'The Laramie Project: Ten Years Later' at SHU — A Review

Dedicated to the memory of Matthew Shepard and the strength of his mother Judy Shepard

Fairfield, CT - The talented students of the Sacred Heart University Theatre Arts Program have opened their season with a most impressive production of THE LARAMIE PROJECT: TEN YEARS LATER. This piece, written by Moises Kaufman, Leigh Fondakowski, Greg Pierotti, Andy Paris and Stephen Belber, is a sequel to the important work THE LARAMIE PROJECT. The sequel was developed by the Tectonic Theater Project.

Full disclosure: This reviewer is a graduate of Sacred Heart University, a co-valedictorian of the class of 1981 who returned to earn my MAT in 1989. There was not a theatre department when I was on the campus as a commuter student, nor were there any dorms. I am proud to say that I attended this university where this theatre department is thriving and I am honored that the production team allows this alum to attend their always impressive productions for my review.

“LARAMIE is the story of an American town but it is also the story of ordinary Americans who created a conversation unlike any that had happened up to that point in history. These were ordinary people who faced extraordinary circumstances. Matthew Shepard’s murder was a moment in history that revealed both the best and worst in human character experience.” - Moises Kaufman, Leigh Fondakowski, Tectonic Theater Project

TEN YEARS LATER is presented in The Little Theatre in the main building of the SHU campus which has been flipped for the performances. That means that the audience is seated on raised platforms built on three sides of the small space that previously served as the SHU chapel, including the area that is normally the stage of the black box. While it was relatively easy to navigate the stairs to the upper seats, the seating was extremely tight for most of the audience members and the temperature in the black box was very warm. I pitied the spot light operators seated in the upper corners of the house, but their uncomfortably warm perches did not prevent them from lighting the space most beautifully. A shout out to Justyna Jablonski and Olivia Sheppard on a job well done.

I was glad that I had seen the original LARAMIE PROJECT in a wonderful community theatre production because it helped me to appreciate the similarities and differences of the two scripts. Jerry Goehring (BE MORE CHILL at SHU and on Broadway) has done an excellent job of eliciting stellar performances from each of the college-age actors and paints most effective stage pictures with his thoughtful blocking. The actors enter and exit into the small space for the precisely timed “moments” in the script. I learned a lot about the ten years that followed the horrific hate crime in Laramie, WY from this performance.

The truly ensemble cast effortlessly moved through their various real-life characters that appear in this epilogue. The level of professionalism of every actor was most impressive. I will credit them in alphabetical order.

Allie Campbell (AS BEES IN HONEY DROWN) is a sophomore Psychology and Theatre Arts double major. Ally Engengro, a freshman Theatre Arts major, appeared in her first show at SHU. Charlie Fusari, now a junior, is a Hospitality major with a Theatre Arts minor. Zack Gaiero is a freshman Communications and Theatre double major.

Rachel Oddy, a freshman Global Studies and Political Science double major, appeared in her first SHU performance. Andrew Peloquin (MACBETH) is now a senior with a double major in Theatre and Media Arts. Rebecca Radisic, a SHU junior Theatre Arts and Media Arts double major, played Vanessa in the fabulous IN THE HEIGHTS. Francisco Viera (AS BEES IN HONEY DROWN,) a sophomore from Ponce, Puerto Rico, is majoring in Media Arts and Theater.

I loved the three-sided graphics that set the scenes when needed, as well as the carefully selected videos that played directly behind the actors. The opening montage features a young Byron Hitchcock, a Laramie WY native, and brother of Teresa Loafman, assistant for the SHU choral program. The floor of the stage area that was designed by the Theatre Arts Dept. was covered in faux grass with the only set pieces being just enough mismatched chairs for the eight cast members that were used perfectly.

Sound design by Brendan Borbone (BE MORE CHILL) was perfect for the space and the projections designed by Matt Kreckie (BE MORE CHILL, N2N) added so much to the entire production. Contemporary costumes were designed by Geralyn Jones with makeup and hair by Olivia Porriello. Ms. Jones is a sophomore Theatre Arts and Media Arts double major and Ms. Porriello is a junior Elementary Ed major with a Theatre Arts minor. Kudos to the lighting design of Kaylie Mallegol for making the most of the space. Anthony Patino (IN THE HEIGHTS) served as producer, Jenna Sheridan was the production stage manager with Christopher Devlin as her assistant, and Justin Weigel (BE MORE CHILL, N2N, MACBETH, WORKING, AVENUE Q) was the able assistant director. Brian Ingegno and Rebecca Reineke served as the assistant producers.

Thank you to the usher who intervened when an adult patron in front of me rudely sent long text messages in the dark during the performance; unfortunately, the woman brazenly lit up her phone again to complete and send one final text when the usher stepped away. I assure you that everyone seated in this section of the audience most certainly noticed. However, I will risk sounding like a mother and proudly report that not one of the young adults in the audience used their cell phones when they came out on opening night to support their fellow students and they behaved respectfully throughout, especially to me. In the opening night audience, I spotted Henley Solomon (Judas in JCS, Dan in NEXT TO NORMAL) and Mike Villanueva (Gabe in NEXT TO NORMAL.)

The SHU production runs through a matinee on October 6 at 3pm and each performance can only accommodate approximately 60 people in The Little Theatre, so tickets are limited. The show runs a neat two hours with one ten-minute intermission. Due to the nature of the play and logistics, audience members are strictly forbidden from leaving and reentering the theater, so plan accordingly.

Next up at SHU: FALSETTOS. I can’t wait!

Nancy Sasso Janis, writing theatre reviews since 2012 as a way to support local venues, posts well over 100 reviews each year. In 2016, her membership in the Connecticut Critics Circle began and her contributions of theatrical reviews, previews, and audition notices are posted not only in the Naugatuck Patch but also on the Patch sites closest to the venue. Follow the reviewer on her Facebook pages Nancy Sasso Janis: Theatre Reviewer and Connecticut Theatre Previews and on Twitter @nancysjanis417 Check out the NEW CCC Facebook page.

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