After Matthew Shepard’s brutal murder in 1998, members of the Tectonic Theater Project in New York City traveled to Laramie, Wyoming, to interview more than 200 residents about how the attack on Matt had affected the town. The play was created from these interviews, journal entries by the theater company, and other found materials. These were transformed into the play The Laramie Project, which tells the stories of real people who lived at the epicenter of the anti-gay hate crime, presenting a powerful portrayal of a community grappling with hate, hope, and humanity.​​ Twenty-five years after the initial production, The Laramie Project's themes are still current and relevant to our time.