The ensemble cast has been announced for The Laramie Project, the first Upper School Theater production in the new Huss Center auditorium.  Auditions were held on Sept. 21-22 and the list posted today. US Theater Director Eric Severson chose this production because he believes students at SPA have the potential to take on a production that chronicles global issues such as gender identity and difference. “We have the acting talent in our current theater students to handle this difficult and challenging script,” he said.

The Laramie Project revolves around the murder of gay student Matthew Shepard in 1998, perpetrated because of his sexual orientation. This crime brings attention to the lack of hate crime laws not only in Wyoming but nationwide.

“The script was created from over 200 interviews with the people of Laramie, Wyoming and those involved in the case.  Every word was spoken by a real person knowing it would be used in a theater production minus the text taken from news reports, court transcripts and police records,” Severson said.

The Laramie Project provides theater students with an education on the ensemble approach to performance, as there are no leads or supporting roles. Everyone plays multiple characters “but each person’s presence on that stage will enrich the production and the experience,” Severson said.

With over 70 characters in the production, Severson hopes to create a “beautiful, powerful, thought-provoking evening of theater.”

The Laramie Project performances will take place Nov. 20-21.  All performances are free.