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  • 1.  Laramie Project

    Posted 06-02-2015 08:09

    Hi everyone--

    I am planning on producing The Laramie Project in November after nearly a decade of loving the play and hoping to find the right time and situation to produce it. I thought I would reach out to this community and ask if anyone has done it recently (or has fond memories of a not-so-recent production) and has thoughts you'd like to share about casting, projections, set design and most importantly, any service projects associated with your production.

    Thanks in advance.

    Jessica

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    Jessica Speck
    Drama Director

    Thomas S. Wootton HS

    Rockville, MD
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  • 2.  RE: Laramie Project

    Posted 06-03-2015 12:51

    Jessica:  I taught at a junior college not far from Laramie, I had students in the theatre department at the university, my wife worked at Poudre Valley hospital where Mathew died and at the original production at the University I sat next to Marge Murry (Reggie Fluty's mother) and Rebecca Hilliker is a good friend of mine.  I have vivid memories of my production of The Laramie Project.  I kept my set very simple.  I used gobo projections as part of the design.  One of my actors actually had telephone conversations with Doc O'Connor.

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    Richard Kuebler
    Twain Harte CA
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    Original Message


  • 3.  RE: Laramie Project

    Posted 06-04-2015 12:33

    Hi Jessica,

    We did Laramie this school year at my high school. Students did a fantastic job with it. I used my mixed level class, and split up characters between them (class of 23, each actor played 2-5 characters depending on their capabilities and need for acting stretch--lower levels may not have been cast with more taxing characters, while more advanced actors had the heavier roles requiring more complex character understanding). We did a two service-learning pieces, both were optional for cast, but were very valuable to students who chose to be involved. 1) students volunteered to help at the local PRIDE events in October--helping to set up booths and such. (It was interesting because the festival was protested by a local church's members, which brought home to them the moment in the play when Matt's funeral was protested) This also allowed us to advertise our show by wearing our show shirts and handing out flyers about our production. 2) We also held a panel discussion after a pay-what-you-can performance. Our area PFLAG and a local youth organization helped us to find panel members to speak to their personal experiences in school, and also where to find help and resources, including resources for students who may consider suicide or who find themselves homeless or who are bullied by school or by members of the family. We also had a member of our school district on the panel to speak about help available within the school system for students in these situations. It was interesting for everyone who stayed for the panel. My students really got a lot out of this production and their experiences with it. I hope yours do, too!

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    Linda Veneris
    Greensboro NC
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    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: Laramie Project

    Posted 12-15-2016 18:49
      |   view attached

    We just closed the Laramie Project last week, it was a truly wonderful experience and unfortunately all too relevant now a days . Happily we received really positive feedback from our audience members and the actors were committed to spreading the message. The rehearsal process was harrowing, no way around it, its a tough show. I think because we split the parts a bit more and double cast the show it was extra challenging but all the hard work was worth it.  

    As far as an service project, my kids started one dubbed the Laramie Project Project and we would love for you to join us! We are working to document 49 performances, staged or informal readings of The Laramie Project or Laramie 10 years Later  in honor of the lives lost this past summer in the Pulse shooting.  Check out our blog for details on how you can be a part of spreading hope and awareness! future. https://actingout4peaceblog.wordpress.com/Trial

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    Kirstin Lynch-Walsh
    Theatre Instructor & Director
    Gloucester County Institute of Technology School of Performing Arts
    ACTing Out Founder

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    Original Message