Student Body Gathers to Watch GDA Production of The Laramie Project

On Thursday, the entire student body came together to watch the GDA's performance of The Laramie Project, which is set in and around Laramie, Wyoming, in the aftermath of the murder of 21-year-old Matthew Shepard.

After the play, students returned to their homerooms for guided discussions centered on the ideas of mercy, tolerance, and inclusion. Meanwhile, in the theater, the cast and crew had the opportunity to hear from Father James Martin, SJ, editor-at-large of the Jesuit magazine America and author of the recent book Building a Bridge: How the Catholic Church and the LGBT Community Can Enter into a Relationship of Respect, Compassion, and Sensitivity.

During his talk, Father Martin said to the students: "You guys have just done something here on this stage that will help change hearts. This is truly life-saving and life-giving work."

Father Planning also took a moment to congratulate the cast and crew on the performance, saying: “This is truly theater with a purpose—and you made that purpose shine.”

Here are some great photos from Wednesday's dress rehearsal: