Mansfield Native to Appear in CRT's "The Laramie Project"

STORRS. Connecticut Repertory Theatre will kick off its 2015-2016 season with a production of The Laramie Project, helmed by artistic director Vincent J. Cardinal. Mansfield resident Chester Martin will appear as a cast member, playing multiple roles. The Laramie Project, a documentary theatre piece devised by The Tectonic Theatre Project, follows the aftermath of the kidnapping and murder of Matthew Shepard. In October of 1998, Shepard was murdered in Laramie, Wyoming. Shortly thereafter, members of The Tectonic Theatre Project traveled to Laramie to interview people of the town and chronicle their reaction to a tragedy that drew worldwide media attention. The play is derived from the nearly two hundred interviews that were conducted.

The cast of eleven will all embody multiple characters. Martin, whose main role is that of Stephen Belber, a member of Tectonic, will also play AJ McKinney, one of the perpetrators. Of playing multiple characters, Martin says “This show has been a wonderful learning experience for me in differentiation in characters, and looking deeper than my initial instinct to caricaturize. What is it that informs each character’s speech patterns, movements, and relationships? Working with this ensemble has given me great insight on how to make each role, however brief, as real as the person they are or were in real life.”

Martin is a senior at the University of Connecticut’s BFA acting program. As such, he is the recipient of conservatory style training that prepares young actors for careers in theatre, film, and television. Students take acting, voice, movement, and speech classes, as well as participating in CRT productions. CRT itself is the producing arm of the University of Connecticut and brings in professional actors, directors and designers to work with the students. Martin’s previous CRT credits include: Peter Pan (Pirate), Les Misérables (Montparnasse), Lysistrata (Harold), Legally Blonde (Carlos), Dead Heavy Fantastic (Vince), and A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum (Protean).

Joining the cast is Brandy Burre of HBO’s hit show “The Wire.” She also appeared in the lead role of Robert Greene’s documentary film “Actress,” where she portrays herself and her own struggle to return to acting after taking a hiatus to focus on motherhood. Josh McCabe of the renowned Massachusetts Shakespeare & Company will also join the cast.

CAST

The rest of the cast includes: BFA actors Coleman Churchill, Susannah Resnikoff, and Zach Dictakis, and MFA graduate actors: Bryce Wood, Natalia Cuevas, Arlene Bozich, Meredith Saran, and Curtis Longfellow.

PERFORMANCE AND TICKET INFORMATION

Evening performances start at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesdays and Thursdays, and at 8 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Select matinee performances start at 2 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. Season subscriptions and single tickets are available now. Single tickets range from $7 to $30. All student tickets are only $7.

Children must be at least 4 years old to attend CRT productions. For additional ticket information or to charge tickets by phone, call 860.486.2113. All sales are final; no refunds. Play selections and performance dates are subject to change.

Please call the box office at 860.486.2113 for tickets and additional information or visit www.crt.uconn.edu for specific show dates and times because performance schedules vary and are subject to change.