'Laramie Project' returns to South Puget Sound '10 Years Later'

More than eight years since the South Puget Sound Community College Drama Department hosted The Laramie Project, a play highlighting the death of gay University of Wyoming student Matthew Shepard. Now, the play returns in a new form as The Laramie Project: 10 Years Later, revisiting the community and its ongoing struggle to cope with what happened that night. The play opens on Thursday, Aug. 5 at 8 p.m. at the Kenneth J. Minnaert Center for the Arts.

On Nov. 6, 1998, Shepard left the Fireside Bar with Aaron McKinney and Russell Henderson. The following day he was discovered on a prairie at the edge of town, tied to a fence, brutally beaten, and close to death. Six days later Matthew Shepard died at Poudre Valley Hospital in Ft. Collins, Colo. Just eight days later, 10 members of Tectonic Theatre Project traveled to Laramie, Wyo. and conducted interviews with the people of the town.

Over the next year, the company returned to Laramie six times and conducted over 200 interviews. These texts became the basis for the play The Laramie Project.

Ten years later, on Sept. 12, 2008, five members of Tectonic returned to Laramie to try to understand the long-term effect of the murder. They found a town wrestling with its legacy and its place in history. In addition to revisiting the folks whose words riveted audiences in the original play, this time around, the company also spoke with the two murderers, McKinney and Henderson, as well as Matthew's mother, Judy Shepard. The Laramie Project: 10 Years Later is a bold new work, which asks the question, "How does society write its own history?"

The show runs from Aug. 5-8 and Aug. 12-15 at the Kenneth J. Minnaert Center for the Arts. The Aug. 8 and Aug. 15 performances begin at 2 p.m. All other performances begin at 8 p.m.

'Laramie Project' returns to South Puget Sound '10 Years Later'

More than eight years since the South Puget Sound Community College Drama Department hosted The Laramie Project, a play highlighting the death of gay University of Wyoming student Matthew Shepard. Now, the play returns in a new form as The Laramie Project: 10 Years Later, revisiting the community and its ongoing struggle to cope with what happened that night. The play opens on Thursday, Aug. 5 at 8 p.m. at the Kenneth J. Minnaert Center for the Arts.

On Nov. 6, 1998, Shepard left the Fireside Bar with Aaron McKinney and Russell Henderson. The following day he was discovered on a prairie at the edge of town, tied to a fence, brutally beaten, and close to death. Six days later Matthew Shepard died at Poudre Valley Hospital in Ft. Collins, Colo. Just eight days later, 10 members of Tectonic Theatre Project traveled to Laramie, Wyo. and conducted interviews with the people of the town.

Over the next year, the company returned to Laramie six times and conducted over 200 interviews. These texts became the basis for the play The Laramie Project.

Ten years later, on Sept. 12, 2008, five members of Tectonic returned to Laramie to try to understand the long-term effect of the murder. They found a town wrestling with its legacy and its place in history. In addition to revisiting the folks whose words riveted audiences in the original play, this time around, the company also spoke with the two murderers, McKinney and Henderson, as well as Matthew's mother, Judy Shepard. The Laramie Project: 10 Years Later is a bold new work, which asks the question, "How does society write its own history?"

The show runs from Aug. 5-8 and Aug. 12-15 at the Kenneth J. Minnaert Center for the Arts. The Aug. 8 and Aug. 15 performances begin at 2 p.m. All other performances begin at 8 p.m.

The South Puget Sound Community College Drama Department is paying homage to Jerry Herman, one of the most celebrated Broadway composers and lyricists of our time, with a staging of Showtune, an off-Broadway show inspired by Herman’s autobiography. Penning some of the stage’s biggest hits, Herman was nominated for five Tony Awards throughout his career and won two, also earning the Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in Theater. Incorporating hit song after hit song, Showtune aims to please audiences young and old alike with witty lyrics set to iconic tunes from shows like Hello, Dolly!, Mame, La Cage aux Folles and more. The show runs from May 27-30 and June 3-6 at the Kenneth J. Minnaert Center for the Arts. The May 30 and June 6 performances begin at 2 p.m. All other performances begin at 8 p.m. Tickets are $15 for the general public and $10 for students, staff and faculty. Performances on May 27 and June 3 are “pay what you can” nights. Tickets are available online at OlyTix.org or by calling (360) 753-8586. For more information about the performances, go online at www.spscc.ctc.edu/entertainment or call (360) 596-5411.

