In October 1998, a young gay man was discovered bound to a fence on the outskirts of Laramie in Wyoming, USA savagely beaten and left to die. Matthew Shepard’s death became an American symbol of intolerance but for the people of Laramie the event was deeply personal; it is their voices we hear in this extraordinary theatre production. From over two hundred interviews, The Laramie Project chronicles the life of the town of Laramie in the year after the murder. Using eight actors to embody more than sixty different protagonists – from rural ranchers to university professors – this deeply moving theatre piece provides a wonderful vehicle to launch a group of passionate and talented young artists onto the Perth stage.