Submitted by Charlton Stanley (Otteray Scribe), Guest Blogger
The Laramie Project is a play by Moisés Kaufman and members of the Tectonic Theater Project about the torture-murder of Matthew Shepard, a gay University of Wyoming student in 1998. Mutilated and almost dead, he was found tied to a barbed wire fence just outside Laramie, Wyoming. That fence was the inspiration for the play’s logo. Matthew Shepard died of his injuries shortly after being taken to a local hospital. The murder was called a hate crime, but in 1998 there were few hate crime laws, and there was none in Wyoming.
Shortly after Matthew Shepard was killed, Kaufman and members of the Tectonic Theater Project went to Laramie and interviewed dozens of local people about the murder. The play draws on over 400 hours of interviews with residents of Laramie, as well as company members’ own journal entries and published news reports. The Laramie Project is divided into three acts. Eight actors portray more than sixty characters in a series of short scenes.
The play has been performed all over the US and internationally as well. Venues have included high schools, colleges, and community theaters across the US. As of this writing, The Laramie Project has also been performed at professional playhouses in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand. Not surprisingly, Fred Phelps and his merry band of haters have frequently picketed The Laramie Project.
Credit: Department of Theatre Arts at the University of Mississippi
This week, The Laramie Project is on the playbill at the University of Mississippi, known to students and Southeast Conference sports fans as Ole Miss. The play has been well received, and presented without incident until last Tuesday evening. About 20 freshman football players are taking a course in the arts and part of the course requirement is for them to attend a certain number of plays. Tuesday night, the players allegedly instigated a disruption and heckling in the audience. I say “allegedly” because the investigation is still ongoing. Among other things, audience members, allegedly egged on by the players, began yelling homophobic slurs at the cast. Catcalls of “faggot,” “fag,” and worse were heard coming from the group. They encouraged other audience members to join in with the heckling, taking pictures, and generally behaving badly. Play director Rory Ledbetter said the audience reaction was “borderline hate speech.” Cast members and the characters they were portraying were heckled for their body types and sexual orientation, among other things. Ironically, only one member of the cast is gay.
“I am the only gay person on the cast,” Garrison Gibbons said. “I played a gay character in the show, and to be ridiculed like that was something that really made me realize that some people at Ole Miss and in Mississippi still can’t accept me for who I am.”
As soon as theater faculty figured out the heckling had started in the group of football players, House Director Lyda Phillips, who is a theater major and an athletics ambassador, called a coach, who then called Drew Clinton, the Associate Director of Academic Support, asking him to come to the auditorium. According to the person I talked to on campus, he was furious, ordering the student athletes to apologize for their behavior. After the play, the players went backstage to meet with the cast. One of the players acted as spokesman for the group. Some of the cast members cried at the apology.
Ole Miss Theater Department Chair Rene Pulliam was quoted by the Daily Mississippian, the student newspaper, as saying. “…I’m not sure the players truly understood what they were apologizing for.”
Rory Ledbetter told reporters, ““The football players were certainly not the only audience members that were being offensive last night, but they were definitely the ones who seemed to initiate others in the audience to say things, too. It seemed like they didn’t know that they were representing the university when they were doing these things.”
Thursday morning, head football coach Hugh Freeze sent a Tweet that has been picked up by sports media tweeted Thursday morning: “We certainly do not condone any actions that offend or hurt people in any way. We are working with all departments involved to find the facts.”
By way of background, for those who may have seen the movie, The Blind Side, Freeze was Michael Oher’s high school football coach. His real name was not used in the movie; instead, he was called “Coach Cotton.” Freeze has a reputation for being a strong leader who does not tolerate nonsense, and demands his players behave themselves at all times, insisting on excellence both on and off the playing field. As my on-campus informant told me yesterday, “Hugh Freeze is no Joe Paterno.”
The University also issued an open letter to the public and students over the signatures of Chancellor Dan Jones and Athletics Director Ross Bjork. The letter condemns the actions of the group, and makes it clear that such behavior will not be tolerated. The entire letter can be seen here.
The William Winter Institute for Racial Reconciliation is named after former Governor William Winter. The Institute has been active after other controversial incidents on campus, and I just learned the are now involved with this incident. They are making plans to keep more incidents like this one from happening on campus again. There are plans underway for athletes and students to attend some sort of cultural sensitivity training sessions.
