David Chevan and Warren Byrd Duo

`The Laramie Project'

"We are this kind of town," she says
DEBRA B. DARVICK
with
unyielding force. "Yes, we are. We
Special to the Jewish News
need to own this crime."
Messmer's strongest character is that of
f the Jewish Ensemble Theatre
Romaine
Patterson, one of Shepard's
were performing Oklahoma!, one
friends.
During
the trial,
might anticipate seeing Laurey
Messmer/Patterson
and other cast mem-
and Curly perched on the fence
bers surround hate-monger and homo-
that runs the length of the stage. With
phobe Fred Phelps and begin to sing
its bales of hay and intense sky-blue
"Amazing Grace." Their song rises in
backdrops, Monika Essen's simple but -
volume
as Phelps, played with Falwell-
effective set instantaneously references
esque
self-righteousness
by John
the Rodgers and Hammerstein favorite .
Hawkinson,
marches
outside
the court-
But this is not Oklahoma; it's
house
hollering
venom
and
waving
Wyoming. And this play, JET's third
"God Hates Fags" placards.
offering in its campaign to "Stop Hate" -
It was Patterson's idea to don enor-
The
Laramie
Project.
series, is
mous angel wings and surround Phelps
The riveting production, directed by
and his ilk whenever they reared their
Pat Ansuini, focuses not only on the
bigoted heads during the trials of
1998 murder of Matthew Shepard, a
Shepard's killers.
college student who was kidnapped,
Other memorable performances
brutally beaten, tied to a fence and left
include those of Andrew Parker,
to die outside Laramie, Wyo.,
whose many roles include that
but on what the murder and
of a young theater student,
the subsequent media atten-
Jedadiah Schultz, and Shepard's
tion and murder trials did to the
two murderers, Russell Henderson and
town and its inhabitants.
Aaron McKinney. His portrayal of
Shepard's attackers murdered him
Schultz's transformation from a male
because he was gay, and the play --
adolescent uncomfortable with the whole
dream child of award-winning
idea of homosexuality to one with the
writer/director Moises Kaufman — por-
chastened realization — "How did I let
trays the reactions of many of Laramie's
myself believe [homosexuality] made you
best and brightest, bewildered and/or
any different from me?" — is but one of
bigoted in the year following the attack.
the characters changed in the course of
A month after the murder, Kaufman
the year following Shepard's murder.
andmembers of his company, the
Reggie Fluty, played with verve and
Tectonic Theater Project, flew to
spunk
by Kelly Pino, is the first police
Laramie to begin interviewing the town's
officer
on the scene. Throwing aside the
residents.
thin,
inadequate
rubber gloves issued by
From these interviews, and from jour-
her
cost-conscious
department, Fluty
nal excerpts from Tectonic members, a
struggles to cut the ropes still binding
production has arisen that delivers a
Shepard to the fence. She tries to revive
moving study of human nature, social
him by giving mouth-to-mouth, only to
commentary and an emotional impact
learn later that he is HIV positive.
that lingers long after the house lights
The Laramie Project is a must see.
dim.
Bring
your late middle-schoolers and
A cast of eight actors portrays some
teens.
Bring their bubbies and zaydes.
six-dozen characters — Laramie resi-
The
play
will leave you with much to
dents and company members alike —
talk about and reflect on. ❑
all of whose real names are used. With
so few actors playing so many parts,
not every portrayal hits its mark.
JET presents The Laramie Project
Fortunately, most do.
through March 24. Show times are
JET newcomer Michelle Messmer
7:30 p.m. Wednesdays-Thursdays,
plays Zubaida Ula, a Muslim woman
8 p.m. Saturdays and 2 and 7:30
who is hassled time and again about the
p.m. Sundays. $18/$28/discounts
headscarf she wears for modesty and
for seniors and students. (248)
spiritual connection. She challenges
788-2900.
those who say Laramie is not "that kind
),
of town.

Sponsored by Cohn-Haddow Center for Judaic Studies

Sunday, March 17
CONCERT: "AVIDIM HAYINU"

I

(ONCE WE WERE SLAVES)

A CELEBRATION IN JAZZ
OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN
GOSPEL AND JEWISH LITURGICAL MUSIC

3:00 p.m., Detroit Public Library,
Friends auditorium, 5201 Woodward

Enter from Library Staff Parking Lot

Reservations required. For tickets, please contact the Cohn-
Haddow Center at aa2690@wayne.edu or (313) 577-2679

All programs are free and open to the public.
Funded in part by the Deroy Testamentary Foundation

WAYNE STATE
UNIVERSITY

S

Cordially invites you
to celebrate with us

We have been serving the Finest Italian Cuisine
in Michigan for 62 years

Call To Make Your Special Occasion
Reservations Now

•
•
•
•

• Sweet 16
Bar Mitzvah
• Retirement
Bat Mitzvah
• Shower
Anniversary
Rehearsal Dinner • Birthday

• Corporate Event
• Sales Meeting
• Bowling Banquets
• Etc.

(248) 373-4440

885 Opdyke Road (Across from the Silverdom€
Serving memorable Italian lunches and dinners since 1939
Monday - Thursday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. • Friday 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Saturday 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. • Sunday 12 noon to 9 p.m.

3/1
2002

59