A message of hope during Pride
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This article was published 21/05/2019 (2384 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
A group of local actors is revisiting the real-life tragedy of Matthew Shepard during this year’s Pride Winnipeg festival.
Shepard was an openly gay university student who was murdered in Laramie, Wyo. in 1998.
Members of Meraki Theatre Productions presented The Laramie Project — a play written by Moisés Kaufman that addresses the hate crime and is based on interviews with those involved in the case — at Pride 2018. This year, the theatre company is hosting a five-show Manitoba premiere of The Laramie Project: 10 Years Later beginning May 28.
University of Winnipeg grad Taylor Gregory founded Meraki Productions last year with the goal of creating change and nurturing compassion. She was inspired to stage The Laramie Project at home after directing a version of the play on a teaching exchange in Greece.
“It reminded me of what an important story it is to tell,” Gregory said.
The sequel picks up Shepard’s story 10 years later and looks at the long-term effects of the hate crime.
“Audiences can expect a bit more of a message of hope — last year the show was quite heavy,” co-director Carly Rackal said. “There is a lot more hope surrounding what’s happened in the world and how people were able to move forward.”
One area of progress discussed in the play is the passing of the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act in 2009, which expanded hate crime legislation in the U.S. to include those motivated by sexual orientation and gender identity, among other things.
The production has more than 60 roles played by 10 actors, many of whom are involved in the U of W’s theatre program and with Pride Winnipeg.
“A lot of the cast members either have a connection with Pride or identify in the community and so it just felt close to everyone’s heart to do it around Pride time,” crew member Mackenzie Kolton said, adding that audience’s responded positively to last year’s show.
“Ignorance ends with education, so I think that every person, no matter what your background is, should see a show like this because I think it can really help you change your frame of mind.”
Kolton is part of the production team and plays the role of Catherine Connolly, an openly gay university professor who was elected to the Wyoming House of Representatives in 2008.
“Cathy is a really, really hard worker and focuses on pushing through even if there are things that limit her progress,” she said. “I think that I identify with that side of her character, so it’s been really neat to play her.”
Jacob Janzen plays three different roles in the show, two of which are at odds with each other. In some scenes he is playing Jonas Slonaker — a gay resident of Laramie — and in others he takes on the role of Russell Henderson — one of Matthew Shepard’s murderers.
“It’s such an interesting dichotomy because I’m playing one character who is part of a marginalized group and one character who marginalizes that group,” Janzen said. “As an actor, switching into a different headspace and doing a complete 180 is a whole new experience for me.”
Due to the difficult subject matter, the show is not recommended for audience members younger than 15 years of age, but Gregory is hoping to address some of the same topics through a Fringe Festival play called Quest this summer.
“I have so much experience working with youth and I really wanted to make a show that has similar messages of equality, diversity, compassion and acceptance for all,” she said.
The Laramie Project: 10 Years Later runs at the Rachel Browne Theatre (211 Bannatyne Ave.) from May 28 to June 1 at 7:30 p.m. nightly. Twenty-five per cent of the proceeds go towards The Get Real Manitoba youth drop-in that promotes inclusion and diversity in high schools.
Visit merakitheatre.com for more information.