Anay Sandoval
Crimson Chronicle Reporter
Performing Arts Magnet(PAM) students have started rehearsing for this year’s winter play “The Laramie Project”, “one of the most famous examples of what we call documentary theater,” said director and theater teacher John Tourtellotte.
This play was picked because Tourtellotte said feels one of his most important jobs is to select plays that benefit both the students working on the play and those who come and watch it. “We find common threads and ways in which to connect the content the different subject areas to the arts,” he said. “And sometimes that means choosing like a play as a particular focal point.”
What makes this play so challenging is that its a cast of more than 50 people only being played by 13 student actors. In addition to this The Laramie Project has so much that can be connected to so many different areas, said Tourtellotte.
For example ,this play deals with the social issue of hate towards the LGBTQIA+ community. Understanding both where the community has come from and where it’s going and where it’s been and where it is now is an important thing for all of us to be aware of.
“’The Laramie Project ‘is a great play, it’s a very interesting play. Come buy your ticket come support us; we’re very excited for you to come see it,” said Immanuel Tims, a PAM student in the play.
PAM teachers are developing their own particular way in teaching a lesson of the specific timeline of “The Laramie Project”. They’re collaborating across disciplines such as the way science and history connect to the play. The goal is to have lessons tying to projects that will be done by the end of the semester.
The show will premiere on Thursday, Dec. 2 continuing with performances on Friday, Dec. 3 at 7 pm, and Saturday, Dec. 4 at 7 pm and Sunday, Dec. 5 at 2 pm.