From November 7 through 9 and again from November 13 through 15, the UIS Theatre Program staged The Laramie Project in the Visual and Performing Arts Building. Written in 2000 by Moises Kaufman, the play explores the town of Laramie, Wyoming, and centers on the true story of Matthew Shepard, a young gay University of Wyoming student who was kidnapped and murdered in 1998.

The UIS production was directed by Professor of Theatre Missy Thibodeaux Thompson, with set design and technical direction by Professor of Art, Music, and Theatre Dathan Powell.

Performed in the intimate setting of the Visual and Performing Arts Building, the production created a sense of closeness not only to the actors but also to the events themselves. With multiple performances throughout October and November, both students and community members had the opportunity to experience the show.

The play unfolds through a series of spoken word monologues and vignettes, each highlighting different people, their connections to Matthew Shepard, and their reactions to his murder. It blends solemnity with reflection, examining not only the brutality of the crime but also the complex social climate of Laramie in the late 1990s.

Matthew Shepard’s killing made national headlines and exposed the deep anti-LGBT sentiment that simmered beneath the surface of late nineties culture. Out of that tragedy came The Laramie Project, which has since become a significant cultural work for queer communities, particularly queer youth. The Matthew Shepard Foundation continues to advocate for equality, safety, and education in his memory.

“I believe The Laramie Project is an invaluable educational piece about how hate impacts society,” said Katie Hanna, Director of Programs for the Matthew Shepard Foundation. “It is a narrative about being targeted, hurt, assaulted, and murdered for being different or perceived as different. It tells the stories of real people who lived at the epicenter of one of the nation’s most heinous anti-gay hate crimes. Each company that produces this piece brings a fresh perspective and more voices to the effort to erase hate.”

Hanna noted that the Foundation has seen meaningful progress over the years. “One of the core missions from the start was to pass comprehensive hate crime legislation,” she said. “That was accomplished with the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, which President Obama signed into law on October 22, 2009.”

The UIS production demonstrated the power of art to confront violence, inspire empathy, and reflect how society has grown over the past twenty-seven years. The performance honored the legacy of Matthew Shepard and did justice to the profound impact of the work.