On Oct. 7, 1998, in a Midwestern community reminiscent of Newburyport's small-town feel, Matthew Shepard, a gay college student, was kidnapped and tortured for his sexual orientation. Despite five days of intensive care and life support, the viciousness of the encounter in Laramie, Wyo., proved fatal.
Twelve years after the murder, Newburyport's P.O.V. Stage Company is bringing Shepard's story to the stage with its rendition of "The Laramie Project" at the Firehouse Center for the Arts.
"We've really wanted to do this play for years," P.O.V. co-founder Lisa Zaleski says.
Zaleski teamed with fellow Newburyport High School teacher Stephanie Williams in 2006 to launch P.O.V. Stage Company as a vehicle to highlight all points of view and produce thought-provoking theater. The two are co-directing the production of "Laramie Project," which opens tomorrow night for a two-week run. The production is represented in conjunction with the Newburyport High School Theater Department and the Firehouse.
"The messages in this play really meet our mission as a company," Williams says.
After efforts to stage the production on the 10th anniversary of Shepard's murder were unsuccessful, Zaleski and Williams returned to the production this year with a renewed determination to see it reach the stage.
"I love doing plays that have a social justice theme," Zaleski says. "I hope Newburyporters react positively and honestly."
While originally written for eight actors to portray 80 characters, P.O.V. has expanded the cast, drawing on the talents of 27 performers from the region, representing a broad range of ages and experience.
"We have professional actors to people on stage for the first time," Zaleski says. "It gives students an opportunity to be on stage with adults."
The ensemble includes Charles Van Eman, who has appeared in television shows such as "Prison Break," "One Tree Hill" and "CSI Miami;" Chuck Kennedy who owns a bed and breakfast on Water Street in Newburyport; and Newburyport City Councilor Ari Herzog.
Zaleski says she and Williams sought to find actors who reflected the real-life people of Laramie.
"We looked for skills and qualities that match the characters," she says.
Because "The Laramie Project" is based on transcribed interviews with residents of the small Wyoming town, actors were encouraged to research their characters to learn mannerisms, personalities and backgrounds beyond what they could glean from the script, Zaleski says.
Despite their own personal opinions on the Shepard case, she says some of the actors had to put aside any sympathy they had for the victim in order to realistically portray the polarization that resulted among the residents of Laramie following the murder that drew international attention.
More than a decade after Shepard's death, Zaleski thinks homophobia and hate still exist in American society.
"There are definitely people out there who see the story as negative or controversial," she says. "But everything we've heard about the play here in Newburyport has been positive."
The production won the financial support of the Newburyport Commission for Diversity and Tolerance, which awarded it a grant to help cover expenses.
Containing elements of inter-personal respect, "The Laramie Project" also dovetails with Newburyport Mayor Donna Holaday's anti-bullying campaign, which she introduced this year.
"Is there a difference between a college student being beaten to death for his sexual orientation in Laramie, Wyo., versus a high school student being bullied here in Newburyport?" says Herzog, who holds four roles in the play.
Holaday is expected to speak to the audience about her campaign prior to one of the performances during the run. P.O.V. is also looking to organize a formal discussion following the production to spark debate and gauge community tolerance, Zaleski says.
"A discussion would be positive for everyone — cast, directors, crew, audience, everyone," Herzog adds.
Though there is no on-stage violence, Zaleski says the language and references to violence central to the script lands "The Laramie Project" somewhere between a PG-13 and R rating. She believes the play is appropriate for high-schoolers, but says it should ultimately be a family decision.
"There are emotional moments, there are vulgar moments," Herzog says. "I can pretty much guarantee some people will cry."
While the play has encountered protest and criticism elsewhere, Zaleski and Williams aren't anticipating that here. But they also remain realistic in their goals to communicate social justice and tolerance through theater.
"I think people will react favorably and sensibly," Williams says. "But even in a community as open and accepting as Newburyport, there is still work to be done."
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