Blog: Donald Rees on The Laramie Project - Ten Years Later Part III

COME SO FAR (GOT SO FAR TO GO)

by Donald Rees

If you were asking me if I felt discriminated against in my day to day life, I would answer no. The truth (much like recipes in cookbooks) is much more complicated. The truth is I live my life in such a way as to avoid situations that could provoke discrimination. I don't hide who I am, but I don't live my life without being aware of my surroundings and how I should act in them. But really, is that so different from anyone else? And is that fair? 

A popular quote says that anti-gay bigotry is the last acceptable form of discrimination. While that's true, I would also argue that racism is also quite common in today's society. Sure, it doesn't take the form it used to - but it's still there, in the language people use and the tendencies many of us share.

Blog: Donald Rees on The Laramie Project - Ten Years Later Part II

Blog: Laramie Project - Ten Years Later PART II
by Donald Rees

Be prepared.

Those two little words are the best piece of advice I could give to any director setting out to tackle The Laramie Project or its sequel The Laramie Project: 10 Years Later. Of course, that's good advice for any director on any project - and a good idea for most people in general but Laramie required a special commitment to preparedness that I'm happy I gave myself ample time to uhm...prepare for.

Both the original script and the sequel have numerous characters pop in and out over the length of the story. Last time I counted, there were 70. I say "counted" because the sequel script that we're working from came with no character list. My first order of business was sitting down and compiling a list of all the characters in order to proceed with casting.

First-Person: Donald Rees goes into The Laramie Project: Ten Years Later

Learning Laramie
by Donald Rees

I've always wanted to work on The Laramie Project. I read the original script almost a decade ago and it moved me. But ten years ago, the idea of Brave New Productions putting on a show that called for over 75 characters seemed far too ambitious. Over the years, the original Laramie Project has gone on to be one of the most performed plays in modern theatre. Schools and independent theatres love to do it, and it's easy to see why. Not only is the story emotional and important, on the practical side of things very few physical elements are required to bring Laramie to life, except for the actors.