University of Southern Maine

News Releases

Two USM Theatre Productions Chosen for Regional Festival, and a Playwriting Award

December 20, 2004

Contact: Mary Snell Arts Promotions Director
780-5256 or email: msnell@usm.maine.eduu
Theatre Web Site: www.usm.maine.edu/theater/

Two productions from the University of Southern Maine Department of Theatre's 2004-05 season have been chosen for this year's Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival for Region One (New England). There are only six plays chosen from all of New England-- and USM is sending two!

The plays -- "The Laramie Project" by Moises Kaufman, directed by USM faculty Wil Kilroy; and "November/December" written by USM student Chris Gyngell, directed by USM faculty Tomas Power and William Steele -- will be fully remounted with the original sets at the festival held January 26 through 30 at Rhode Island College and the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Warwick, R.I. In addition, Gyngell's play has been nominated as one of the six finalists for the National Student Playwriting Award.

To raise money to go to the festival, two fundraiser performances of "The Laramie Project" will be held at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, January 21 and 22, 2005, in Russell Hall on the USM Gorham campus. All tickets are $10. Call the Theatre box office at 780-5151.

As a former chair for the New England region of the Kennedy Center's American College Theatre Festival, USM Professor and "Laramie Project" director, Wil Kilroy of Westbrook, knows first-hand what an honor it is to have a production chosen.

"Only six college/university productions from around the region are chosen to perform at this festival," he notes, "and USM is fortunate to have had two chosen this year -- which acknowledges the talent and dedication of our theatre students. The students jumped and cheered when the news was announced, as they realize that they will now receive further professional feedback on their work and be considered for a chance to perform at the national festival at the Kennedy Center in April. Two students are in both productions.

"The actors of 'The Laramie Project' feel especially excited since, via their research, they became personally involved with the content of the play, realizing how important it is to educate audience members about prejudice and the tragedy it can lead to. The fact that the television show, '20/20' recently aired interviews with Matthew Shepard's convicted killers and others involved in the crime makes the play even more poignant at this time."

National finalists are chosen from the eight regional festivals around the country. Those six finalists will go on to productions at the national festival in April at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. In addition, if "november/december" is chosen for the National Student Playwriting Award, Gyngell would be eligible for cash awards; membership in the Dramatists Guild; a contract with Samuel French for publication of his play with royalties for productions of the play worldwide; and a fellowship to the Sundance Theatre Laboratory, all expenses paid.

ABOUT "THE LARAMIE PROJECT": On October 7, 1998, a young gay man was discovered bound to a fence in the hills outside Laramie, Wyoming, savagely beaten and left to die in an act of brutality and hate that shocked the nation. Matthew Shepard's death became a national symbol of intolerance, but for the people of Laramie the event was deeply personal, and it is their voices we hear in Moises KaufmanÕs compelling play, "The Laramie Project."

"The Laramie Project" was written collaboratively by members of the Tectonic Theater Project. Led by Kaufman they traveled to Laramie a month after Shepard's death to interview townspeople, then returned six more times in two years. In his introduction to the piece Kaufman compares the event to the indecency trials of Oscar Wilde at the turn of the previous century.

An ensemble of eight actors perform the brief vignettes and monologues, assembled from the words of 76 different characters plus court documents, which make up the text. The result is a powerful work that not only explores the minds and hearts of these western townsfolk, but also pushes the theatrical form.

The acting ensemble performs multiple characters, but also one major role. David Branch of Portland appears as MatthewÕs dad, Dennis; David Ciampa of Portsmouth, RI is Rev. Phelps; Karen Ball of Portland is Reggie, the cop; Erik Moody of Saco is Aaron McKinney, convicted of assaulting Mathew; Jason Cook of Pittsfield is Aaron Kreifels, a friend; Casey Pratt of Greene is Catherine, a community member; Stacy Ann Strang of Livermore is Romaine, his best friend; Amy VonVett of Saco is Marge, Reggie's mother.

Professional designs for the show are by theater faculty and a senior student. The set design is by senior Jerome Wills; costume design is by Jodi Ozimek; and lighting design is by Brian Hapcic.

ABOUT "NOVEMBER / DECEMBER": "November/December," by theater major Chris Gyngell '06, of Portland and Willington, Conn., is a lively and poetic exploration of love and identity. It's a glimpse into the life of four contemporary college students and their search for sexual identity, defining passion, and meaningful relationships. Faculty members William Steele and Thomas Power, both of Falmouth, directed this original student-written work.

The play takes place in a small college town near the ocean, at the onset of winter. The first scene opens on a porch during a party. All the characters are in some relationship with one another, some as lovers, as friends. Bax (Andrew Sawyer of Auburn) and Russ (Jeff Provencher of Biddeford) are attracted to April (Stacy Ann Strang of Livermore). It is on this porch that April and Bax have their first encounter. All flirt with being damaging, and are sarcastic with each other. The tension among them is lessen by the arrival of Seth, (Jason Cook of Pittsfield) RussÕs roommate and AprilÕs former boyfriend, who acts as comic relief.

Every season the Department of Theatre presents a fully staged production of student work drawn from playwriting classes -- a rare opportunity in most undergraduate programs. The plays are developed with the support of professional faculty directors and designers. Set design for this production is by department chair, Charles Kading; costume design is by Jodi Ozimek; and lighting design is by faculty member Brian Hapcic.

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