Friday, March 5, 2010

The Laramie Project

I rarely feel strongly enough about a topic to write and essay about it, but this is one of those rare times.

The Laramie Project is a theater piece about the brutal beating of Matthew Shepard in Colorado, and his death from those injuries just a few days later. The key point to this is that Matthew Shepard was alleged to have been gay.

But that is not the reason I am writing this essay ... enough has been said about Matthew's murderers who will live out their natural lives in prison. What I am writing about is the fact that a local theater company is presenting a legitimate piece of theater about this event, The Laramie Project. And there is a church group  traveling all the way from Kansas to protest the presentation of this play. Can you imagine such a thing? A group of adults are so incensed about this play that they would take their kids out of school to go protest a play about a brutal murder? Maybe these wannabe "Christians" should re-read their Bible. Number one in the Ten Commandments is thou shalt not kill.  I do not remember any commandment that says thou shalt not love your fellow man.

At least some local kids are willing and able to protest against these protesters. I truly hope it remains peaceful even though some warped adults feel that murder of a child is justified. I am very proud of our local students who organized this Angel Action counter protest ... the students will wear large white wings and surround the dissenters.

It still boggles my mind; that a church group would protest against a play about a brutal and senseless murder.

Article from the Danbury News-Times:


Flock of 'angels' plan to surround picketers outside Brookfield play

Published: 10:45 p.m., Thursday, March 4, 2010
BROOKFIELD -- A group of protesters who plan to picket a play based on the murder of a gay man being staged at Brookfield Theatre for the Arts can expect to be the subject of a protest themselves.
More than 200 local students have signed up to wear tall wings made out of white sheets and to surround the protesters, blocking them from public view.
"I am hoping for a very positive and peaceful demonstration," organizer Timothy Breuer, a Brookfield High School senior, said in a Facebook message.
Members of the Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kan., plan to picket outside the theater at 182 Whisconier Road on March 13, when its last performance of "The Laramie Project" is scheduled.
The play is based on the murder of Matthew Shepard, a 21-year-old gay college student who was kidnapped, beaten and left to die in Laramie, Wyo., in 1998.
The playwrights -- Moises Kaufman and members of the Tectonic Theater Project -- conducted more than 200 interviews with residents of Laramie in the year after Shepard's death.
There will be seven protesters, said Shirley Phelps-Roper, a Westboro Baptist Church member. She said she has already booked her ticket to travel to Brookfield and plans to bring her 10th child, son Noah, 11.
"The message we bring is that because this nation has fully rebelled against the commandments of God and teach their children that God is a liar, your destruction is imminent," Phelps-Roper said in an e-mail.
According to the group's picketing schedule, church members are protesting events around the country, including a funeral and a Jewish carnival at a high school.
The local students are adopting the "Angel Action" tactic, the counterprotest strategy used when Westboro Baptist Church members protested at Shepard's murder trial. Romaine Patterson, who organized the first Angel Action protest, is the main character in "The Laramie Project."
"We are all attending because we love our community and want to send these people the message that they are not welcome and have no followers here," said Breuer, 18.
The play's director, Michael Burnett, said nether the theater nor the cast is focusing any energy on the possible pickets.
"This production deals with compassion and equality, and that is definitely the message and intent on which we are focused," Burnett said. "The best thing I think that people can do is to experience the production with us (and) see for themselves what it may inspire in their everyday lives."
Breuer said this is the first time he has organized a protest.
"I have strong opinions on many subjects, but the immense amount of hate this group preaches urged me to act instead of keep my opinions to myself," he said.
The event listing on Facebook has more than 200 confirmed participants. Most of the students are from Brookfield High School, but others are also coming from neighboring high schools, Western Connecticut State University and the University of Connecticut.
"Surprisingly enough, we as (administrators) of the Angel Action group only invited our friends on Facebook to join and nothing else," Brookfield High School student Eric Owen said in a Facebook message.
"No more than a day later, our group had spread very quickly to not only Brookfield students but to many local schools in the area and even in other states," Owen said.
"I am extremely proud that this group reached out to so many people, because it created a sense of unity between Brookfield, neighboring towns, and with individuals in other states who sadly can't attend the protest."
The play is recommended for audience members 13 years and older. Performances are Friday and Saturday and March 11, 12 and 13 at 8 p.m., plus a matinee this Sunday at 2. Tickets are $20 for general admission, $15 with a student I.D.