[NEohioPAL]Weathervane Playhouse presents 500th Mainstage Play

Thu Feb 6 08:41:03 PST 2003

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WEATHERVANE PLAYHOUSE
Celebrates 500th Mainstage Production with
THE LARAMIE PROJECT
Sponsored by Community AIDS Network

Weathervane Playhouse is proud to announce its 500th Mainstage production, 
THE LARAMIE PROJECT, a drama written by Moises Kaufman and the Members of the 
Tectonic Theater Project.  The play will be performed February 26 through 
March 15, 2003.  In November 1998, ten New Yorkers traveled to the town of 
Laramie, Wyoming.  They were there to explore a crime and a town.  Over the 
next 18 months, they conducted over 200 interviews with the people of 
Laramie.  The result is a play of beauty and pain; about hate, hope, fear and 
courage.

Matthew Shepard was a 21-year-old gay student at the University of Wyoming.  
One night he was beaten, robbed and left for dead by two local roofers who 
offered him a ride home from a local bar.  He was discovered 18 hours later, 
tied to a wooden fence on the outskirts of town.  The event became a 
worldwide media headline and five days later Matthew Shepard died in a 
Colorado hospital.  THE LARAMIE PROJECT examines homophobia, class 
distinctions and cowboy culture by blending the chronology of the case with 
the anger, confusion, sadness and embarrassment it left behind.  The play 
questions whether Laramie, or the nation, has changed as a result of this 
crime.

In 1935, Weathervane's four founders, Grace Hower Crawford, Laurine Schwan, 
Helen Troesch and Muriel MacLachlan, ventured away from the Women's City Club 
Theater with a vision to provide innovative theater and new works for our 
community.  Using the talents of volunteers, Weathervane has continued to 
honor their vision with new comedies, challenging mysteries, edgy dramas and 
musicals.  During its first season at "The Barn" on Marshall Avenue, 17 
plays, including Elmer Rice's avant garde "The Adding Machine", were 
presented. Weathervane has also presented new plays a season or two after 
their New York premieres.  Weathervane was the first non-professional theater 
to stage "The Fantasticks" in 1961.  Our most recent production, "Arsenic and 
Old Lace", has been presented three times, the first while it was still 
playing in New York in 1942.

Weathervane also risks presenting some controversial works on its Mainstage 
and in the Salon Reading Series.  During "Watch on the Rhine" in 1976, a 
swastika was painted on the building and director Bob Belfance's car was set 
on fire.  Letters to editors of local newspapers flooded newsrooms when we 
presented "That Championship Season" in 1976 and "The Perfect Party" in 1988. 
 The public both cheered and decried Weathervane's challenge to the status 
quo.  These plays and others have sparked discussions on the role of theater 
in educating the public.  The groundbreaking, gay-themed "The Boys in the 
Band" was presented on Stage Two in 1978 and this presentation of THE LARAMIE 
PROJECT continues the risk of presenting controversial plays.

THE LARAMIE PROJECT, the story of an American town - a true story, by Moises 
Kaufman and the Members of the Tectonic Theater Project, at Weathervane 
Playhouse February 26 through March15, 2003.  Low-cost preview performances 
on Wednesday and Thursday, February 26 & 27 with official opening on Friday, 
February 28.  This play contains ADULT language and subject matter and is 
suitable for high school students and adults.

THE LARAMIE PROJECT is sponsored by Community AIDS Network.

Charge by phone at Weathervane's Ticket Office at 330-836-2626.  Call between 
10 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. Tuesday through Friday.  Tickets: $17 ($2 discount on 
Thursdays and Sundays for senior citizens & students) Ask us about our 
"student rush" program.