Last spring, the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs created the Bias Incident Response Team (BIRT). Its mission is, “…to support the university’s efforts to establish and sustain the university’s expectations around inclusivity and to provide an atmosphere that supports a healthy curricular and co-curricular experience.” BIRT Co-Chair Merrill Magruder said the cast and crew of The Laramie Project have stressed they did not want to see punitive action, but rather make this an educational opportunity for those who were in attendance.
This morning, University officials investigating the incident say they are having difficulty making positive identification of who was involved. For the individuals who have been identified, officials and faculty are not sure about the degree of involvement. Part of the problem is the fact the theater was dark.
Adding to the University administration concern is the fact that October is LGBTQ month at Ole Miss. Last Thursday there was a reception at Bryant Hall. Chancellor Dan Jones, Athletics Director Ross Bjork, and other campus leaders spoke at the reception. Student cast members and faculty advisers were also at the reception. Next week, during LGBTQ month, the University will host Pride Week. The last thing the University administration and student body leadership want is another incident.
At any rate, there will not be enough time to determine exactly who did what, and what must be done before the Auburn game today. In the body of this story I have provided links to the Daily Mississippian so the reader can follow events as news develops.
It will probably be sometime next week before decisions are made. What do you think is the most appropriate way for this university, or any other school, to handle this situation or one like it?
Blouise,
I didn’t say anything. LK may not know the economics of big college football. Here is the Ole Miss football budget for 2013:
Ticket sales $11,395,994
Student fees $1,815,462
Away games $439,212
Donations $5,820,204
Univ. contrib $1,409,467
Media rights $800,000
Branding $525,627
Add all those numbers up and divide by twelve, the number of games on the schedule. That would be the amount they would have to refund. Additionally, NCAA would hit them with heavy fines and Auburn would probably sue for breach of contract and their own lost income.
Oro Lee,” … i might ought to have said their animus was based on ignorance.”
You are spot on, Oro Lee!
lottakatz
I guess no one was up for ‘the team will just forfeit the next game while we get to the bottom of this mess’ instead of ‘there’s no way to sort this before the next big game.’
I’m thinking that’s a big part of the problem right there.
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What? WHAT?? WHAT??!! did she say?
Oro Lee,
” … i might ought to have said their animus was based on ignorance.”
There you go. I accept your re-wording as clarification of what you meant as it fits nicely with your post at 3:51pm …”beat them down or build them up” when considering appropriate action.
(I also wouldn’t be at all surprised to learn that a bit of underage drinking might have contributed to the mix … based on my knowledge of 18 year old boys off at university for the first time)
I did not know that an audience collectively, or an individual member, can not mock actors in a play. I guess we can not cheer when hey say something we agree with or get up and leave when we disagree. Perhaps we should just watch videos.
Mocking a gay man is not the same as mocking a person because of race. It is close but let us not confuse the two especially in Mississippi.
I would cut them some slack. They are college students at a play and then they are a group of rowdy football players to boot. It does not deserve national news.
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=newssearch&cd=1&cad=rja&ved=0CCkQqQIoADAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmemphisport.com%2F2013%2F10%2Faudio-laramie-project-actor-garrison-gibbons-calls-for-ole-miss-to-wear-gay-pride-patches-on-their-uniforms%2F&ei=-KBQUvnOKfWy4AP1_YCQDw&usg=AFQjCNG7N97WKyQRVhzm7CUtJm1nxSINuQ
AUDIO: ‘Laramie Project’ actor Garrison Gibbons calls for Ole Miss to wear gay pride patches on their uniforms
OCTOBER 5, 2013 BY MEMPHISPORT LEAVE A COMMENT
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Photo by Justin Ford
Openly gay Ole Miss actor Garrison Gibbons joined Kevin Cerrito and Marcus Hunter on MSL to talk about being on stage during the controversial performance of “The Laramie Project.”
During the interview, Gibbons expressed he doesn’t want any players suspended, and will be pushing for the football team to wear gay pride patches on their uniforms for the rest of the season.
