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Fayetteville State University (FSU) has made waves of progress for its LGBT students and faculty over the past several years. Tucked away in a conservative military town, the historically black state university was the third such school across the nation to open an LGBT student resource center. A year later, the Safe Zone Office is as active as ever and the university is poised to present playwright Moisés Kaufman and Tectonic Theater Project’s iconic play, “The Laramie Project.”

The production is set for Oct. 9-12, starring student cast members and presented by Fayetteville State University Theatre Company and the Department of Performing & Fine Arts.

The play chronicles the lives of the residents of Laramie, Wyo., in the aftermath of the death of Matthew Shepard, a university student killed because he was gay.

The cast features Calvin McDougal, Lydia Williamson, Robert Johnson, Traycie Kuhn, Alease Timbers, Christina “Jonesy” Jones, Victoria Utley and D’Andre Allen. The production is directed by FSU Assistant Professor Jeremy Fiebig and designed by FSU Associate Professor David Griffie. The production will be presented alongside a number of events hosted on campus exploring sexuality, gender and identity. FSU Theatre Company is partnering with FSU’s Gay Straight Alliance chapter over the week of the production, which also coincides with the 16th anniversary of Shepard’s death on Oct. 12.

The production is not recommended for very young audiences due to disturbing content and language.

Advance tickets are $10 for the general public, $8 for FSU faculty, staff, and senior citizens, $2 for FSU students with an ID. Tickets are $2 more at the door. Tickets can be reserved by calling the FSU Box Office at (910) 672-1724. For group rates or more information, call (910) 672-2574. For more information, visit uncfsu.edu/arts/theatre-home.

—compiled from release

Matt Comer previously served as editor from October 2007 through August 2015 and as a staff writer afterward in 2016.