MassResistance protests Laramie Project

The anti-gay group MassResistance is working with parents in the Acton-Boxborough school district to hold an Oct. 3 forum to rally opposition to the upcoming student performance at Acton-Bowborough Regional High School of The Laramie Project, a play about the 1998 murder of gay college student Matthew Shepard. The forum, which will be held at the high school, will feature a slate of anti-gay speakers including ex-gay activist Stephen Bennett; Ohio-based activist Linda Harvey, whose group Mission America opposes LGBT-related content in schools; Dr. John Diggs, an anti-gay and anti-abortion activist who authored a 2002 white paper called "The Health Risks of Gay Sex" for a non-profit called the Corporate Resource Council, which works to convince employers not to enact LGBT-friendly employee benefit policies; and James Lafferty, executive director of the Christian Seniors Association, an offshoot of the anti-gay Traditional Values Coalition, who, according to the description of the forum on the MassResistance website, attended the Shepard murder trial. Amy Contrada, one of MassResistance's core activists and the writer of the organization's blog, resides in Acton.

Bill Ryan, superintendent of the school district, said that despite the opposition from MassResistance and some parents, he believes the community as a whole has no problem with the high school putting on the play.

"I know this play will be well-received by our community and that our community will support this play. I'm absolutely confident of that," said Ryan. The play is scheduled to begin running in early November.

Ryan said when Linda Potter, director of the school's drama department, first approached him and Steve Donavan, principal of the high school, about performing the play, she warned them that it could prove controversial. The play is based on interviews with residents of Laramie, Wyoming, the town where Shepard was murdered, talking about the murder and its impact on the town. Ryan said he and Donavan read the script and felt that the play was an appropriate choice for the fall production.

"I think the play is really about prejudice and it deals with intolerance, and I think the play's really hopeful," said Ryan.

At the August school committee meeting Ryan said a group of about 10-15 people, some of them parents with children in the high school, attended and voiced their concerns about the play. He said most objected to the play's discussions of homosexuality, but some also had concerns about violence and explicit language. Ryan said the school committee remained committed to seeing the play performed. When the parents requested the chance to hold a forum at the school about the play, he said he and the school committee felt that would be appropriate. He said the school regularly allows outside organizations to hold events in the high school auditorium.

Despite the upcoming forum, Ryan believes that opposition to the play is relatively weak.

"I think when we actually get close to the play and production, it's not going to be controversial in that sense," said Ryan.