'Laramie Project' writer visits Red Hook, teaches importance of a 'moment,' as students prepare to perform play this weekend

“The Laramie Project,” the fall play at Red Hook High School this weekend, was built upon a unique, journalistic foundation.

In the wake of the 1998 murder of an openly gay college student in Laramie, Wyoming, the members of the New York City-based Tectonic Theater Project made multiple trips to the town, conducting more than 200 interviews with residents regarding the attack and how the hate crime affected the town.

Among the group was Leigh Fondakowski, who later became the head writer of the play, weaving together interviews, journal entries and news reports to create an impactful theater experience.

Red Hook’s Hardscrabble Players will perform "The Laramie Project" at the Performing Arts Center three times this weekend; 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 2 p.m. Sunday.

And Fondakowski, herself, was among the people who helped the students prepare to take the stage.

Fondakowski visited the high school Oct. 14, conducting a roughly three-hour workshop with the entire cast and crew before a Q-and-A session.

Junior Grace Schmidt called it “a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity” to work with Fondakowski.

While the group spent time discussing the origins of the play, the bulk of the afternoon was a workshop on “Moment Work,” a method developed by the Tectonic Theater Project, in which each individual action is a moment and a scene is built upon these moments. Fondakowski had the group consider every minute aspect of a theater experience, before asking them to practice building their own moments by playing with set pieces, props, the room and even lighting.

“It has really taught me that every little thing has meaning,” Analiya Otero, a junior, said. “Every light bulb, every step on the stage, every word you say, even if there’s no words, every movement you make … one movement, or one change can display a completely different message.”

Since its debut in 2000, which quickly led to an off-Broadway production, “The Laramie Project” has been adapted into an HBO film and performed by countless schools, college and other theater companies. The brutal crime, itself, led to the passing of the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, which strengthened hate crime laws.

Tickets are on sale for $12 for adults and $10 for seniors and students, available at this link.

The performances are intended for adults, only. The play contains complicated themes that include discussions of sexuality, descriptions of violence and adult language that includes reference to drug and alcohol use.

The students spent most of Thursday in final rehearsals. Read more about the students’ preparations here and watch the video to see more on Fondakowski’s visit.