Discussion prompts for The Laramie Project: Question #1What did you notice? What about the play was interesting,
Discussion prompts for The Laramie Project:
Question #1
What did you notice? What about the play was interesting, strange, revealing, or meaningful for you? Be specific.
Question #2
What values are being represented in this dramatic world. Discuss two values and to what group/groups these values are attached. Give at least two specific example from the play of how each value is expressed/represented. What does this suggest about the play as a whole?
If “values” ends up being a difficult word to tangle with, try replacing it with perspectives, priorities, or concerns.
Question #3 (Read with a pencil)
For this prompt, choose something that you circled while reading the play that you didn’t completely understand and do some additional research — this might mean looking up the meaning of a word, or googling an unfamiliar reference — and then discuss your findings.
Armed with this new information how have you been able to put what was at first difficult to understand into context? What connections exist between this new information and other details of the world of the play?
Question #4 (Issue of diversity)
Using specific examples from the text, discuss the town of Laramie as a character in the play, in other words, how is Laramie depicted? Is there a difference between acceptance and tolerance in Laramie? If so, how is this expressed in the play? What do you think the Tectonic Theatre Project wants us to walk away from this play thinking?
Do you think what happened in Laramie could happen in Columbus?
Question #5
The way the story of The Laramie Project is told is very different than Intimate Apparel, in part because of its episodic structure. Review episodic structure in Lecture 9.2.
Give three examples of elements in The Laramie Project that set it apart from Intimate Apparel’s more traditional 2-act play structure and storytelling, and the how these choices create meaning and affect the storytelling in The Laramie Project.
Question #6
Ask two of your own questions about the play. This is your opportunity to find out what someone else thinks about an aspect of the play that you found particularly interesting, confusing, or challenging. You cannot repeat any question that is part of this list of discussion prompts.