Convergence Theatre Company
Powered by Yuba Sutter Arts & Culture and Housed at the Sutter Theater Center for the Arts
Synopsis of the Play: In October 1998 in the middle of the prairie outside Laramie, Wyoming, Matthew Shepard, a 21 year old student at the University of Wyoming, was tied to a fence post, severely beaten, robbed, , tortured and left, alone, to die. His body — battered, bloody, barely clinging to life — was discovered eighteen hours later. He was rushed to the hospital and put on life support. He died five days later. The reason for this brutal crime? Matthew Shepard was gay.
The hate crime attracted vast attention worldwide, bringing sexual discrimination and violence to the forefront of public discourse. The Tectonic Theater Project, led by their founder Moisés Kaufman, traveled to Laramie in the aftermath of the murder with the intent of creating a theatrical portrait of a town coming to grips with horrible, hate-fueled violence. Over the course of a year and a half, the group interviewed over 200 subjects, some directly related to the case and some regular citizens of Laramie. Out of these interviews, journal entries, and found texts, The Laramie Project was born. Hailed as one of the most captivating and encompassing pieces of contemporary theatre, the play shocks, challenges, and moves all who watch it as it reveals the lowest depths of hatred and greatest heights of compassion that lies within all human beings in any seemingly average community.
About CTC!
Convergence Theatre Company seeks to inspire curiosity, awareness, and understanding by producing high quality performances that explore important social topics.
We live in a time of increasing polarity, which we at CTC believe is stunting our potential as individuals, as a community, and as a nation. Particularly during uncertain times the tendency to circle the wagons and surround oneself with like-minded individuals is natural. But we truly believe that breaking out of the various self-constructed echo chambers within our local community can help us shift from the destructive “us v. them” mentality and learn to collaborate for the good of everyone. We commit to the process of “seeking first to understand, then to be understood,” so that we can participate in and facilitate healthy, balanced, respectful, and productive conversations about issues that tend to be divisive and polarizing.
We would love for you to join us on this journey as we seek to create a safe space for the convergence of divergent perspectives, beliefs, and life experiences with the purpose of fostering a Yuba-Sutter community where everyone can thrive.
Community
CTC strives to be an active voice in the Yuba Sutter community, inclusive of people of all backgrounds and beliefs.
Conversation
CTC selects productions that inspire conversation on important and sometimes difficult topics.
Convergence
Our goal is to bring people together to learn from art and each other in a safe and supportive environment.
