top of page
navacassie

Review: Theatre Department diminishes Laramie Project

An ambitious and thought-provoking contemporary classic comes to the Valley Theater Department.

By Asher Miles, Staff Writer

Sophomore theater major Edward Malcolm plays his character Doc O'Conner in the final moments of the Laramie Project in the Campus Center at Valley College on Nov.19. (Griffin O'Rourke | Valley Star)

Audience members at “The Laramie Project,” directed by Matthew McCray, experienced a befuddlement of comedy within a tragedy. Bizarre transitions, incongruous acting choices and a lack of a theater untethered the audience from the documentary-theater masterpiece.


Through the thought-provoking three-act play enveloping the premeditated 1998 murder of 21-year-old Matthew Shepard and the mixed response of his conservative Wyoming community, an ambitious attempt was made by the 14-person ensemble. "The Laramie Project” details a complex compilation of interviews conducted by Moisés Kaufman that investigates American attitudes about violence towards the LGBTQIA+ community and the difference between tolerance and acceptance.


“We need to move away from tolerance and towards acceptance, because you don’t tolerate people, you accept them. You tolerate a bad hair day,” Matthew’s mother, Judy, famously said on her tours raising awareness of her son’s murder.

Audience members take part in the interactive production by participating in a candlelight vigil for Matthew Shepard, during Valley's production of "The Laramie Project" on Nov. 19. (Griffin O'Rourke | Valley Star)

Due to construction delays, director McCray was forced to produce the show on the second floor of the 51-year-old building. While many can find faults in some of the green actors’ bold mistakes, shame on McCray for allowing the gaffes of the production to befuddle the weight of the histrionic masterpiece.


The immersive theatrical experience started in the courtyard and traveled through hallways and classrooms of the second floor. Actors missed their footing on stage boxes, patrons sat in the 54-degree makeshift theater and the playbill was only available digitally but electronic devices were banned during the play.


Valley’s underpowered, yet immersive, rendition of Kaufman’s documentary-play fell flat on a myriad of theatrical beats. Most notably, when the audience members were told details of Shepard’s torture, the Backstreet Boy’s 97’ hit “Everybody” blared on the speakers as actors danced and escorted the audience to the new location.


Bizarre and incongruous theater transitions aside, gut-wrenching performances from Sarah Grant, Sophie Haaland and Chevy Knight carried the three-hour show hosted in the transformed Campus Center.


Another outstanding moment took place in the northwest hallway as the audience members crowded together. A riveting scene of a hiker discovering Matthew’s beaten body culminated with impressive sound design, acting, and bold choices. The narration was palpable, tugging on all the heartstrings of the audience members.


Yet, much of the actor’s hard work to cultivate heartfelt emotions about a tragedy comes crashing down, during the intermission.


Certain actors were directed to fill the break with off-color ramble and out-of-character jokes that failed to reflect the somber tone of the piece, effectively removing the suspension of disbelief commonly found in the theater. Instead of the audience taking a moment to ruminate with the somber play, actors took the intermission and made caricatures of real people to try and make the audience laugh.


Better luck next time Valley Theatre Department.


16 Comments


BFVY IRTO
BFVY IRTO
2 days ago

代发外链 提权重点击找我;

游戏推广 游戏推广;

Fortune Tiger Fortune Tiger;

Fortune Tiger Slots Fortune…

谷歌马甲包/ 谷歌马甲包;

谷歌霸屏 谷歌霸屏;

מכונות ETPU מכונות ETPU;

;ماكينات اي تي بي…

آلات إي بي بي…

ETPU maşınları ETPU maşınları;

ETPUマシン ETPUマシン;

ETPU 기계 ETPU 기계;

Like

WKDU TRBD
WKDU TRBD
7 days ago

google seo google seo技术飞机TG-cheng716051;

03topgame 03topgame

gamesimes gamesimes;

Fortune Tiger Fortune Tiger;

Fortune Tiger Slots Fortune Tiger…

Fortune Tiger Fortune Tiger;

EPS машины EPS машины;

Fortune Tiger Fortune Tiger;

EPS Machine EPS Cutting Machine;

EPS Machine EPS and EPP…

EPP Machine EPP Shape Moulding…

EPS Machine EPS and EPP…

EPTU Machine ETPU Moulding Machine

EPS Machine EPS Cutting Machine;

Like

WKDU TRBD
WKDU TRBD
Dec 17

google seo google seo技术飞机TG-cheng716051;

03topgame 03topgame

gamesimes gamesimes;

Fortune Tiger Fortune Tiger;

Fortune Tiger Slots Fortune Tiger…

Fortune Tiger Fortune Tiger;

EPS машины EPS машины;

Fortune Tiger Fortune Tiger;

EPS Machine EPS Cutting Machine;

EPS Machine EPS and EPP…

EPP Machine EPP Shape Moulding…

EPS Machine EPS and EPP…

EPTU Machine ETPU Moulding Machine

EPS Machine EPS Cutting Machine;

Like

AVXJ KAZD
AVXJ KAZD
Dec 12

google 优化 seo技术+jingcheng-seo.com+秒收录;

Fortune Tiger Fortune Tiger;

Fortune Tiger Fortune Tiger;

Fortune Tiger Fortune Tiger;

Fortune Tiger Slots Fortune…

站群/ 站群

gamesimes gamesimes;

03topgame 03topgame

EPS Machine EPS Cutting…

EPS Machine EPS and…

EPP Machine EPP Shape…

Fortune Tiger Fortune Tiger;

betwin betwin;

777 777;

slots slots;

Fortune Tiger Fortune Tiger;

Like

bottom of page