Due to COVID-19 The Laramie Project has been rescheduled to October 2021.

Red Phoenix Theatre's final production for 2021 is Moisés Kaufman and Tectonic Theatre Project's extraordinary play The Laramie Project.

The Laramie Project is one of the most-performed theatre pieces in America and has become a modern classic. At Red Phoenix Theatre, we were amazed to discover that in South Australia this extraordinary play has never been performed outside of school and university productions. We are thrilled to be the first theatre company in Adelaide to share this powerful and compelling theatrical experience.

On October 7, 1998, a young gay man was discovered bound to a fence outside Laramie, Wyoming, savagely beaten and left to die in an act of brutality and hate that shocked the nation. Matthew Shepard's death became a national symbol of intolerance, but for the people of the town, the event was deeply personal. In the aftermath, Moisés Kaufman and members of the Tectonic Theatre Project went to Laramie and conducted more than 200 interviews with its citizens. From the transcripts of those interviews, the playwrights constructed an extraordinary chronicle of life in the town after the murder.

Directed by Brant Eustice and featuring an outstanding cast including Samuel Creighton, Cheryl Douglas, Chris Gun, Matt Houston, Nick Kennett, Jasmine Leech, Sharon Malujlo, Nadia Talotta, Tom Tassone and Anita Zamberlan Canala.

Due to the current climate strict Covid restrictions will be in place, please follow all rules on density, social distancing and follow directions from staff.

This is a Masked Event, please help reduce waste by bringing your own mask.

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Praise for The Laramie Project

"extraordinary, devastating and emotionally raw piece of work... go and see this play" - Glam Adelaide

"an amazing, confronting, poignant and engaging piece of theatre." - Adelaide Theatre Guide

"It is certainly essential viewing for lovers of great theatre, and a master class for other actors." - Broadway World

"The Laramie Project, using social commentary as a foundation for a thought provoking exploration of a small community, achieves excellent theatre." - 5MBS

"There are so many memorable moments in such a big and finely-honed show." - The Barefoot Review

"The Laramie Project is an emotionally powerful play full of outstanding performances from an exceptionally talented cast." - TASA

"slick, seamless and brilliantly timed ensemble performance." - Stage Whispers

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Gallery

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Images by Richard Parkhill

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Cast & Crew

SAMUEL CREIGHTON is on his first adventure with Red Phoenix and it has been sheer joy for him to bring such an extraordinary production to life. Tea Tree Players Theatre has been Sammy’s ‘traditional’ home for the past 10 years, where he has excelled in set design and construction and directed five successful productions. Within this time he has played a multitude of roles, some poignant, often comedic, and most memorably as 'the body' in a 2011 production portraying ‘so convincingly dead’ that it shocked the audience when he eventually moved. He's also remembered for a 2017 naked stage run that erupted the audience into such hysterics that he had to hold his modesty for lengthy periods in order to deliver his line.

CHERYL DOUGLAS continues her passion in theatre with her portrayal of various characters in The Laramie Project. Cheryl is excited to be back with Red Phoenix since playing Lauren in A Bunch Of Amateurs. Some of her other previous engagements have been various roles in Two Brothers, Elizabeth in When The Rain Stops Falling, Elizabeth Proctor in The Crucible, Paulina in Death And The Maiden, Deborah in Men Behaving Badly, Jess in Flint St Nativity, Mary in Memory Of Water, Pip in Things I Know To Be True and most recently Meg in Crimes Of The Heart. Cheryl hope’s we can all take something positive away from this powerful story The Laramie Project.

CHRIS GUN has been performing his entire life, since being introduced to the stage at the age of four, and is thrilled to now be joining the Red Phoenix family. As an actor, singer, instrumentalist and film-maker, he has spent years strumming his way through bars, treading boards and lighting up screens. 2019 saw him playing the lead role of Ryder in Showtime Attraction’s live production of Paw Patrol, and more recently, the role of Christ in Romeo Castellucci’s contemporary adaptation of Mozart’s Requiem’ He is also recognisable as the drug-driver in SAPOL’s recent road safety campaign, and as the Motor Accident Commission’s licence-losing rapper Krazy K. Chris is loving being back on the stage and breaking his regular 'irresponsible-driver' typecasting.

MATT HOUSTON has theatre credits including The Adelaide Rep’s A Christmas Carol and The Cripple of Inishmaan (nominee for best male performance, ATG Awards 2016); University of Adelaide Theatre Guild’s Don Juan in Soho (winner of best individual award at the 2019 Adelaide Critic’s Circle Awards); Titus Andronicus and The White House Murder Case for Red Phoenix. In 2018, Matt directed the Theatre Guild’s The Goat, or Who is Sylvia?, winner of the 2019 ATG Curtain Call award for Best Show (Drama).

