THE LARAMIE PROJECT

Click the links below to purchase tickets.

• >>  Friday, November 2nd at 6:30 p.m.
• >>  Saturday, November 3rd at 6:30 p.m.
• >>  Sunday, November 4th at 2:00 p.m.

Join us for the 2018 VMS Upper School Theatre Production: The Laramie Project. Tickets are $15 each and may be purchased through the links above. Tickets will also be available at the door the night of each show. Please note that this production is reserved seating and you must sit in the seat that corresponds to your ticket. You will have the opportunity to choose seats at the time of purchase. Payment is by credit card through the website. Please direct questions to Tony Bender at tbender@vms.edu.

Due to mature content, this production is rated PG-13. Please be sure to see important notes below regarding the age-appropriateness of this show.

From Kristin Douthitt, Director of Lower School:
While the Lower School division fully supports The Laramie Project for our older students and families, we feel that the content is not developmentally appropriate for our Kindergarten through fifth grade students. Therefore, Lower School students should not attend this show. We will not be discussing the content in classes, but will continue our work with students on acceptance, integrity, inclusion and empathy. 

From Kabe ErkenBrack, Director of Middle School:
The performance of The Laramie Project is a unique opportunity for Middle School families to engage in conversations on diversity and inclusion, Due to its language and themes, this play may be appropriate for some, but not all middle schoolers, and they should attend the play with caution. We've rated it PG-13 with the belief that most 6th graders will be too young and most 8th graders will be mature enough but that there isn't a clear line. On the school's end, we will use our Homebase time early next week to give the historical context around Matthew Shepard's Death, describe the play and why students may want to go or not go, and define the vocabulary of LGBTQ for students. Then we encourage families to have their own conversations around diversity at home. 

From Maggie Pavlik, Director of Upper School:
Students in the Upper School are examining the background of Matthew Shepard's story as well as studying hate crimes and the escalation of how small acts of discrimination and prejudice can lead to bias motivated violence. Upper School Homebases started their study by watching a national news segment about the 20th anniversary of Matthew Shepard's death. On Friday, at Town Meeting, cast members of The Laramie Project will present information about the Tectonic Theater Project's initial purpose in writing the play. Additionally, students will hear personal stories from faculty members related to their own issues of exclusion and discrimination.