Following Sep 16, 7:30 pm performance of Craig Hella Johnson's epic fusion oratorio, Considering Matthew Shepard (2016), the creative team will take the stage for a talkback discussion. The music piece is about Matthew Shepard, a young gay victim of a brutal hate crime of 1998, who became a symbol for hope and empowerment, inspiring plays, documentaries and books. This moving work weaves together musical styles that include gospel, chant, country and western with lyrics taken from Matt Shepard's personal journal, writings from his parents, newspaper reports, and poetic texts. "Powerfully cathartic, it leads us from horror and grief to a higher understanding of the human condition," wrote the Washington Post. Stage directors Elliott Forest and Rod Caspers, music director Malcolm J. Merriweather, and producer Melissa Baker will discuss the vision behind the venue's rendition of Considering Matthew Shepard, moderated by activist Cathy Renna, who was on the ground in Laramie immediately following the discovery of Matt's beating and who has worked with the family ever since. Renna currently serves as communications director of the National LGBTQ Task Force.
New York City, NY; NYC