The Ohio Arts Council helped fund this program with state tax dollars to 
encourage economic growth, education excellence and cultural enrichment for 
all Ohioans. Additional Season Sponsors: WKSU, PAX-TV

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<HTML>WEAT=
HERVANE PLAYHOUSE
 Celebrates 500th Mainstage Production with
 THE LARAMIE PROJECT
 Sponsored by Community AIDS Network
 
 Weathervane Playhouse is proud to announce its 500th Mainstage productio=
n, THE LARAMIE PROJECT, a drama written by Moises Kaufman and the Members of=
 the Tectonic Theater Project.  The play will be performed February 26=20=
through March 15, 2003.  In November 1998, ten New Yorkers traveled to=20=
the town of Laramie, Wyoming.  They were there to explore a crime and a=
 town.  Over the next 18 months, they conducted over 200 interviews wit=
h the people of Laramie.  The result is a play of beauty and pain; abou=
t hate, hope, fear and courage.
 
 Matthew Shepard was a 21-year-old gay student at the University of Wyomi=
ng.  One night he was beaten, robbed and left for dead by two local roo=
fers who offered him a ride home from a local bar.  He was discovered 1=
8 hours later, tied to a wooden fence on the outskirts of town.  The ev=
ent became a worldwide media headline and five days later Matthew Shepard di=
ed in a Colorado hospital.  THE LARAMIE PROJECT examines homophobia, cl=
ass distinctions and cowboy culture by blending the chronology of the case w=
ith the anger, confusion, sadness and embarrassment it left behind.  Th=
e play questions whether Laramie, or the nation, has changed as a result of=20=
this crime.
 
 In 1935, Weathervane's four founders, Grace Hower Crawford, Laurine Schw=
an, Helen Troesch and Muriel MacLachlan, ventured away from the Women's City=
 Club Theater with a vision to provide innovative theater and new works for=20=
our community.  Using the talents of volunteers, Weathervane has contin=
ued to honor their vision with new comedies, challenging mysteries, edgy dra=
mas and musicals.  During its first season at "The Barn" on Marshall Av=
enue, 17 plays, including Elmer Rice's avant garde "The Adding Machine", wer=
e presented. Weathervane has also presented new plays a season or two after=20=
their New York premieres.  Weathervane was the first non-professional t=
heater to stage "The Fantasticks" in 1961.  Our most recent production,=
 "Arsenic and Old Lace", has been presented three times, the first while it=20=
was still playing in New York in 1942.
 
 Weathervane also risks presenting some controversial works on its Mainst=
age and in the Salon Reading Series.  During "Watch on the Rhine" in 19=
76, a swastika was painted on the building and director Bob Belfance's car w=
as set on fire.  Letters to editors of local newspapers flooded newsroo=
ms when we presented "That Championship Season" in 1976 and "The Perfect Par=
ty" in 1988.  The public both cheered and decried Weathervane's challen=
ge to the status quo.  These plays and others have sparked discussions=20=
on the role of theater in educating the public.  The groundbreaking, ga=
y-themed "The Boys in the Band" was presented on Stage Two in 1978 and this=20=
presentation of THE LARAMIE PROJECT continues the risk of presenting controv=
ersial plays.
 
 THE LARAMIE PROJECT, the story of an American town - a true story, by Mo=
ises Kaufman and the Members of the Tectonic Theater Project, at Weathervane=
 Playhouse February 26 through March15, 2003.  Low-cost preview=20=
performances on Wednesday and Thursday, February 26 & 27 with official o=
pening on Friday, February 28.  This play contains ADULT language=
 and subject matter and is suitable for high school students and adults.=

 
 THE LARAMIE PROJECT is sponsored by Community AIDS Network.
 
 Charge by phone at Weathervane's Ticket Office at 330-836-2626.  Ca=
ll between 10 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. Tuesday through Friday.  Tickets: $17=20=
($2 discount on Thursdays and Sundays for senior citizens & students) As=
k us about our "student rush" program.
 
 The Ohio Arts Council helped fund this=20=
program with state tax dollars to encourage economic growth, education excel=
lence and cultural enrichment for all Ohioans. Additional Season Sponsors: W=
KSU, PAX-TV</HTML>

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