VHHS THEATRE
All Tickets Available at vhfatickets.com
THE LARAMIE PROJECT
by Moises Kaufman
and the members of Tectonic Theater Project
April 25, 26, & 27 2024
7:00pm
Purpose and Impact
Tectonic Theater Project member Jeffrey LaHoste said, “It was clear that there was something in the words that people in Laramie shared with us...And it was fairly clear, even then, that the play should be about the town and not so much about the events. The events are part of the play. But the play is really a portrait of a town in the aftermath of a terrible crime and also terrible, unwanted attention being focused on it by the media.”
In 2009, Laramie resident Jedadiah Schultz said, "The play asks the same questions of the audience that Tectonic asked of me in the interviews: 'Why do you believe what you believe?' Theater at its best doesn’t tell us what to believe; it asks us why we believe it. It raises questions and moves us in new and hopefully positive directions. It creates conversations, begins a process of introspection and can even heal."
Cast and Crew Chat with Dennis Shepard
At the beginning of the rehearsal process, cast and crew of The Laramie Project were extremely fortunate to have a two hour Zoom call with Dennis Shepard, father of Matthew Shepard. This was an incredible experience where we were inspired and learned a lot.
His words were poignant. He told us, "Replace the identity, and it’s the same play: it’s about hate, discrimination, and how people treat people who are different."
They were enlightening: "For the most part in this country in 1998, people just ignored hate crimes and said the LGBTQ community brought it on themselves...For some reason, people did pick up on Matt’s story. He grew up in an iconic part of the country--Wyoming, hunting, fishing, raising horses...He was a blue eyed, blonde haired, white kid. If he had a different skin color, would we have heard of him? I can tell you emphatically we would not."
They were inspiring: "You are a national treasure. Your enthusiasm and ideas are what make this country the best one in the world. We want you to make the changes so everyone can succeed. You have your own goals and dreams. Don’t let [the haters] win."
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HOW DO I GET INVOLVED?
Crew information is coming soon!
Join the Backlight Google Classroom
Questions? Please contact Kevin.Phelan@d128.org
A NEW MUSICAL BY BACKLIGHT THEATRE COMPANY
Premired: May 21, 2021
VHHS Theatre featured on NPR
VHHS was set to perform Clue in front of a live audience, but when the quarantine began the rehearsals stopped. But the show must go on. With special permission from Broadway publishing, VHHS' Backlight Theatre will be presented a radio play version of Clue. This performance featured voices and music recorded from the homes of our ensemble. This was a very special recording. Due to publisher permission the perfornce was only avalible for one night.
For additional student and parent information such as Cast Lists, Rehearsal Calendars, and T-shirt Orders go the Backlight Webpage!
Want to get involved in theatre at VHHS?
Contact Kevin.Phelan@d128.org