Hello! We know the Vagina Monologues just happened and put us all in the mood to focus on our own experiences, our own community, our own ideas of gender. Now the opportunity has presented itself! A group of people are putting together a new series of performances made by our own community, including all genders, all ages, all sizes, all backgrounds, all capabilities! Welcome to "Gender Tales" (working title)! A cooperative series of performances, be they monologues, dances, songs, poems, or any mixed media... We are in the beginning stages of this project and are in need of more help. If you would like to be part of this project in any way, please write to us right now!! olygendertales@gmail.com
We have multiple opportunities available for participation:
1) Write/Choreograph/Design/Create/[Whatever] an individual performance, submit anonymously (or not) for someone else to perform.
2) Perform someone else's story/vision.
3) Create AND perform your own story!
If you have a story in mind, but you feel it may not fit directly under the title of gender, THAT'S OKAY! We want to hear your stories of cope, identity, etc.... So bring them to our first meeting: WEDNESDAY, APRIL 7th, 2010, from 6-8pm at Caffe Vita in downtown Oly. If you cannot make it to the first meeting e-mail or call us. We are looking to create a close and safe community within the performance group.
e-mail: olygendertales@gmail.com
or call Erica: (818) 687-1624

TWO SHOWS! The weather outside is frightful, but we've got plenty of delight in store for you. Celebrate winter in cheeky burlesque style as we turn the lights down low and light up the stage with wanton good cheer! Featuring eight different peelers showcasing a mix of classic and contemporary neo-burlesque, the fusion bellydance stylings of Raqs Steady Eddie, and the fabulous Lauren O'Neill as Hattie Hotpants, your saucy winter hostess, this show is not to be missed! Showtimes are 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. Doors open 30 minutes before show. Tickets $10 in advance/$12 at the door Advance tickets available through www.brownpapertickets.com or by contacting Miss de Boom Boom at deboomboom@gmail.com. Sorry, no photography without a Glitterazzi pass. Email deboomboom@gmail.com for more info.

Just a reminder Improv Idol is tonight at the Midnight Sun, 113 Columbia, at 8pm. To find out more about this unique event check out the story that The Olympian published on Thursday...

http://www.theolympian.com/nightlife/story/836259.html

-Thank You, hope to see you there, Improv Robot

I highly recommend the current Harlequin Productions offering at the State, Sins of the Mother, by Israel Horovitz. This is a new play, by a playwright with many writings to his credit, who, as the result of a series of unlikely events, has offered it to Harlequin for its West Coast premiere.

It’s a play set in a small town, long dependent on the extraction of natural resources, recently hammered by the over-extraction of those resources. While it happens to be Gloucester, Mass., it could have easily been set in Port Angeles or the Harbor or Shelton. The characters and their language are very closely observed and the action – and interactions – are tight and fascinating.

Saturday’s performance was enriched by the presence of the playwright. While a few people left once the play was over, the great majority stayed for an interesting and spirited discussion of the play between the writer and the audience. It was particularly interesting to see a playwright seeking and responding to feedback on the play. I’ve never seen that before and it crystallized what a collaborative and incremental process is the crafting of a play, in contrast to other, less social, more solitary literary endeavors.

Go see it!

Studio Screening of "I" The Impeachment of George W. Bush

Keep your eyes and ears tuned to TCTV for scheduling of the Readers Theater production of "I" The Impeachment of George W. Bush. The screenplay was co-authored by Richard Lasser and Bruce Fein. Richard Lasser is a professional play-wright based in Seattle. Bruce Fein is an attorney and an authority on constitutional law and impeachment. Bruce Fein scripted impeachment articles for both Nixon and Clinton - and he has been a vocal advocate for the impeachment of George W. Bush. His opinion as an expert on impeachment has been widely recognized, considered, and published - on the Internet and elsewhere.

I had an acting role in the play. I acted as Michael Scheuer, who was head of the CIA Bin Laden unit, which was (is?) in charge of the extraordinary rendition program.

I hope you get a chance to see the play for yourself. Included in the production is a very informative and high quality interview of the author, Richard Lasser, by TCTV regular, Glen Anderson. So, please check it out. Be informed!

Here's a slideshow of photos taken during production:

Theater Artists Olympia Production of "Reefer Madness: The Musical" by Dan Studney and Kevin Murphy Inspired by the original 1936 film, this raucous musical comedy takes a tongue-in-cheek look @ the hysteria caused when clean-cut kids fall prey to marijuana, leading them on a hysterical downward spiral filled w/evil jazz music, sex & violence. You won't be able to resist the spoofy fun of REEFER MADNESS, a highly stylized and satirical political commentary. WHEN: December 5-21 Thursday -Saturday 8:00 pm Sunday the 7th and 21st at 2:00 pm Sunday the 14th at 8:00 pm WHERE: Kenneth J. Minnaert Center for the Arts at South Puget Sound Community College. Black Box TICKETS: 15$ Available at the door or by visiting buyolympia. com

Check out The Phrontisterion's performance of Aristophenes' "The Birds" (translated by David Barrett). 7:30 pm tonight and tomorrow night at the recital hall in the COM (communications) building at Evergreen, it's free.

More information: facebook event page