Lakeland Players Partners with The Matthew Shepard Foundation for THE LARAMIE PROJECT

Lakeland Players will open its 2017/2018 season with the explosive drama The Laramie Project.

An evocative depiction of a town forced to face its loss of innocence in the aftermath of Matthew Shepard's 1998 murder, The Laramie Project plays Friday, October 13th-Sunday, October 15th and Friday, October 20th-Sunday, October 22nd at 7:30pm.

Performances will be held at Central United Methodist Church located at 3882 Highland Rd, Waterford Twp, MI 48328. Tickets are available now at http://www.lakelandplayers.net for $12, or $16 to donate to the Matthew Shepard foundation, and will also be sold at the door before each show with limited availability. An opportunity for dialogue with cast and crew is planned following each performance.

In October 1998, a young university student, Matthew Shepard, was brutally beaten, tied to a fence, and left to die outside the town of Laramie, Wyoming because he was gay. His death became a national symbol of intolerance and cast the eyes of the world on the small western town. According to playwright Moisés Kaufman, "There are moments in history when an event occurs, and the event is of such power that it operates as a lightning rod. It brings to the surface all the ideas, the beliefs, and the philosophies that are permeating people's lives. My idea was that if we went to Laramie and we interviewed the people of the town, we might be able to create a document not only about how Laramie was feeling, but about how the whole country was feeling and thinking and talking - not only about homosexuality, but also about class and education and violence."

Co-directors Melissa Dane (Keego Harbor) and Katie Cooper (Waterford), along with assistant director Noah Dunsmore (Pontiac), lead the cast of 18 through the deeply moving theatrical experience born of Kaufman and the Tectonic Theater Project's six trips to Laramie following Shepard's death, during which they conducted over 200 interviews with townspeople. The Laramie Project is a breathtaking collage that explores the depths to which humanity can sink and the heights of compassion of which we are capable.

Lakeland Players is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that has been producing live theater in the Oakland County area for over 50 years. Visit www.lakelandplayers.net for more information.

IF YOU GO:

THE LARAMIE PROJECT

Directors: Melissa Dane and Katie Cooper
Assistant Director: Noah Dunsmore

Featuring: Rita Chester, Justin Digue, Eric Easterday, Sean Harbert, Jake House, Creg Lyles, Maria Mikulec, David Pagac, John Pierre, Sage Robinson, Sarah Scales, Shane Snider, Chuck Storey, Jen Talas, John Tonkovich, Sarah Even Ullman, Alaina Vettraino, Antonio Vettraino

Location: Central United Methodist Church, 3882 Highland Rd, Waterford Twp, MI 48328
Dates: October 13th, 14th, 15th, 20th, 21st, 22nd
Curtain Time: 7:30pm
Parking: Free lighted parking is available

Tickets: $12, or $16 to donate to the Matthew Shepard foundation. Available now at www.lakelandplayers.net, also sold at the door before each show with limited availability.

For more information, go to www.lakelandplayers.net or email laramie@lakelandplayers.net