MSL Interview: ‘Laramie Project’ actor Garrison Gibbons calls for Ole Miss to wear gay pride patches on their uniforms (19:52)
Download the MP3
Date: October 5, 2013
By: Kevin Cerrito and Marcus Hunter
David,
You must have gotten a preview of what your post would look like had it posted. Amazon not only posts the link, but attaches an image and other embedded stuff as well. “Awating moderation” is the default message if it is not sent to the spam filter. If the spam filter grabs a comment there is no message, it just disappears.
AUDIO: ‘Laramie Project’ actor Garrison Gibbons calls for Ole Miss to …
Memphisport
Libby Roderick says it best:
http://youtu.be/NxyQPa2_bcE
A friend of mine once shared a profound statement with me during a casual conversation about gays: “How can anyone be against love?”
I am not of the mindset that we take bad faith behavior and make a Super federal case of it all.
It is appropriate that the Captain of the team make a formal statement of apology. One for interrupt of the play itself and another apology to the LGBT community as a whole.
Because the team did it as a whole.
They should keep their “collective” efforts focused upon their mission at hand (the game of that week) and not engage in sport of being abusive!
Kraaken and Tony C. and Blousie:
Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea culp ultima. I did not mean to minimize or justify the actions of the audience by emphasizing the addition of an educational element to a punitive correctional approach.
My daughters attended a large, cosmopolitan high school. While athletics was part of the school environment, the emphasis was academics and there was very little athletic celebrity status on campus. LBGTQ matters are a non-issue with that group of young people, they reject all forms of discrimination based on sex or gender identification. They are cause for hope.
On the other hand, their cousins attended a small high school in a rural, parochial community where everything seemed to revolve around sports especially football. My kids loved their cousins — they are good people — but were so horrified at their homophobia they no longer keep in contact with them.
Just saying that some of those Ole Miss athletes should be introduced to an aspect of the world they may know nothing about.
You cannot teach empathy, except rarely. But, you can teach respect. Teaching respect means tough love. Our nanny culture has problems w/ tough love. But, in dealing w/ young men like this, that’s what is called for. Oro Lee knows about tough love w/ his job.
P Smith,
To extend your comment. Ever hear of Chucky Mullins? One of the most beloved football players ever to pull on an Ole Miss Rebel helmet.
http://www.olemisssports.com/trads/mullins-courage.html
Here is a bit more of the story of a transforming moment for two athletes. This video is worth eleven minutes of your life.
I agree with Blouise and Kraaken; I do not think it is appropriate to accept guilt-minimizing language here. 18 year olds are as heavily wired with communications as soldiers, they are not ignorant of the impact of their anti-gay slurs, and I suspect it got out of hand in the theater because they were enjoying causing the disruption. They deserve a disruption in their lives proportionate to the disruption they caused; perhaps they should be suspended from the team (not the school) for the rest of the season, or required to work out but not allowed to play, or something like that. When I was in boot camp, one of my “punishments” was being required to stand stand at attention (with a few other recruits) at the obstacle course, and salute soldiers entering or leaving the course. So let them suit up for the game and literally stand on the sidelines the whole game, for a few games.
I guess no one was up for ‘the team will just forfeit the next game while we get to the bottom of this mess’ instead of ‘there’s no way to sort this before the next big game.’
I’m thinking that’s a big part of the problem right there.
Blousie, you got me. Even kindergarten kids know to how to behave in public.behave. That portion of their behavior deserves punishment
My narrow focus was on the LGBTQ element. i might ought to have said their animus was based on ignorance. That part needs correction through education. Edification is left to the individual.
From one of the linked items:
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“It’s ironic in a way. In (“The Laramie Project’) we address these topics of hate against homosexuals,” Ledbetter said. “What happened in the audience (Tuesday night) was the very thing we were trying to portray in the show. (The incident) suggests we have a long way to go.”
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It would be even more ironic if some of the players are black, considering the university’s history of discrimination and exclusion, of not allowing any black students until James Meredith fought them and won.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Meredith
Elaine,
David’s comment is stuck in the trash bin.
FYI, David, you cannot link to Amazon. The multiple links inside an Amazon link exceeds what WordPress filters are set to handle.
OS – thanks for the info. Strange, because WordPress posted the message and even displayed a nice image of the book that I linked to, with a message below the entire post saying, “Awaiting Moderation.”
Nick asks: Oro Lee, were you a drill Sgt.?
Sorta, I’m a prosecutor in a youth drug court.
davidm,
I didn’t find your comment in the spam filter.