NICK KENNETT lives and breathes acting. He loves everything about it from getting into a character's skin to getting out of his comfort zone. Nick studied at Adelaide College of the Arts 2007-2009 and has been involved in Film, TV and Stage. Favourite productions he has performed in include The Boys with StarheART Theatre and the award winning Fringe show Live Fish with StoneRose Productions. Nick played Jamie Vlasakis in a documentary about the Snowtown murders and also does modelling, sings and plays guitar.

JASMINE LEECH began at Urban Myth Theatre of Youth and later spent her gap year producing, directing and starring in Rhinoceros by Eugéne Ionesco (2016) before starting a bachelor’s degree in psychological science a day after bump out. Jasmine then stage managed for Robert Baulderstone’s After Life (2019). Additionally, Jasmine took on her first production with Red Phoenix Theatre as the SFX Operator for The Flint Street Nativity (2018) and A Bunch of Amateur’s (2019). Jasmine would later appear as Emily in Dividing the Estate (2019) as Katrin in Loyalties as a part of A Promenade of Shorts (2020) and as Maeve in Blue Stockings (2021). Jasmine is currently taking on a diploma at MAPS Film School.

SHARON MALUJLO has performed in theatre and film overseas and in Australia. Recent productions include The King (2020 Fringe), Promenade of Shorts & The Flint Street Nativity (Red Phoenix), Collaborators (Stirling Players), Prisoner of Second Street (Galleon Theatre) , Lettice and Lovage, Julius Caesar (AUTG). Overseas she received the best actor for Last of the Red Hot Lovers and best supporting award for Crimes of the Heart. Sharon has also performed in the musicals Me and My Girl, Annie Get your Gun and My Fair Lady and was costume designer/co-ordinator for Red Phoenix shows Caligula, Dividing the Estate and Blue Stockings.

NADIA TALOTTA is performing for the first time with Red Phoenix and she is thrilled to be joining the stage with such talented theatre makers. Earlier this year Nadia performed in Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo, directed by Nick Fagan for the Adelaide Theatre Guild. Nadia is a NIDA 2016 BFA graduate and has worked with other noteworthy directors such as, Sarah Goodes (MTC) and Anthea Williams (Belvoir) on stage performances for her graduating plays. Nadia will also be performing in the 2022 production of Laughter on the 23rd Floor directed by David Grybowski for the Adelaide Rep Theatre.

TOM TASSONE has been acting since the age of 11 and has enjoyed every moment of it. He loves exploring new roles, pushing his craft, and developing his skills. His favourite roles include Thomas Klopper in The Book of Everything, The Duke of Milford in Flapper, Timon in Timon of Athens, Ram Sweeney in Heathers: The Musical, and MacBeth in When Shall We Three Meet Again. In the past year he has performed in A Promenade of Shorts and Blue Stockings for Red Phoenix as well as Together for StarheART Theatre. Tom has also performed in a number of short films.

ANITA ZAMBERLAN CANALA was delighted to be a part of the mini festival-like production A Promenade of Shorts in 2020 for Red Phoenix. Other productions for the company include The White House Murder Case (2017), The Flint Street Nativity (2018) and A Bunch of Amateurs (2019). She has also appeared in productions for Galleon, St Jude's and her most recent performance with Adelaide Theatre Guild’s Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo (May 2021). She considers being part of this heart-rending theatre piece is a vast responsibility and a privilege.

BRANT EUSTICE first directed in 1989 with Brian Friel’s Freedom of the City (Westenders). He co-created shows with Impropriety Inc and Andy Packer in the 1990s. He won a Critics’ Circle award for directing Julius Caesar (Theatre Guild) and Influence (Theatre Guild) won a Curtain Call award for best ensemble. He has performed with State Theatre Company of South Australia on multiple occasions and most recently in God of Carnage. He performed in the joint STCSA and Sydney Theatre Company production of David Williamson’s The Removalists. Recent appearances include Blue Stockings (Red Phoenix), Skylight (Verendus), and Jerusalem (Theatre Guild). He has received two Adelaide Critics Circle Awards for acting; Oleanna (Theatre Guild) and The Conspirators and Two Brothers (Red Phoenix). He was awarded TASA's Best Male Performer for his role as Rooster in Jerusalem (Theatre Guild).