Sunday, October 19, 2008
With ‘Corpus Christi’ and ‘Laramie Project,’ Moments in History Converge Anew
NYTimes.com: "Ten years ago, on Oct. 12, Matthew Shepard, a gay college student, died in a Colorado hospital almost a week after two men viciously beat him and left him tied to a fence near Laramie, Wyo. That same night Terrence McNally’s play “Corpus Christi,” about 13 gay men who perform the story of Jesus, had its final preview performance at Manhattan Theater Club; due to weeks of protests and bomb threats, ticket holders had to pass through metal detectors before taking their seats."
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2 comments:
It's pretty terrifying that even now, Corpus Christi is still that "gay Jesus play". It's beyond my comprehension that these performers have faced threats on their lives.
That being said, I'm eager to see the epilogue to Laramie that's being written; it certainly deserves another look. I'm afraid, though, that the impact that Tectonic thinks they have made is much less widespread than they could have hoped for.
I am glad that these "serious" plays are trying to remain relevant. It is sad that gay equality is still along from being a reality. Hopefully the media around these plays and the attendance can continue to change or at least educate audiences about the issues. The responsibility of theatre is still visible and these plays highlight the need for plays to continue to provoke people and call for social change. I hope CMU can perform relevant political plays in the future.
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