Parker Performing Arts Center at Burroughs High School

https://www.ridgecrestca.com//tectonic-theater-project-wor

The Burroughs High School Drama Company Class will be performing one of the most challenging plays to ever be performed on this stage, Moises Kaufman and The Tectonic Theatre Project's THE LARAMIE PROJECT. The students in this particular class are as diverse in their personal experiences and socio-economic backgrounds, as well as, their political and religious views that are reflective of their school, local, regional and national communities; which have made for many challen...ging and enlightening discussions in class as we worked on The LARAMIE PROJECT. Yet, in spite of their differences, these young adults are extremely attentive, empathetic and respectful towards each other and are genuinely interested in each other's perspective. They have learned that it is their unique differences as individuals that have created such a strong class. As diverse as their individual temperaments, personalities and beliefs are, they all agree on the basic premise that each and every person deserves to be seen and respected for their basic humanity, and are aware of the dangers and many forms of dehumanization. Throughout the process of of doing the extensive script analysis, character development, historical and contextual research required to mount this play, these students were able to not only express their own thoughts, feelings, reactions, frustrations, concerns and hopes regrading the complex and difficult topics presented in The LARAMIE PROJECT with an impressive level sensitivity and sophistication, but more importantly and increasingly challenging, they listened to each other, and tried to truly, with genuine compassion and open hearts and minds, understand Laramie, Wyomie and everything that lead to the horrific incident that is the focal point of this play: the death of Matthew Shepard. In their courageous and wholehearted manner, that typifies this class, these young adults dove into this particular story, of this particular town, discovering that this is every town in America, tapping into America's complex character to try and bring light into our collective shadow-self; checked into their own values and biases, did the hard work to understand themselves, each other and society as a whole, in the hopes that no other town will ever have to claim such hate, ignorance, intolerance, fear and violence as their town's story and legacy. I hope to see every seat in this house filled. See more