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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. In “Moment: Jury Selection” of Act 3, who claims, “As soon as they started jury selection, you know, everybody was coming into my shop with ‘I don’t want to be on this trial’”?

2. The Wyoming governor in Act 2 states, “I would like to urge the people of Wyoming against overreacting in a way that gives one group” what?

3. Who was the CEO of the Poudre Valley Hospital at the time of Matthew Shepard’s murder?

4. What verdict did the jury reach in the case of Aaron McKinney for the charge of aggravated robbery?

5. Who was the judge that presided over the case of the State of Wyoming versus Aaron James McKinney?

Short Essay Questions

1. How is the phrase “Live and let live” used for contrast in the play?

2. What is the objective of the Reverend Fred Phelps in the play?

3. What interspersed speeches appear in Act 2? What scene follows the first speech?

4. What statement does Matthew Shepard’s father make in Aaron McKinney’s sentencing?

5. How does Act 2 begin? What is the subject of the first interviews?

6. How have the rights of homosexuals changed in the past 50 years?

7. What characters represent the theme of prejudice in The Laramie Project?

8. How is prejudice defined? What role does it play in The Laramie Project?

9. What regrets do the citizens of Laramie express in Act 2?

10. What follows the funeral of Matthew Shepard in Act 3?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Describe Leigh Fondakowski, Stephen Belber, Greg Pierotti, and Stephen Wangh. What role did each of these members of Tectonic Theater Project play in the development of The Laramie Project? What other works have they completed? How are they depicted in the script?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the public support shown both in Laramie, Wyoming, and in the United States as a whole, for Matthew Shepard. What did this support signify? How was it a stepping stone for gay awareness? Who resented this support?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss Tony Kushner’s award-winning play, Angels in America. When was the play produced? What are its central subjects and themes? How was it received? Why did Jedadiah Schultz’s parents react as they did to his performing a scene from the play? How do Angels in America and The Laramie Project relate to one another?

(see the answer keys)

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