November 20, 2002

This field trip combined learners and staff from The Literacy Project's sites in Greenfield and Ware

The Laramie Project: A Play about Community and Hate Crimes

HOLYOKE COMMUNITY COLLEGE PRESENTS A PLAY ABOUT LARAMIE, WYOMING AFTER HATE CRIME HITS

Holyoke, MA- Holyoke Community College is proud to announce its fall, 2002 production - The Laramie Project, a play created by Moises Kaufman and the members of the Tectonic Theater Project from interviews of Laramie citizens.

The Laramie Project chronicles the life of the town of Laramie, Wyoming following the murder of Matthew Shepard who was kidnapped, severely beaten and left to die because he was gay. The play is a theatrical collage created from the 200 interviews of citizens and those directly related to the case that explores the failings and compassion capable in all of us. The HCC production of The Laramie Project is directed by HCC Faculty Member Patricia Sandoval.

According to Kaufman, as quoted by HBO.com, "This is not about the [Matthew Shepard] case. This is about the town: why did this happen here, what are people saying, how do they feel and think about what happened." He and four other members of NYC's Tectonic Theater Project traveled to Laramie to get these responses in November of 1998, just short time after the murder.

HCC's production of The Laramie Project runs Thu., Nov. 21 through Sun., Nov. 24, 8 p.m., except for a Sunday 2:30 p.m. matinee. General admission is $5, students and seniors are $3. Admission for the HCC community (students, staff, and faculty) is free. The HCC Alumni Association hosts a reception at the Friday performance, and the Fri., Nov. 22 performance will be sign language interpreted. Call (413) 552-2528 for reservations. For more information about The Laramie Project, please contact Jim Gemmell at 413-552-2259.