The Laramie Project is something far more than a piece of theater. Watching Second Chance Players’ production on opening night last Thursday in this political climate reminded me that Moisés Kaufman’s docu-play is both an act of remembrance and resilience. On its 25th anniversary, The Laramie Project remains as powerful and poignant as ever. Under Bill Shea’s direction, the SCP ensemble delivered a portrait of grief, phobia and love with a distinct reverence to the source material. Ed. note: Dallas Voice is a season sponsor of Second Chance Players.
Kaufman and members of Tectonic Theater Project crafted a script built entirely from interviews with the residents of Laramie, Wyoming, following the 1998 hate crime and murder of Matthew Shepard, a gay University of Wyoming student. Upon meeting Aaron McKinney and Russell Henderson in a local bar, Shepard was beaten and tied to a fence left to die. The two were arrested shortly after the attack and charged with first-degree murder following Shepard’s death. The play centers on the aftermath of the crime and ultimately the trial of both killers.
Staged in the round at Horizon Unitarian Universalist Church, the production mixed an engaging set with a versatile cast for a dynamic result. At the center of the space is “the fence” which was a stark introduction to the play before it even began. Both a monument to Shepard as well as a chilling reminder of the ordeal, it was an effective touch by set designer Caleb Ross who also served as assistant director and lighting designer.
Laramie relies heavily on the cast’s conviction to the words of these real life characters and the multiple roles each of the eight actors play. Each actor seamlessly shifted between multiple roles through minor adjustments in their tone, walk, dress or a prop to access another character. The fluidity was demanding and no actor faltered in their switches. .Their portrayals were handled with distinct characterization and emotional truth that it was easy to grasp who they were playing – albeit each change was often preceded by a spoken announcement of who’s speaking.
While each actor succeeded in their parts, Shae Hardwick’s performance was of particular note. His characters were perhaps the most colorful but he delivered on all of them with compelling nature. Being that this was Josh Bloyd’s first role since high school, his portrayals were all played with a quiet elegance. Winta Berhane served a mix of understatement and trepidation among her characters which fit them ideally, but still such solid portrayals.
It would be fair to say Ben McElroy is not always a subtle actor and yet, he still used his bigger than life presence to his advantage and fused a sincerity in his varied parts. Bailey Watson was a delight mostly as the police officer who first saw Matthew on the fence. Amid her roles, that was a showcase of her talents. Martin Antonio Guerra brought a gravitas to the show primarily as Moises Kaufman.
Corinne Christopher gave a lovely performance landing steadfastly on the midwest vibes of her roles. The same for Sydney Lefkof, particularly as the territorial Laramie journalist now inundated with reporters from everywhere else.
This cast was beautifully in sync with one another that added to the hometown feels of Laramie’s residents and its outsiders.
Shea’s focused direction flowed with deliberate pacing. While Laramie’s premise was focused on a tragedy, the play’s structure has a somewhat monotonous affect. There weren’t highs and lows, but Shea and the cast still served more emotional and heavier moments with impact that were peppered with tender and even humorous moments.
The play incorporated multimedia that helped put a real face to a name as well as label each vignette. These surrounded the set and the audience but often proved more of a distraction than guide. Seeing the real faces almost took away from the performances and despite one screen directly in front of me, I found I appreciated the stage action wholly without the visual references to the actual people.
The Laramie Project was a profound and rewarding experience by SCP. It would be easy to write nine more paragraphs on its historical importance and the lessons to take away from it today. But instead, the show’s lasting power worked well with SCP’s attention to its relevance, challenges and reflection.
The show runs through Nov. 23.
–Rich Lopez