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Oct. 13th, 2009 03:34 pmYesterday marked the 11 year anniversary of the death of Matthew Shepard. For those who don't know, Matthew Shepard was a college student at the University of Wyoming in Laramie. On October 6, 1998, Matthew Shepard was taken from a local bar, tied to a fence post, beaten with a gun, and left to die. The next day, he was found and rushed to the hospital. Six days later, Matthew Shepard died without ever regaining consciousness. Moises Kaufman and the Tectonic Theatre Project went to Laramie in the days and months following Matthew Shepard's murder to interview the residents of the town. These interviews were turned into a play, and later an HBO miniseries, entitled The Laramie Project.
I was eight when Matthew Shepard died. I don't remember much; I think I saw the candlelight vigil on television, but I could just be incorporating what I know now into my memories of then. However, I discovered The Laramie Project in high school and have been touched by Matthew's story ever since.
Last night on the eleventh anniversary of Matthew's death, a reading of The Laramie Project: Ten Years Later was performed in 130 theatres nationwide. The play follows the Tectonic Theatre Company as they return to Laramie ten years later. It deals with the disasterous 2004 20/20 special about the murder which claimed Matthew's death was not fueled by homophobia, but by drugs; the election of Wyoming's first openly gay state legislature and her experiences with the defense of marriage resolution in Wyoming; the impact of the murder on the town, specifically the university; and Judy Shepard's activism.
I saw the reading at the Ensemble Theatre of Cincinnati. The entire reading was superb, but there were three moments that vividly stood out to me. First was the recounting of the debate in the Wyoming House regarding the defense of marriage proposal. While the debate began with no hope of defeating the bill and with a Republican congressman arguing that children from married homes with one man and one woman grow up happier, better behaved, smarter, etc...(same bull we have heard before), the tone changed as two Republicans then gave speeches opposing the bill. The first talked about his gay daughter, and how he could not vote for a bill that made her less of a person than she is. The second began "We are the state of Matthew Shepard and Brokeback Mountain, but we are also the state of the first female legislature..." Both were amazing inclusions into the show. (BTW: The bill was defeated 35-25).
The second moment began the second act, an interview with Russell Henderson, one of Matthew Shepard's murderers. Russell genuinely seems full of remorse. Our understanding of the murder is that Henderson was following Aaron McKinney. This does not excuse what Henderson did, not at all. However, you do walk away feeling sorry for him and wondering where exactly we went wrong that he got caught up in something like this.
Aaron McKinney is also interviewed in the piece. He comes off decidedly less well that Henderson. McKinney's changing story (from homophobia to drugs to robbery) constantly comes off as fake. He is interested in the Nazis, and, while he would like to goes to Germany, admits that he could be arrested for some of his tattoos while there (swastikas on his arms and NAZI written in Old English type on his lower back). McKinney's interview gives the impression that he is beyond hope. He is someone you want locked away.
The third moment in the play is Judy Shepard's interview with the company. She talks about why she transformed from a very private person at the trial to the public figure she now is with her activism work. She talks about her family's decision to request the removal of the death penalty in McKinney's sentencing. Perhaps most powerfully, Judy Shepard talks about the hopelessness she feels in some of the activism work. Ten years later, she says, and we still don't have a hate crimes bill passed.
Overall, this new epilogue for The Laramie Project is very powerful. I feel lucky to have seen it. It reminds us for the need for something to be done, whether that is hate crimes legislation or something different. Don't forget, homophobic hate crimes did not end with Matthew Shepard. Last year alone there were over 1400 hate crimes against sexual minorities. Something must be done.
I was eight when Matthew Shepard died. I don't remember much; I think I saw the candlelight vigil on television, but I could just be incorporating what I know now into my memories of then. However, I discovered The Laramie Project in high school and have been touched by Matthew's story ever since.
Last night on the eleventh anniversary of Matthew's death, a reading of The Laramie Project: Ten Years Later was performed in 130 theatres nationwide. The play follows the Tectonic Theatre Company as they return to Laramie ten years later. It deals with the disasterous 2004 20/20 special about the murder which claimed Matthew's death was not fueled by homophobia, but by drugs; the election of Wyoming's first openly gay state legislature and her experiences with the defense of marriage resolution in Wyoming; the impact of the murder on the town, specifically the university; and Judy Shepard's activism.
I saw the reading at the Ensemble Theatre of Cincinnati. The entire reading was superb, but there were three moments that vividly stood out to me. First was the recounting of the debate in the Wyoming House regarding the defense of marriage proposal. While the debate began with no hope of defeating the bill and with a Republican congressman arguing that children from married homes with one man and one woman grow up happier, better behaved, smarter, etc...(same bull we have heard before), the tone changed as two Republicans then gave speeches opposing the bill. The first talked about his gay daughter, and how he could not vote for a bill that made her less of a person than she is. The second began "We are the state of Matthew Shepard and Brokeback Mountain, but we are also the state of the first female legislature..." Both were amazing inclusions into the show. (BTW: The bill was defeated 35-25).
The second moment began the second act, an interview with Russell Henderson, one of Matthew Shepard's murderers. Russell genuinely seems full of remorse. Our understanding of the murder is that Henderson was following Aaron McKinney. This does not excuse what Henderson did, not at all. However, you do walk away feeling sorry for him and wondering where exactly we went wrong that he got caught up in something like this.
Aaron McKinney is also interviewed in the piece. He comes off decidedly less well that Henderson. McKinney's changing story (from homophobia to drugs to robbery) constantly comes off as fake. He is interested in the Nazis, and, while he would like to goes to Germany, admits that he could be arrested for some of his tattoos while there (swastikas on his arms and NAZI written in Old English type on his lower back). McKinney's interview gives the impression that he is beyond hope. He is someone you want locked away.
The third moment in the play is Judy Shepard's interview with the company. She talks about why she transformed from a very private person at the trial to the public figure she now is with her activism work. She talks about her family's decision to request the removal of the death penalty in McKinney's sentencing. Perhaps most powerfully, Judy Shepard talks about the hopelessness she feels in some of the activism work. Ten years later, she says, and we still don't have a hate crimes bill passed.
Overall, this new epilogue for The Laramie Project is very powerful. I feel lucky to have seen it. It reminds us for the need for something to be done, whether that is hate crimes legislation or something different. Don't forget, homophobic hate crimes did not end with Matthew Shepard. Last year alone there were over 1400 hate crimes against sexual minorities. Something must be done.