Laramie Project

Despite months of difficulty trying to get their play produced, students from John Burroughs High School performed “The Laramie Project,” to a sold-out audience at Burbank’s Colony Theatre on Thursday night. The cast had to scramble to find a place to premiere the show after school principal Emilio Urioste felt the material was too controversial, student Adrian Butler said. The play, written in 2000 by the Tectonic Theater Project, focuses on the reaction to the death of Matthew Shepard, a gay University of Wyoming student that was murdered in 1998.

John Burroughs High School drama teacher Scott Bailey recently filed a grievance against the school’s principal concerning his reassignment to the English department. The Burbank Teachers Assn. sent Principal Emilio Urioste a grievance letter in May stating that his reasons for the move were “capricious,” or not well-reasoned, Bailey said. The reappointment came after several disagreements between Bailey and Urioste about school productions this year of “The Laramie Project,” about the killing of a gay University of Wyoming student, and a modern-day adaptation of “Romeo and Juliet.

John Burroughs High School drama teacher Scott Bailey recently filed a grievance against the school’s principal concerning his reassignment to the English department. The Burbank Teachers Assn. sent Principal Emilio Urioste a grievance letter in May stating that his reasons for the move were “capricious,” or not well-reasoned, Bailey said. The reappointment came after several disagreements between Bailey and Urioste about school productions this year of “The Laramie Project,” about the killing of a gay University of Wyoming student, and a modern-day adaptation of “Romeo and Juliet.

The production of “The Laramie Project” put on by John Burroughs High School students on Friday night was met by a small protest at Burbank’s Colony Theatre. A handful of members from the Kansas-based Westboro Baptist Church, a vocal church group opposed to homosexuality, protested near the theater. Across from the Westboro protesters, about 30 supporters of the play gathered on the corner of Third Street and Cypress Avenue. They held signs and waved in appreciation to motorists, who honked horns in response.

This letter is regarding the Don’t Tell Bailey Theater Company’s amazing production of “The Laramie Project” at the Colony Theatre (“Play brings protests,” May 31). I happen to be Scott Bailey, the very same Bailey that ironically wasn’t supposed to be told about the show. I’m glad I was told about it though, because sitting in the Colony Theatre on May 29-30 was the most moving experience I have ever had as a teacher or as a theater-goer.

'Laramie Project' first play for Colony's new season BURBANK -- For its first production of its new "Season of Discovery," The Colony Theatre Company is presenting the Los Angeles premiere of "The Laramie Project." The play, written by Moises Kaufman and the members of Tectonic Theater Project, runs June 1 to 28 and is directed by Garland Award-winner Nick DeGruccio. Hailed by Time Magazine as one of the "Top Ten Plays of the Year 2000," "The Laramie Project" is about a small town at the epicenter of an incomprehensible crime.

Joyce Rudolph The Colony Theatre Company of Burbank received six Theatre L.A. Ovation Awards on Sunday at the Orpheum theater in downtown Los Angeles. "The Laramie Project" received three -- Best Play, Nick DeGruccio won for Best Director and the cast captured Best Ensemble Performance. For "Side Show," Misty Cotton and Julie Dixon Jackson shared Best Actress in a Musical and Jeffrey Schoenberg won for Best Costumes. Rod Keller, who played Linus in "You're A Good Man Charlie Brown," received Best Featured Actor in a musical.

I am the parent of a student who participated in both “Romeo and Juliet” and “The Laramie Project.” This is how I see the controversy. I have been reading the articles. My family did not have any issues about our son appearing in the plays. I believe the problem may be that people “think” they know the play “Romeo and Juliet.” We all know the highlights and famous lines. Maybe some of us did not actually ever read the play, or did not truly understand the difficult Shakespearean phrases due to a boring reader.

No grounds for grievance with Bailey I have two children who just graduated from Burroughs High School. There are no grounds for a grievance involving drama teacher Scott Bailey. While he is trying to be creative, we believe his choices have been way over the top and not appropriate for high school students (“Teacher files grievance,” June 25). Many parents have complained in that regard to the principal, but Bailey kept on going. Principal Emilio Urioste tried to stop these continued choices for the high school productions and then Bailey tried to produce “The Laramie Project”(“Play brings protests,” May 31)

John Burroughs High School drama teacher Scott Bailey recently filed a grievance against the school’s principal concerning his reassignment to the English department. The Burbank Teachers Assn. sent Principal Emilio Urioste a grievance letter in May stating that his reasons for the move were “capricious,” or not well-reasoned, Bailey said. The reappointment came after several disagreements between Bailey and Urioste about school productions this year of “The Laramie Project,” about the killing of a gay University of Wyoming student, and a modern-day adaptation of “Romeo and Juliet.

John Burroughs High School drama teacher Scott Bailey recently filed a grievance against the school’s principal concerning his reassignment to the English department. The Burbank Teachers Assn. sent Principal Emilio Urioste a grievance letter in May stating that his reasons for the move were “capricious,” or not well-reasoned, Bailey said. The reappointment came after several disagreements between Bailey and Urioste about school productions this year of “The Laramie Project,” about the killing of a gay University of Wyoming student, and a modern-day adaptation of “Romeo and Juliet.

The production of “The Laramie Project” put on by John Burroughs High School students on Friday night was met by a small protest at Burbank’s Colony Theatre. A handful of members from the Kansas-based Westboro Baptist Church, a vocal church group opposed to homosexuality, protested near the theater. Across from the Westboro protesters, about 30 supporters of the play gathered on the corner of Third Street and Cypress Avenue. They held signs and waved in appreciation to motorists, who honked horns in response.