Journal Entry: Andy Paris
Spent my first evening looking for Matt Mickelson, which in effect means a pub tour of Laramie, as he has connections to many bars in town. So I went to the Fireside first, which is now called JJ's. In the small outdoor area sat a young man, alone, who's face showed a shocking resemblance to Aaron McKinney. Maybe he was just on my mind... I walked in, sat down at the bar and ordered a Fat Tire. There was a group of weathered men and women in their early 60s yucking it up (read getting hammered) next to me but other than that it was pretty empty, it being around 6PM (pre-College crowd). Whenever I sit in there I of course find my thoughts drifting to that night, trying to picture it in my mind. Informed by a bar tender with a torn ACL that Matt spends Friday nights at a different establishment, I stayed to finish my beer in a bar that has the same pool tables, similar decor, the same kareoke(sp?) stage... Suddenly a poke in the ribs had me turning around in my stool to find one of the women from the party next to me breathing down my neck, a mischievous grin on her face. Her (slurred) line was, "You look just like Cat Stevens. (beat) Do you even know who that is?" On the way out I noticed the one difference inside the bar: a memorial in the entrance way to a young Marine from the area who was killed in Iraq.
Matt was not at the Cowboy Saloon either. But the bar tender, Chuck, who is in a wheel chair from a car accident 12 years ago and has a birthday two days from mine, tells me he'll be at the Buckhorn. I stayed to finish my bottle of Bud and was once again spun on my bar stool, this time by a wind-stained man's face and a (slurred) joke: "What do you call one hundred skydivers in tie-dye shirts?" Me: I don't know. "Acid Rain." He spent two tours in Vietnam, he says, "28 confirmed." He sells jewelry, but when he says the word, and he often does, it comes through his mangled teeth as "Jewery." He also has a good friend who's a taxidermist. Best in the business. On my way out he calls, "I hope I didn't offend you little brother." Not even close, but his query made me wonder if he had tried to.
So on to the Buckhorn. The College crowd is now beginning to file in. After sitting down, ordering another beer, and being informed once again that Matt was not around, I began to wonder if I'd ever track him down. I was staring up at a ball game, wondering what my next move would be when I was clapped hard on the back. I spun on my stool for the third time in three bars, to find myself staring into the fresh face of Matt Mickelson.
Saturday, September 13, 2008
Town Development
Journal Entry: Leigh Fondakowski
I arrived here in Laramie early this afternoon to a HAIL STORM. Catherine Connolly later told me that hail marks the official start of "Fall" here in Laramie. The first thing that struck me was the explosion of development on the east side of town. At least 3 brand new hotels and several strip malls where formerly there was only Walmart. The Coal Creek coffee shop has a second location in one of the strip malls. The internet password there is "edgyuptown." So Laramie now has a downtown and an uptown. It's a football weekend and the icon of the UW team is everywhere -- go pokes! It is very moving to be back here in Laramie. More moving was spending a few hours with Cathy Connolly this afternoon. She spoke with such beauty, grace, and eloquence about Laramie -- always a brilliant mix of heartbreak at the injustice that still exists and great hope for the future. To know that we have made life long connections here is a remarkable thing. Now, the transcribing begins...
-Leigh
I arrived here in Laramie early this afternoon to a HAIL STORM. Catherine Connolly later told me that hail marks the official start of "Fall" here in Laramie. The first thing that struck me was the explosion of development on the east side of town. At least 3 brand new hotels and several strip malls where formerly there was only Walmart. The Coal Creek coffee shop has a second location in one of the strip malls. The internet password there is "edgyuptown." So Laramie now has a downtown and an uptown. It's a football weekend and the icon of the UW team is everywhere -- go pokes! It is very moving to be back here in Laramie. More moving was spending a few hours with Cathy Connolly this afternoon. She spoke with such beauty, grace, and eloquence about Laramie -- always a brilliant mix of heartbreak at the injustice that still exists and great hope for the future. To know that we have made life long connections here is a remarkable thing. Now, the transcribing begins...
-Leigh
Arriving
I just now got here. It's close to 8pm. I haven't been here in 6 years - since we screened the movie. It's very strange to be back.
As I walk out of my car I am struck by the cold Wyoming wind. It's very chilly and it's only September 12th. I immediately think of how cold it would have been here in mid October.
