Another day, another example of anti-gay bigotry threatening artistic expression in Texas. Actually, this is the second one today, but who’s counting?
Troy Carlyle, chair of Tyler Area Gays (Project TAG), reports that a production of “The Laramie Project” — a play about the hate crime murder of Matthew Shepard — is now in jeopardy due to homophobic backlash in the East Texas city.
According to a press release from Carlyle, the Board of Directors at the Tyler Civic Theatre voted unanimously in March to approve the production of “The Laramie Project.” Auditions have been held and actors assembled. The production, a joint venture between Project TAG and the theater, is scheduled to open on June 17 and play for three performances.
But in response to “letters of concern to the theater from Tyler citizens,” some board members are withdrawing their support, and a second vote reportedly will be taken April 13. Director Trinity Wheeler was among those made aware Thursday that one of the board members called the theater’s Web master and had him remove the production information from the Web site.
“The goal of ‘The Laramie Project’ is to promote thoughtful discussion and give audiences the opportunity to hear from a wide variety of Laramie residents and those most associated with the murder of Matthew Shepard. The move by these board members to cancel the production is ironic, since it demonstrates the need for the exact kind of education that is provided in the play,” Wheeler said. “I grew up in Tyler and am very excited to bring this production to East Texas. The play examines crimes of hate. The Tyler community experienced a hate crime in 1993 with the murder of Nicholas West, the gay man that was taken from Bergfeld park and shot numerous times. ‘The Laramie Project’ is about a community coming together and healing as a group in the same way Tyler did after the West murder. The James Byrd, Jr. murder in Jasper is another example of senseless hate and a community coming together to heal.”
Even if the Tyler Civil Theatre won’t stage it, Wheeler vowed that the show will go on. He says there’s a lot of excitement about the production, and a week-old Facebook page already has 322 fans.
“On June 17, there will be a production of ‘The Laramie Project’ in Tyler. We are currently regrouping with the cast, staff and Project TAG. I would still like to present this production at Tyler Civic Theatre because this is the theatre where I grew up. With that said, a cancellation decision by the Board of Directors will not stop this production. The opinions of a few people in the community have made cowards of a select number of board members and by withdrawing their unanimous approval of this production they are allowing the opinions of a few to affect the community as a whole. People want this production to happen.”
The Facebook page is encouraging supporters of the play to gather outside the board meeting at 5:30 p.m. next Tuesday and to e-mail their concerns to the theater at info@tylercivictheatre.com.
Laramie Project is a wonderful piece, and unlike the other play “Corpus Christi” it is far from fictional. The vigilantism of these folks in East Texas and here for that matter is upsetting and more upsetting is that they are threatening groups like small theatre companies who cannot afford to be embroiled in controversy.
This is like bullies on the playground picking on the little kids. Maybe it’s time someone turned the tables on them. Perhaps picketing a hate spewing church or politician in that part of the state. Why are LGBT voices the only ones who are silenced?
The issue appears to revolve around the Tyler Civic Theatre’s maintaining its current supporters, which are dwindling, and not “offending” the community. Hopefully when the second vote is taken by the Board they will understand how they can appeal to a new and broader audience than before. We have several college’s and The University of Texas, which brings people from all walks of life. Tyler is known within the East Texas gay community as being a city you would want to escape from if you are gay, and most do leave for Dallas or Houston. Those of us who remain in Tyler are striving to see change, which has been initiated with Project TAG (Tyler Area Gays) and PFLAG supporters. We need the support of the LGBT community to achieve this goal, so please add your voice so we can be heard….
I have already expressed by letter my opinion concerning this act of moral cowardice on the part of some members of the Civic Theater Board.
The principle point made by the Laramie Project is that it is wrong to beat people to death and that any community can unite around this principle.
Apparently some members of the TCT board find this proposition repugnant as they endorse the idea of beating people to death with whom they disagree. To state this obvious truth is to demonstrate what repellent moral degenerates hold seats on the TCT board.
If East Texas has not advanced to the point that beating people to death is not regarded as a crime but a justifiable or even welcome act then we should make it our business to spread the word far and wide of this sorry state of affairs.
Any business planning on relocating here and every potential visitor should be warned that this community endorses beating to death those people with whom their tiny and limited minds disagree or conceive a dislike of.
Small minds. I have nothing else to say other than they should just stay in their trailers and drink their cheap beer.
As a cast member of this production, I am very anxious that it should be staged. I am still confident that Tyler Civic Theater will honor the original agreement. As far as we know, only one board member, acting without the permission of the others, removed the production information and will move to cancel the play. We should keep in mind that the majority of the board is behind this play and believes in it. While the actions of that one person are lamentable and shameful, they do not represent the whole board. Continue writing to the board, give our supporters on it the ammunition to face this one frightened individual with evidence of the community’s overwhelming support, but don’t condemn the theater before they’ve even decided what to do.
I agree with Ms. Luft in absolution! And, allow me to say that I know this one frightened individual… he is the father of one of my very best friends. When we heard the news covering the topic last night, she called hiim to sort of let him know it was on tv…. she thought they actually said his name because the a board member and it sounded a lot like his last name… and we were genuinely concerned and felt he needed to know. He was as self-righteous as ever! He went on to say you can tell them over there, all of them… I did this! I am the one who got it pulled! I did it….. they are wrong, their lifestyle is wrong…. She of course cried. I am sure she is embarrassed… it is amazing he managed to produce a child/adult who is loving, accepting, giving, nurturing…. a Christian Ally to the GLBT community!
I am glad to hear the show will go on even if we do not know where it will go on. We will support the production!
To the Tyler Civic Theater – Board of Directors,
Be leaders not followers!
You have set a high standard for East Texas over the past 52 years. Please don’t let the fears of a few prevent you from bringing The Laramie Project to the stage.
Do you not recall that the Kilgore College Theatrical Department, headed by Raymond Caldwell, went through this exact scenario in 1999 with Angels in America? Gregg County pulled $50,000 worth of funding and who stepped up? Paul Newman and the Dramatists Guild of America. They received death threats, numerous protest and still put on the production. Rightly so.
I commend you in advance for your right decision this evening.
I for one will be in attendance opening night.
Respectfully,
Alan Utz
President, Alan Utz & Associates, Inc.