The Spirit of Community Comes Alive through The Laramie Project
Students across the academic disciplines bring this special Winter Session student-theatre production to life, Jan. 27 – 31.By Megan Z. Shearin | January 19, 2010
Norfolk/Virginia Beach, Va. – The Theatre Department at Virginia Wesleyan College (VWC) presents The Laramie Project, January 27-30 at 8 p.m. and January 31 at 2 p.m., in the Hofheimer Theatre on the College campus. Admission: $10 Adults, $5 Students/Seniors/Military, and free to VWC students, faculty and staff. Reservations are strongly encouraged.
This special Winter Session production showcases a unique style of theatre called Documentary Theatre. Compiled by Moises Kaufman and the Tectonic Theatre Project, the script is drawn from more than 200 interviews and other found texts conducted in the wake of the beating and murder of Matthew Shepard, a gay student at the University of Wyoming. The play chronicles the struggle of the residents of Laramie as they deal with the crime and the worldwide scrutiny that followed.
The Laramie Project features a student acting ensemble playing 60 different roles, with each actor portraying at least six different roles.
Acting Ensemble:
Mariah Mueller-Brown ’13 from Woodbridge, Va. (Theatre)
Alumnus Luke Crownover ’09
Kim Fahle ’10 from Townsend, Mass. (Theatre and English)
Vincent Greer ’13 from Norfolk, Va. (Theatre and Business)
Kaitlin Harris ’12 from Virginia Beach, Va. (Education and English)
Alycia Mixon ’10 from Williamsburg, Va. (Criminal Justice)
Ed Phillips ’11 from Chesapeake, Va. (Communications)
Kyle Ulsh ’11 from Chesapeake, Va. (Theatre and Communications)
Katie Zitz ’11 from Alexandria, Va. (Theatre)
Assistant Director – Shannon Agostino ’10 from Virginia Beach, Va. (Business)
Costume and Makeup Designer – Lynea Cook ’10 from Newport News, Va. (Theatre)
Stage Manager – JC Caldwell ’11 from Chesapeake, Va. (Music)
Visual Effects Designer – Meghan See ’11 from Louisa, Va. (Theatre and Communications)
*Major(s) are denoted in parenthesis
“The student actors have worked extremely hard on this production, rehearsing an average of eight hours a day for three straight weeks,” said director and VWC’s assistant professor of theatre Dr. Travis Malone. “The Laramie Project is an inspirational story of love, hate, tolerance, intolerance, forgiveness, and true spirit of community,”
The theatre program at Virginia Wesleyan is a creative, yet challenging educational program. On stage and in the classroom, theatre students gain experience in virtually any and all aspects of theatre. Students encounter a wide variety of practical, theoretical, and critical perspectives on theatre and dramatic literature from Ancient Greece to the present. The multi-faceted nature of the program covers a variety of specialties to assist the artist in adapting to an exciting and fast-paced profession.
For more information or to make a reservation, please call 757.455.3381.
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