The first time we were here asking questions, we were a theater company from new york with tape recorders in our backpacks. We were invisible. Now that the play has been done all over the country and the movie's out there, I wonder how our conversations with people will differ from those of 8 years ago.
Eager to see what has happened since.
-Moisés
As I walk out of my car I am struck by the cold Wyoming wind. It's very chilly and it's only September 12th. I immediately think of how cold it would have been here in mid October.
The first time we were here asking questions, we were a theater company from new york with tape recorders in our backpacks. We were invisible. Now that the play has been done all over the country and the movie's out there, I wonder how our conversations with people will differ from those of 8 years ago.
Eager to see what has happened since.
-Moisés
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Welcome to the Laramie Blog
Welcome to our blog on Laramie, 10 Years Later.
THE LARAMIE PROJECT - 10 YEARS LATER
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
On October 6th of 1998 Matthew Shepard was beaten and left to die tie to a fence in the outskirts of Laramie, Wyoming. He died 6 days later. His torture and murder became a watershed historical moment in America that highlighted many of the fault lines in our culture..
A month after the murder the members of Tectonic Theater Project traveled to Laramie and conducted interviews with the people of the town. From these interviews they wrote the play The Laramie Project, which they later made into a movie for HBO. The piece has been seen by more than 30 million people around the country.
Now, 10 years later, the members of Tectonic Theater Project will return to Laramie to find out what has happened over the last 10 years. Has Matthew's murder had a lasting impact on that community? How has the town changed as a result of this event? What does life in Laramie tell us about life in America 10 years later?
These are a few of the questions that the members of Tectonic Theater Project will ask as they return to Laramie.
From the interviews conducted, they will write an article with their findings that they hope to publish in the New York Times as well as other major national papers. They will also write an Epilogue for the play to be added to the published version of the script.
SPECIFICS
Five members of Tectonic Theater Project will return to Laramie for 4 days this fall. They will locate the same people they interviewed 10 years ago and interview them again.
The core of the interviews will be about how Laramie has changed: politically, socially, religiously, educationally. One of the main differences between this trip and the original one, is that this time we expect to be videotaping our interviews. Part of these we'll then put on our web site and create a small video presentation "THE LARAMIE PROJECT - 10 years later."
From the material gathered we will write an article to be sent to the main newspapers around the country. For this purpose we've hired a publicist with extensive experience in getting GLBT articles in mainstream media. Her name is Cathy Renna and she was for many years the media person at GLAAAD (Gay and Lesbian Alliance against defamation).
We will also use the material to write an epilogue to the published version of the play.
THE LARAMIE PROJECT - 10 YEARS LATER
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
On October 6th of 1998 Matthew Shepard was beaten and left to die tie to a fence in the outskirts of Laramie, Wyoming. He died 6 days later. His torture and murder became a watershed historical moment in America that highlighted many of the fault lines in our culture..
A month after the murder the members of Tectonic Theater Project traveled to Laramie and conducted interviews with the people of the town. From these interviews they wrote the play The Laramie Project, which they later made into a movie for HBO. The piece has been seen by more than 30 million people around the country.
Now, 10 years later, the members of Tectonic Theater Project will return to Laramie to find out what has happened over the last 10 years. Has Matthew's murder had a lasting impact on that community? How has the town changed as a result of this event? What does life in Laramie tell us about life in America 10 years later?
These are a few of the questions that the members of Tectonic Theater Project will ask as they return to Laramie.
From the interviews conducted, they will write an article with their findings that they hope to publish in the New York Times as well as other major national papers. They will also write an Epilogue for the play to be added to the published version of the script.
SPECIFICS
Five members of Tectonic Theater Project will return to Laramie for 4 days this fall. They will locate the same people they interviewed 10 years ago and interview them again.
The core of the interviews will be about how Laramie has changed: politically, socially, religiously, educationally. One of the main differences between this trip and the original one, is that this time we expect to be videotaping our interviews. Part of these we'll then put on our web site and create a small video presentation "THE LARAMIE PROJECT - 10 years later."
From the material gathered we will write an article to be sent to the main newspapers around the country. For this purpose we've hired a publicist with extensive experience in getting GLBT articles in mainstream media. Her name is Cathy Renna and she was for many years the media person at GLAAAD (Gay and Lesbian Alliance against defamation).
We will also use the material to write an epilogue to the published version of the play.
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