One in a hundred

“The Laramie Project: 10 Years Later” is an epilogue to the original play, which used real interviews to portray the events following the murder of 21-year-old openly gay Matthew Shephard.

The premiere, performed concurrently at 100 theaters across the country, takes place on Monday, Oct. 12, at OSU’s Withycombe Hall main stage beginning at 7:30 p.m.

The epilogue, written by New York Tectonic Theater Project members Moisés Kaufman, Leigh Fondakowski, Greg Pierotti, Andy Paris, and Stephen Belber, focuses on the long-term effects of the murder of Matthew Shepard on the town of Laramie. Included in the script are new interviews with Matthew Shepard’s mother, Judy Shepard, and the man convicted of his murder, Aaron McKinney, who is serving two consecutive life sentences.

For attendees across the country, an online interactive community is launched where participants can blog, upload video and/or photos and share stories about the play.

The reading is free and open to the public. In addition, Salem Repertory Theatre also hosts a staged reading of the project at 7:30 p.m.

For more information, go to http://community.laramieproject.org/.

British spoof takes stage at the coast

“The Murder Room” doesn’t sound like the title of a comedy. Alas, the Jack Sharkey play is a mystery farce sure to make the audience laugh.

Theatre West of Lincoln City presents this production, directed by Marj Nylund, from October 15-November 7.

Described as Agatha Christie meets Abbot and Costello with a little Monty Phython thrown in, the play opens with a murder but no body. Each members of the strange household– some intense, other dim, play detective in attempt to figure out the mystery. Policemen, disguises and mixed-up identities make up this spoof of British mysteries.

Tickets for the show are $10.00 for adults, $9.00 for seniors (62 and up) and students. The box office opens the day of the show, at 2 p.m. with the performance to follow on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings at 8 p.m.

SRT offers classes for the first time

The sole professional theatre in the capital, Salem Repertory, offers its first season of acting seminar. Whether a seasoned professional or a newbie, there’s a class that fits.

Starting October 31 and running through December 5, Virginia Belt, a SRT performer and theater faculty at Willamette University, leads students through the methods of acting.

New thespians qualify for Beginning Acting in which the actor’s process for creating a role based on the Stanislavski “Method” is taught. How to audition and build a résumé is also covered.

For those who already boast an acting résumé, the Master class teaches development through individual and group exercises as well as advanced scene and monologue work.

Students in both classes give a short, informal performance at the end of the five-week period.

“Along with helping students develop their acting skills, these seminars have been designed to promote a deeper appreciation of the craft of acting and its importance to the human condition,” Belt said.

Each of the seminars is open to those ages 16 and up and costs $150. Beginning Acting is scheduled from 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m., and the Master Class from 1 to 2:30 p.m.