The Laramie Project

By Moisés Kaufman
and the Members of the Tectonic Theater Project

Director: Tina Thronson
Producers: Sue Winfield and Beckie McNair
Technical Director: Jimmy Gertzog
Stage Manager: Mike Mattheisen

In November 1998, ten New Yorkers from The Tectonic Theatre Project, set out for Laramie Wyoming, population 26,687, to explore a hate crime and the town in which it occurred. After interviewing more than 200 residents, they created a deeply moving docudrama about bigotry and tolerance, fear and courage, hate and hope. The Laramie Project chronicles the story of the tragic death of Matthew Shepard through the eyes and hearts of the town’s residents. As one critic put it, it uses the “…power of theatre to force us to face the unsettling questions about the potential for violence in even the most ordinary corners of the American landscape.”

The story is a very personal one to longstanding Providence Player Tina Thronson, who directed this production for the Players. Having lived in Laramie for 16 years before coming to Fairfax a year before Shepard’s death, Thronson strives to provide the Fairfax audience with a balanced retelling of the incident while displaying sensitivity for the community she left behind.

Film version debuted at the Sundance Film Festival and received 4 Emmy nominations in 2002.

PERFORMANCE DATES

Thursday, Friday and Saturday 7:30 p.m. Apr. 2, 3, 8, 9, 10, 16. 17, 2010
Sunday Matinees 2:00 p.m. Apr. 11, 2010

THE CAST

Baptist Minister’s Wife, Rulon Stacy, Arraignment Judge: Janet Bartelmay
Andy Paris, Jon Peacock: Tim Brown
Arraignment Judge (alternating with Janet Bartelmay): Gerry Connolly
Eileen Engen, Stephen Mead Johnson, Mormon Home Teacher: Smitty Connolly
Trish Stegar, Zubaida Ula, Email Writer, Newsperson 2: Zurii Conroy
Sgt. Hing, Doc O’Connor, Dr. Cantway, Fred Phelps, Dennis Sheppard: John Coscia
Father Roger, Rob DeBree, Bill McKinny: Mike Dazé
Moisés Kaufman, Greg Pierotti, Priest, Jonas Stonaker: Christian D. Faulkner
Barbara Pitts, Tiffany Edwards, Sherry Johnson, Trial Judge: Courtney Ferguson
April Silva, Jen, Newsperson, Kristin Price, Aaron Kreifels: Laura Fisher
Stephen Belber, Kerry Drake, Harry Woods: Mario Font
Narrator: Barbara Gertzog
Matt Galloway, Newsperson 4, Bailiff: Jimmy Gertzog
Reggie Fluty: Leta Hall
Rebecca Hilliker, Jeffrey Lockwood: Susan Kaplan
Debbie (waitress), Sherry Aanenson, Newsperson: Beckie McNair
Jedadiah Schultz, Phil Labrie, Newsperson 1, Russell Henderson: Ari Post
Aaron McKinney, Newsperson 3, Shadow: Dylan Rzepka
Philip Dubois, Gil Engen, Rev. Doug Laws, Matt Mickelson: David Schwartz
Amanda Gronich, Leigh Fondakowski, Anonymous, Murdock Cooper, Lucy Thompson: Gail Seavey
Alison Mears, Conrad Miller, Foreperson: Robbie Snow
Baptist Minister, gov. Geringer: Richard Vann
Marge Murray, Zackie Salmon: Beth Whitehead
Romaine Patterson, Shannon: Jacinta Williams
Catherine Connolly, Cal Rerucha: Sue Winfield

The Laramie Project- Cast and Director Tina Thronson

PRODUCTION TEAM

Director: Tina Thronson
Producers: Sue Winfield and Beckie McNair
Technical Director: Jimmy Gertzog
Technical Crew: Sarah Mourninghan, Jessica Pipes, Jason Damaso, Chip Gertzog
Stage Manager: Mike Mattheisen
Set Design and Construction: John Coscia
Set Construction Crew: Tim Brown, Tom Coscia, Patrick David, Jason Damaso, Laura Fisher, Mario Font, Joe Garguilo, Chip Gertzog, Jimmy Gertzog, Leta hall, Kevin Harnisch, Susan Kaplan, Beckie McNair, Mike Mattheisen, David Schwartz, Gail Seavey, Robbie Snow, Tina Thronson, Richard Vann, David Whitehead, Jacinta Williams, Sue Winfield
Set Decoration: Susan Kaplan
Properties: Susan Kaplan
Costume Design: Robbie Snow
Hair and Makeup Design: Beth Harrison and Robbie Snow
House Management: Ann and Matt Ames
Playbill: Ellen Burns
Playbill Advertising: Jayne Victor
Photographer: Chip Gertzog
Publicity: Chip Gertzog