As fall play practices intensify the week leading up to Friday’s performance of The Laramie Project, both students and faculty can be seen practicing their lines. The Laramie Project, a play based on over 50 interviews surrounding the murder of a gay college student, features 21 students and 6 faculty, making it one of the first fall plays to incorporate faculty in addition to students.

Chris Briante, drama and dance department chair, felt that involving teachers in the play would strengthen the sense of community between them and students. “I think having adults in the community participate appropriately when those opportunities are right is really important because then the relationship between faculty and student, adult and child, is less pronounced. They are equal as actors on stage,” Briante said. “The particular subject matter of the Laramie Project makes the life experience that comes with middle age very important to the play. The faculty members involved have deep connections with some of the messages in the play.”

Andrea Minoff, upper school administrative manager, is one of the six faculty involved in the production. Minoff said that she wanted to get involved in the production because it was a way to be more involved in the community. “I enjoy being involved in the activities of the school above and beyond my professional duties,” Minoff said. “There’s a lot of satisfaction in being part of the creative effort of the cast.”

Ed Gormley, student activities director, also has a small role in the play. Gormley decided to get involved due to the show’s powerful subject matter and to get over some fears of his own. “I think it’s a really interesting show because it shows the horrible things some people thought, and quite frankly are still thinking, about the gay community,” Gormley said. “I also wanted to do the show to face my own fears of getting on stage. I have terrible stage fright.”

Briante emphasized the importance of students coming to see The Laramie Project this Friday. “Students should support the drama program because without students and audience members, what we do falls on deaf ears,” he said. “There are very important messages in this play about acceptance and respect for others that the whole community should hear.”