Performing to a sold-out audience at Santa Monica’s Broad Stage, celebrities performers including Bradley Whitford, Mary McDonnell, Mary McCormack, Sharon Lawrence, Dan Guerrero, Doug Spearman joined actors from Speak Theatre Arts and members of the Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles in the world premiere of Moises Kaufman’s follow-up to Laramie Project, the story of Matthew Shepard’s murder.
“The performance was the perfect illustration of the need to bring all communities - gay, straight - together against hate”, said Liesel Reinhart, Co Director and GMCLA Board member. “We were proud to join 150 other cities around the country and the world to premiere this brilliant piece - and very proud to be the only company to add music:, added Rein hart.
“GMCLA uses music to hasten and end to homophobia;” said Hywel Sims, Executive Director of GMCLA, ”and our former Artistic Director, Bruce Mayhall did a brilliant job of choosing music which made this chilling story even more compelling. The Chorus - led by our Interim Director, Dominic Gregorio, performed beautifully.”
Among the musical selection chosen for the performance were ”Love is Love” and “What Matters” (words and music by Randi Driscoll), “Beautiful Child” by Rufus Wainwright, “Not Ready To Make Nice” by the Dixie Chicks and selections from songs by the Sons of the Pioneers (arranged for GMCLA by Scott Lavender).
The Laramie Project; Ten Years Later…an Epilogue was a co-presentation of GMCLA and The Broad Stage and produced in association with Speak Theatre Arts.
This single performance of The Laramie Project, Ten Years Later…an Epilogue by Moisés Kaufman and the Tectonic Theater Project was the only national staging of the work in this format. The new work premiered simultaneously as staged readings in 100 communities across America on the evening of the 11th anniversary of Shepard’s murder. The goal is to network, educate, debate, and inspire Americans to consider the conditions which led to Shepard’s death and to raise the collective consciousness of our society in matters of civil rights, violence and bigotry.
The Tectonic Theater Project returned to Laramie on the 10th Anniversary of the murder of 19 year old, gay college student, Matthew Shepard by two young men who encountered Shepard in a local bar. “Laramie Project, 10 Years Later…an Epilogue”, investigates the long-term cultural impact of the Shepard murder and the collective memory of the community a decade after the event.
Proceeds from the evening will benefit GMCLA’s AMP (Alive Music Project) a school-based program designed to combat bullying and violence against LGBT students.
More details of GMCLA can be found at www.gmcla.org.
To view images from the benefit, click below:
Photo Credits: Marc Colburn
From Left to Right:
9684 - Bradley Whitford (celeb guest), Liesel Reinhart (production director), Mary McCormack (celeb guest)
9685 - Randi Driscoll (recording artist), Sharon Lawrence (celeb guest), Bradley Whitford (celeb guest), Dominic Gregorio (GMCLA Interim Artistic Director), Mary McCormack (celeb guest)
9697 - Mary McDonnell (celeb guest) and Hywel Sims (GMCLA Executive Director)
9702 - Dominic Gregorio (GMCLA Interim Artistic Director), Mary McDonnell (celeb guest)
9706 - Mary McDonnell (celeb guest) and Scott Brick (actor)
