Newsweek too...

Newsweek had some great coverage of the event...

Excellent NPR news story about the event...

Discussion

Here is a link, as promised, to the post-show discussion...

Thanks

Thanks to everyone who attended the performance tonight. Upcoming will be pics and video. I will post a link to the talk back as soon as I get it. If you're interested in any background information or audience guides to the production, email Dan at dschultz@stephens.edu.

Keep checking the blog this week for all sorts of goodies!

One hour or so...

Coverage...

Should be some great coverage rolling in today... check out this article from Playbill.com!

International Coverage...

Here is a great newspaper article from The Star in Toronto about tomorrow's event.

Last rehearsal

We had our last rehearsal tonight in Windsor Auditorium. The show looks great and should really make people think. The actors are doing some extraordinary work. If you're in mid-Missouri tomorrow, come take part in this once-in-a-lifetime event.

See you tomorrow at 7:00!

Rehearsal video...

The cast has been hard at work... here's a short video of them talking about their experiences so far...

Rehearsal pics...

We moved into our performance space today. Windsor Auditorium is going to serve the show just great. Big thanks to Mike Burke, Ryan Zirngibl, and Louis Nevins for all their help getting us moved in. Here are a few pictures from our rehearsal today...













Alex Rodriguez














Sarah Stoss













Our stage management team, Laura Knutzen and Lia Neitzert

Ellen

Judy Shepard appeared on the Ellen show this week to talk about Matthew, her new book, and hate crime legislation. Thanks to Ashley for bringing this to our attention. Mrs. Shepard will be addressing the audience of The Laramie Project: 10 Years Later live via the web.

Plan on arriving around 7:00p.m. to make sure catch what she has to say...

LA Times article

Here is a great article that highlights the scope of the project we're undertaking. Make plans to see us Monday night!

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-ca-laramie11-2009oct11,0,2733126.story

New Video from the Company...

Jed

Really cool piece today from Jedediah Schultz, a former Laramie resident (who appears in both Laramie Projects) and is now an actor in New York City!

Moises Kaufman talks about the epilogue...

Here is video of epilogue author and mastermind Moises Kaufman talking about the project... He was working up the road at KC Rep in Into the Woods featuring Stephens grads Katie Karel and KC Comeaux...

Finally, some faces...

Here they are, the cast of Stephens' production of the Laramie Project epilogue at our first rehearsal!

They are Alaina Sharp, Ally Poole, Rhea Amos, Alex Molnar, Gillian West, Sarah Stoss, Jessica Gorman, Tiffany Brink, Alex Rodriguez, Sarah Casey and Stage Manager Laura Knutzen.

We'll be working all week in preparation for the show on Monday the 12th. Keep checking back here for interviews, videos of the cast in action, rehearsal photos and more information about the show. We'll also be tweeting a lot this week, make sure you check out our Twitter: StephensLaramie.

For those of you planning to join us on the 12th, the show starts at 7:30, but you should plan on arriving at 7:00PM so you can see our live feed from Lincoln Center. We'll link directly to the New York production hosted by Glenn Close. That night we'll hear from Matthew Shepard's mother and by Moises Kaufman, writer and director of the original Laramie Project. After our reading, we'll link back up with New York and participate in the nationwide talk-back.

Casting Announced

We had a fantastic audition this afternoon! A very special thank you to everyone who came out. This play could have been cast several different ways... and we may still add another actor to the company. We are lucky to have so many talented individuals in this program. With that, we are pleased to announce the Stephens College cast of The Laramie Project: Ten Years Later

Rhea Amos
Tiffany Brink
Sarah Casey
Jessica Gorman
Alex Molnar
Ally Poole
Alex Rodriguez
Alaina Sharp
Sarah Stoss
Gillian West

Rehearsals will begin tomorrow. We'll keep everyone posted on the show's progress.

More great coverage...

The great nationwide coverage just keeps on pouring in... Check out this from the AP.

Glenn Close

Glenn Close has agreed to host the New York production of The Laramie Project: Ten Years Later live from Lincoln Center! This is great news in terms of media exposure, of course, but it also demonstrates the power of theatre in creating dialogue -- even on a national scale. Greg Reiner, the Executive Director of Tectonic Theater Project says: "The interest and enthusiasm that the epilogue is receiving is very exciting and demonstrates to us the power the [Matthew] Shepard story still holds for people, as part of our collective history and as a lesson to all about homophobia, what is means to be gay in a small town and how stories must be re-told to ensure that the legacy of these kinds of incidents is correct. The Laramie Project: 10 Years Later will engage the audience as did the original, and we expect there will be many who are surprised to learn what Laramie is like a decade after Matt’s murder."

To read Playbill's coverage, click here.

Check out all the recent press The Laramie Project: 10 Years Later has been getting.

This is a great video with author Greg Pierotti about his experience.

Not only is Pierotti one of the writers, but he's also a character in the play. If you haven't seen our production of the original Laramie Project yet, make sure you check it out this weekend.

Also check out this great article that went out on the AP wire:

And in other really cool news, a resolution has been introduced on the floor of Congress honoring all the participants in The Laramie Project: Ten Years Later

You can read the full text of the resolution here.

Up and running...

While we're still in pre-production for the epilogue, our production of the original Laramie Project opened on Friday to a packed house. The show went great and the audience response was overwhelmingly positive. We have 3 shows left, Sunday at 2p.m., and this coming Friday and Saturday at 7:30p.m. Drop by and see what this incredible company is up to.

The theatre department and The Laramie Project have received some great coverage in the local media. Check out these links...

http://www.columbiatribune.com/news/2009/sep/27/stories-to-be-told/?arts

http://www.columbiamissourian.com/stories/2009/09/27/stephens-student-takes-laramie-project-heart/














Photo by Parker Eshelman at the Columbia Tribune











Also, The Laramie Project: Ten Years is in full swing across the country and around the world. The production just launched its online community. Check out community.laramieproject.org for more information about this once in a lifetime theatrical event.

Auditions for The Laramie Project: Ten Years Later will occur later this week. If you're a theatre major at Stephens College, keep checking the call board for more information.

We're still looking for a guest speaker for our talk back on Monday Oct. 12. If you, or someone you know, would be interested, drop Dan a line at dschultz@stephens.edu

Kicking off...

We're just about ready to kick off our production of The Laramie Project: Ten Years Later here at Stephens and couldn't be more excited. We're in a pretty unique position here in Columbia in that we're presenting a full production the original Laramie Project before presenting the epilogue. This gives the mid-Missouri audience a chance to experience both shows virtually back-to-back!

The assembled cast and crew of the original Laramie Project is doing amazing work. If you're in the Columbia area, please come and see what this incredible company is up to. The show opens this Friday. It runs Fri. and Sat. Sept. 25-26, Oct. 2-3 at 7:30p.m. and a Sunday matinee on Sunday September 27 at 2p.m.. Check out www.stephens.edu/performingarts for more information or call the box office at 573-876-7199.

The Laramie Project: Ten Years Later will be presented here on campus, as it will across the country, on October 12. Look for our production at 7:30p.m. in Windsor Auditorium at 1405 W. Broadway, about a block West of College Ave.. There is no charge for this special evening.

After the performance we're going to link in to the live talkback with the play's authors from New York's Lincoln Center. It should be an amazing evening. Come be a part of modern theatrical history.

Bookmark this page and keep checking back for updates... about the cast, about the crew, and about amazing night of theatre!

--Dan