments come from Linda Kay Newill, Pat Rogan and Ron Wolford. Wolford brings tears to the eyes as the sorrowful Dennis Shepard, and consoles and comforts as Father Roger. Rogan brings a splash of feistiness to the show with Marge Murray and captivates the audience as she testifies as a broken-hearted mother in Act 2. Newill offers hope and resolution as she recounts the changes that have been made since 1998.
David Ruple deserves a special recognition for tackling three of the most challenging roles; Russell Henderson — one of the boys who killed Shepard, Dave O’Malley — an officer who led in the murder investigation, and Moises Kaufman himself. Ruple handles these characters delicately, keeping them real, believable and most shockingly sympathetic.
The show is well cast, and Nadon also uses a simple maneuver to make one character stand out. While most of the actors play multiple parts, Shannon Smith is cast in only one role: Aaron McKinney, the boy who beat Matthew Shepard to death. His appearance in Act 2 is beautifully uncomfortable as the audience is suddenly surprised to see a brand-new face on stage. This simple trick enhances the discomfort the audience already is sure to feel with such a controversial character.
These performances are made more profound against a set designed by Leslie Brown. Brown’s set, as the rest of the production, is simple and solid. Some platforms, four chairs, four ramps and one bench create a flexible, blank canvas with scores of potential. A fence sits behind these pieces as a constant reminder of the catalyst, which propels “The Laramie Project,” making this one of the most poignant set designs to behold.
This show is highly different from much of the commercial feel-good theater that generates big audiences but deserves attention nonetheless. Not only is the production well-designed and expertly directed, but the thought-provoking nature of “The Laramie Project: Ten Years Later” makes this a show not to be missed.