The Laramie Project by Moises Kaufman

The Laramie Project by Moisés Kaufman and the Tectonic Theater Project is a documentary-style play about the real-life murder of Matthew Shepard, a gay college student in Laramie, Wyoming, in 1998. Created from over 200 interviews with local residents, the play shows how the brutal hate crime impacted the community.

Eight actors play multiple roles, portraying real townspeople ranging from friends and family to local clergy, law enforcement, and activists. Rather than sensationalizing the murder, the play focuses on the community’s response, soul-searching, and transformation in its aftermath.

The innovative format helped establish verbatim theater as a powerful way to explore social issues through real people’s actual words. Created in 2000, the play has become a cornerstone of both LGBTQ+ theater and discussions about hate crime legislation in America.