Theatre to Stage Reading "Laramie Project" Epilogue Oct. 12

To commemorate the 10th anniversary of the "Laramie Project" premiere, members of Tectonic Theatre have created an epilogue for the original play that explores the continuing impact of the Matthew Shepherd murder.  The new piece draws from interviews not only with Laramie residents, but also with Shepherd's mother and his two convicted killers. 

The Tectonic Theatre will premiere "The Laramie Project: Ten Years Later" in New York City's Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts on Oct. 12.  On the same day, Illinois State University's School of Theatre will present one of the more than 100 staged readings throughout the United States and in other countries.  

The ISU production will be at 6:30 p.m. in Kemp Recital Hall and will be followed at about 8 with a talkback discussion between audience and members of the production team. Admission is free and open to the public.

The New York City-based Tectonic Theatre Project is perhaps best known for its 1999 version of "The Laramie Project."  The play explored the impact of the 1998 murder of Laramie, Wyo., resident Matthew Shepherd, an openly gay man whose death drew national attention to the threats of violence frequently faced by LGBT individuals.  Members of Tectonic Theatre created the play with materials collected through interviews with Laramie residents and others involved in the investigations and trials precipitated by Shepherd's murder.  In the years since its premiere, "The Laramie Project" has been widely produced by professional, amateur and educational theatre organizations around the country, including the ISU School of Theatre.