September 25, 2002

CSUS takes on The Laramie Project

California State University, Sacramento's theatre and dance department launches the first of 12 productions for the 2002 - 03 season with the powerful drama The Laramie Project. The play runs Oct. 10 - 13 and 17 - 20 in the Playwrights' Theatre in Shasta Hall. Curtain times are at 8 p.m., Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. matinees on Sundays.

The drama is based on the brutal murder of 21-year old Matthew Shepard - whose killers said they targeted him because of his homosexuality - in Laramie, Wyo. in 1998. Using excerpts from 200 in-depth interviews with the people of the town obtained in the months following the murders, Moises Kaufman and members of the Tectonic Theatre Project explore how Shepard's community dealt with the tragedy while confronting its own moral beliefs.

"I took my company to Laramie," Kaufman said in an interview with the Philadelphia Inquirer, "because I thought if we listened to the people of Laramie speak at this moment, we would not only find out about the town, but we would find something out about our nation, of how we are thinking about things that affect us all."

Under the direction of CSUS theatre professor Bob Smart, the production includes a small group of actors portraying more than 70 characters. The innovative production is structured in short scenes rather than traditional acts.

Tickets are $13 general and $8 for students, seniors and alumni. Tickets are available at the CSUS Tickets Office at 278-4323 and at Tickets.com at (916) 766-2277. For additional media assistance contact CSUS public affairs at (916) 278-6156.

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