Performing Arts News 

The Laramie Project - Play

During the second Theatre Studies semester, our Unit 2 class performed the play The Laramie Project. It tells the real-world account of Matthew Shepard’s death and the pervading circumstances surrounding the gruesome hate crime. This case was important for both American state and federal level hate crime legislation. The production process was mostly online due to the Victorian lockdown, with our final performance occurring over Zoom. 

Nobody had thought designing a play through online learning would be an optimal experience. The circumstances of our hard work were discouraging, yet our class pushed through it. A unique set of struggles came with doing The Laramie Project on Zoom. Our hard work has led to the end product, now available on Microsoft Stream, Microsoft’s video streaming platform. 

The assimilation of our varying ideas was a challenging yet insightful experience. Unlike more individual-focused curricula, Nossal’s Theatre Studies curriculum is collaborative. It concentrated on communication and interaction, with an emphasis on teamwork. This felt like a breath of fresh air during lockdown where we were trapped behind LED screens and keyboards the majority of most days. 

Due to the heavy subject matter of The Laramie Project, it was important that we respected the source material. We spent many, many lessons rehearsing and refining the play so as to do it justice. Whilst balancing this commitment, particularly online, was difficult, it was satisfying to see the final product. The catharsis of finally accomplishing what we spent two terms working on was incredibly fulfilling. 

We would like to thank Mr Woon, Ms Webster, the Unit 3 & 4 theatre students and everybody else who provided feedback and advice during the production period. Without the help of those around us who took the time to troubleshoot, we would’ve been lost. 

Sophie Lan

Year 10