Theatre of Dare and Dare Arts Team Up to Stage ‘The Laramie Project’ for Pride Month

On October 6, 1998, a 21-year-old gay University of Wyoming student

named Matthew Shepard was brutally robbed, beaten, tortured and left to die tied to a split-rail fence outside of Laramie, Wyoming. Six days after the attack, Shepard died of his injuries.

The case brought worldwide media attention to Laramie, as much of the subsequent investigation centered around whether Shepard was targeted because of his sexual orientation. Among those coming to Wyoming were members of the Tectonic Theater Project, who conducted hundreds of interviews with townspeople over several years.

The result is The Laramie Project, a play that Theatre of Dare will be performing on

June 14 at 7 p.m. in Kitty Hawk as part of Dare Arts’ Pride Project.

“It’s about the tragic consequences of hate, both for the people involved and for the

community as a whole,” said director Mike Mazza. “From University students to first

responders to faith leaders, this hate crime had a profound effect on everyone in

Laramie. And the saddest part is, the play is still relevant today, a quarter century after it

was written.”

The play is being performed as a staged reading, which means the nine performers will

play a multitude of characters with scripts in hand. But that doesn’t lessen the emotional

impact of The Laramie Project, which alternates between shock and sadness to

determination and hope.

“Live theater is a powerful tool used to highlight diverse perspectives through the

performing arts," said Dare Arts Executive Director Jessica Sands. “We’re thrilled that

our partners at Theatre of Dare are bringing this groundbreaking play to the Outer

Banks.  It is the perfect representation of what our Pride Project is all about, a creative

platform for expression that elevates the artistic voices of the LGBTQ+ community."

The Dare Arts Pride Project is supported by the North Carolina Arts Council, a division

of the Department of Natural & Cultural Resources, and is also sponsored by the Outer

Banks Visitors Bureau.

In addition, a portion of the proceeds from this performance will go to The Trevor

Project, a nonprofit organization focused on suicide prevention for LGBTQ+ youth.

The staged reading of “The Laramie Project” will take place Saturday, June 14 at 7 p.m.

at Theatre of Dare, 3848 N. Croatan Highway in Kitty Hawk.

Tickets are available online at theatreofdareobx.com or at the door, subject to availability. This play is rated PG-13 for adult language and subject matter.

The views expressed in this program do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Dare Arts’ employees, the organization or affiliated entities.