FSU to Present Considering Matthew Shepard
May 4, 2022 12:00 AM
The FSU Chamber Singers, in collaboration with the Department of Theatre and Dance and community partners, will proudly present Craig Hella Johnson’s Considering Matthew Shepard – a powerful masterwork that explores through music the importance of love and caring for one another.
In 1998, Shepard, an LGBTQ student at the University of Wyoming, was kidnapped, beaten, tied to a fence, and left to die. With inspirations from Bach to Broadway, the compelling message of this performance is still essential today and shows the significance of unity and recognizing those who feel marginalized.
The performance itself will take place on May 6 at 7:30 p.m. and May 7 at 3PM in the Pealer Recital Hall. On May 8th, there will be a special performance at St. Ignatius Catholic Church in Baltimore. At the Baltimore performance, Matthew Shepard’s mother, Judy, will speak, and an event for FSU alumni will also be held.
A number of other events were planned leading up to the performances, to provide context and opportunities for discussion.
On March 10, Dr. Susan Mandell (Counseling Center) and Dr. Joe Freund, one of the first physicians with a special interest in LGBTQ+ patient health, hosted a Zoom discussion on LGBTQ+ mental and physical health, followed by a question and answer session.
On April 3, Susan Mandell and her intern, Talatha Mahmoud, hosted a discussion on trauma, microaggressions, and bullying. Also during the first week of April, Dr. Ernest Harrison, a member of the premier group who presented the work, spent a week on campus working with the FSU performers.
On April 12, the Catholic Center on campus hosted a Zoom lecture with Father James Martin, an activist on inclusivity/acceptance. Then on April 21, Robyn Wynder’s office sponsored a potluck meal with group discussions at City Place for the community.
Spearheading the effort to bring all of these events to FSU has been Scott Rieker, lecturer in the Music Department. “I performed in Considering Mathew Shepard during graduate school with the University of Southern California singers, and I wanted to share a similar experience with our students,” said Rieker.
“This has been a true collaborative effort with many different campus and community partners,” said Rieker. Students from the Department of Theatre and Dance are designing the set, lighting, and costumes, with Darrell Rushton set to direct.
Tickets are required, but will be free, as a result of grants from the FSU Foundation, Faculty Development, Women’s Studies, and the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.