Reflect on your experience with a performing arts work and the different ways that creative work impacts your relationship, as well as society's relationship, with the topic it portrays. The performing arts work you choose can be a work you've participated in such as a play, a vocal or musical performance, spoken word, stand-up comedy, a magic show, public speaking, professional wrestling, a flash mob or other dance performance, gymnastics, and so forth. You may also choose a performing arts work you've experienced in person, on television, or in a video.
Discussing challenges that face our world often means investigating opinions and ideas different from your own. Remember to remain thoughtful and respectful toward your peers and instructor in your initial post as well as in your response discussion posts.
Create one initial post and respond to at least two of your classmates.
For your initial post, address the following:
Describe the performing arts work you chose.
Describe the topic(s) the work portrayed.
Describe your experience with this work.
Summarize examples within the work that caused you to feel empathy.
Explain why those examples prompted you to feel empathy.
Full Answer Section
Examples that Caused Me to Feel Empathy: There were many examples in The Laramie Project that caused me to feel empathy for the people of Laramie, as well as for Matthew Shepard and his family. However, the following two examples stand out in my mind:
- In one scene, a member of the Tectonic Theater Project interviews a group of Laramie high school students about their thoughts on the murder. One student, a young woman named Reva, talks about how she was afraid to come out as gay after the murder. She says that she felt like she couldn't trust anyone, and that she was afraid of being attacked.
- In another scene, Matthew Shepard's mother, Judy, talks about her son and the impact that his death has had on her family. She says that she misses Matthew every day, and that she is still trying to come to terms with his death.
Why These Examples Prompted Me to Feel Empathy: These examples prompted me to feel empathy because they helped me to understand the real human cost of homophobia and hate. Reva's story showed me how homophobia can make people feel isolated and afraid. Judy Shepard's story showed me the pain and grief that families experience when they lose a loved one to violence.
The Laramie Project also helped me to understand the importance of community. The people of Laramie came together to support each other after the murder, and they showed that it is possible to overcome even the most difficult challenges.
Impact on Relationship with the Topic: The Laramie Project had a profound impact on my relationship with the topic of homophobia. Before seeing the play, I had a vague understanding of homophobia, but I didn't really understand the real-world impact that it could have on people's lives.
The Laramie Project showed me that homophobia is a serious problem that can lead to violence and tragedy. It also showed me that homophobia can have a devastating impact on people's mental and emotional health.
The play also taught me the importance of empathy. It showed me that it is important to try to understand the experiences of others, even if those experiences are different from my own.
Impact on Society's Relationship with the Topic: The Laramie Project has been performed all over the world, and it has helped to raise awareness of homophobia and hate crimes. The play has also helped to start conversations about these important issues.
The Laramie Project is a powerful and moving play that has the potential to change people's lives. It is a play that everyone should see.
Sample Answer
Performing Arts Work: The Laramie Project (2000 play by Moisés Kaufman and the Members of Tectonic Theater Project)
Topic(s): The play recounts the events surrounding the murder of Matthew Shepard, a gay college student, in Laramie, Wyoming, in 1998. It explores the impact of the murder on the community of Laramie, as well as the larger themes of homophobia, hate, and violence.
My Experience: I saw The Laramie Project performed at my local community theater in 2003. I was 16 years old at the time, and I had never seen a play like it before. The play was incredibly powerful and moving, and it left a deep impression on me.