“The Laramie Project” put on by the Anselmian Abbey Players radiated success. The opening night was sold out and the anticipation for the performance was strong. The expectation of the play was high, and the Abbey Players definitely rose to the occasion, reached their full potential, and put on a sensational show.
Saint Anselm College has continuously put on amazing shows. But, the Laramie Project is not like the others. The main theme circles around Matthew Sheppard, a gay college student who was brutally murdered. This seems unjust and just wrong; it’s crazy to think that such a crime was truly committed in 1998. At this point in history, more people were more frequently being truthful about their lifestyle and did not hide their sexuality. Homosexuality continues to be a controversial topic even in today’s society. Therefore, expectations were held high for this particular show.
Because the audience is not offered any previous information about the events that took place in Laramie, Wyoming, the performance relies on the talents of the actors to portray the story of Matthew Sheppard. I expected a rendition of the actual events that took place in Laramie; I anticipated seeing an actor playing the role of Matthew and a complete reenactment of the assault, murder, and funeral. Instead, it was a pleasant surprise to listen to all the testimonies of the people who actually knew Matthew.
The play was extremely insightful to the outlook of homosexuality in the Laramie community. There were many characters that supported Matthew, and there were others who were disgusted by the gay lifestyle. Specifically, many people did not agree with Matthew’s lifestyle and rioted outside of his wake and funeral. They made sure to voice their opinions and believed that Matthew deserved to die.
The particular scene depicting the priest picketing outside the wake of Matthew was extremely eye opening. It came as a surprise that a holy person would say such harsh words about someone who was just murdered in a hate crime. This truly portrays the corrupt beliefs of some people in this small town. The gay community was oppressed tremendously; they were expected to remain quiet about their life choices. Because Matthew was open about his gay life he was unfairly punished and paid the price with his life.
The actors completely transformed into whomever they were portraying. The emotions were real, and the actors maintained a brilliant connection with the audience. Full attention was given to the actor who was speaking on stage. The language was certainly harsh at times but caught the viewer’s attention; this is what made everything more realistic
The format was excellent and the simplicity of the cast and set made the audience focus more on the actors themselves and what they were saying. The Laramie Project is an excellent production and should be recommended to all.