Waterford — The drama club at Waterford High School in October will present a staged reading of "The Laramie Project" and "The Laramie Project: Ten Years," to honor Matthew Shepard on the 20th anniversary of his death.

Shepard, a gay 21-year-old University of Wyoming student, died due to injuries he sustained after being tied and beaten outside Laramie, Wyo., on Oct. 12, 1998.

Moises Kaufman and members of the Tectonic Theater Project conducted more than 200 interviews with people in Laramie on the impact Shepard's murder had on them and the community, leading to "The Laramie Project," one of the most produced plays in America. Follow-up interviews inspired "The Laramie Project: Ten Years Later."

WATERFORDrama will host staged readings of "The Laramie Project" and "The Laramie Project: Ten Years Later" on Friday, Oct. 12, and Saturday, Oct. 13, respectively. Both performances are at 7 p.m. in the high school auditorium.

"'Laramie' is a powerful story and brilliant piece of theatre," said Director Shane Valle. "Even though we've already done it twice I knew I needed to do something to honor the life and legacy of Matthew Shepard on the 20th anniversary of his death."

The casts will include current high school students, drama teachers and alumni who've performed in "The Laramie Project" before.

Tickets, which are $15 for adults and $10 for students, are good for both shows and go on sale Monday, Oct. 1. For more information call (860) 437-6956, ext. 7407.