On Oct. 6, 1998, Matthew Shepard was brutally beaten, robbed and tied to a fencepost on the outskirts of Laramie, Wyo. Six days later, he succumbed to his injuries in a hospital in Fort Collins, Colo. 

The Tectonic Theater Project, headed by Moisés Kaufman, interviewed hundreds of subjects, witnesses and important people relating to the case of Shepard. 

In 2000, “The Laramie Project” premiered. Now, in 2024, Kelli Crump, visiting assistant professor of the Oakland University School of Music, Theatre and Dance, has put on a masterful performance that pays tribute not only to Matthew Shepard, but to recent victims of anti-LGBTQ+ hate. 

“The Laramie Project” is a unique type of play. It does not have a main character — Matthew Shepard is not even portrayed in the play — but it does require an ensemble cast that all play multiple, sometimes recurring, roles. 

“This entire show is like a huge acting exercise, almost,” cast-member Crystal Orser said. 

In the entire two hour and 30 minute runtime, I only felt the length of the play once — during the end. However, the stamina maintained by the cast was incredibly impressive and each member gave standout performances at one point during the play. 

From the opening scene, the mood was set. “In memory and in hope.” 

The somber, yet confident, cast and crew took this delicate and fragile story and transformed it with care in order to foster an environment that could relay a message to its audience: This story hasn’t ended yet. 

“We discovered that a lot of our students hadn’t heard about Matthew Shepard, didn’t know his name, hadn’t heard his story,” director Kelli Crump said. 

In light of the recent tragedy of queer and trans Oklahoma high school student 16-year-old Nex Benedict, I cannot help but draw parallels to the story of Shepard. 

Like Matthew, Benedict was also an out queer student in a state that has historically and presently treated people like them as “others.” Benedict was also beaten and left to their injuries, blacking out in the process. 

The controversial ruling of Benedict’s death by an Oklahoma medical examiner as “suicide” has led many to believe foul play was involved at not only local level, but the state level as well.

The head superintendent of Oklahoma has mandated anti-LGBTQ+ policies in Oklahoma schools, which activists believe to have contributed to Benedict’s bullying and altercation. 

Homophobia was discussed and was a main theme in the production. 

“In light of [queer joy] a lot of people forget about queer sorrow and queer struggle, to see students saying ‘this stuff doesn’t happen anymore’ and we get new stories like Nex Benedict — this does happen — homophobia is still very, very present. I think it is great that we are doing this show as it shows that there is still work to be done for the queer community,” cast member Zander Brown said. 

Overall, the long-winded, almost pseudo-documentary style of the play is a necessary moment in today’s culture. 

Since the beginning of the decade, hundreds of bills have been proposed and passed in states like Wyoming and Oklahoma that have targeted queer youth and queer adults. 

“The Laramie Project” is a shining bastion within a sea of gloom and doom — OU’s SMTD has put on a wonderful production and it is well worth it. 

Crump and a representative from the Rochester branch of the United Church of Christ held a brief candlelight vigil after the opening night performance on March 28 where respects were paid to those who were victims of anti-LGBTQ+ hate.

“We have the capability to help expose our students to these stories, let them know and encourage them to explore these stories and feel grounded and strong, to feel the strength of those stories — even though they are dark, they are necessary,” Crump said.

Tickets for “The Laramie Project” at the Varner Studio Theatre are on sale now and are running until April 7. 

Rating: 5/5 stars