The Laramie Project

The first “moment” or section of the play is titled “A Definition” and begins with the narrator explaining that, over the course of a year, the theatre company travelled to Laramie several times and conducted over two hundred interviews. These interviews, along with journal entries from members of the company and other found texts” (21), such as newspaper reports, provide the text of the play. This opening section also attempts to “define” or give a sense of Laramie as a place from the perspective of people who love it, including Detective Sergeant Hing and Eileen Engen. Laramie is a railway town, a place populated by ranchers as well as university students. The president of the university reveals that he has lived in a few big cities but loves Laramie; while he wouldn’t let his children play outside after dark, it stays bright until 11pm in the summer. We are also introduced to Rebecca Hilliker, head of the theatre department at the University of Wyoming, who is a key ally of the theatre company. The “moment” closes with an observation by Jedadiah Schultz, that “after Matthew” (24), Laramie was defined by the crime, that it became a “sign” (24) of everything that Matthew’s death symbolized, rather than a community.

The next moment is titled “Journal Entries” and shows the theatre company’s reactions to Kaufman’s proposal that they visit Laramie, interview residents, and produce a play. There is a sense of apprehension and even danger as they contemplate the task before them. Kaufman reveals that he has made contact with the theatre department at the University of Wyoming, and the next moment, titled “Rebecca Hilliker,” is from her perspective. At first, she was disturbed by the idea of the play, but then she remembered that they need to talk. However, she warns that the theatre company—and the audience—might not like what they have to say. She notes that the students here are very open, very honest and very redneck. She also advises Kaufman and his colleagues to speak to one particular student, Jedadiah Schultz.

“Angels in America” is the title of the next moment, in which Jedadiah states that he won a scholarship to study theatre with his performance in that seminal piece of LGBT theatre. He naturally invited his parents to the performance but, despite normally being supportive of his endeavors, they refused to attend because of the play’s homosexual themes. As a result, his parents did not witness the best moment of his life: he came first in the competition and won a scholarship to the University of Wyoming. He reflects on why he performed the piece even though his parents objected. He states that he is not gay and so was not invested in the material; he just wanted to win.

Jedadiah’s section is followed by another moment entitled “Journal Entries.” This brief section considers the company’s first impressions of Laramie. Many of their observations are commonplace but highlight the difference between life in a city and life in small-town Wyoming. Of particular interest to Barbara Pitts was a sign that read “HATE IS NOT A LARAMIE VALUE” (28).