What keeps the parents of murder victim Matthew going

“And that’s really important because then they know that these are the same issues we have, and what can we do about it?”

Produced by the American Australian Association and Tectonic Theatre Project, the reading features a starry local cast including Tony Sheldon (Tony-nominated for Priscilla, Queen of the Desert), Australian Idol winner Casey Donovan, Lyndon Watts (Hamilton) and writer Benjamin Law (The Family Law).

The couple is good friends with former American ambassador to Australia John Berry, the first openly gay ambassador to Australia, and on a recent trip to New York to visit Berry, his husband and husbands and co-founders of Tectonic Theatre Project, Moises Kaufman and Jeff Rojas, the group started discussing more international exposure for The Laramie Project. Berry suggested an Australian reading might just be the perfect fit.

This production will host a special guest: Dennis Shepard playing the part of himself, reading an emotional excerpt from his original victim impact statement to the court during the 1999 murder trial.

Dennis and Judy have been loud advocates in the years since Matthew’s death, establishing the Matthew Shepard Foundation and speaking out about hate crimes and discrimination in US and across the world. Participating in the reading is just one small action.

The couple is extremely concerned about the rise of anti-LGBTQ legislation in the US, describing what Dennis calls the increase of “anti-everything laws” as infuriating.

“We were so sure no one would vote for the TV star. But they did. And everything got sidetracked.”

“We thought we were on such a good path with the Obama administration,” said Judy. It was then-president Barack Obama who signed into law the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, which expands the US federal hate crime law to include crimes motivated by a victim’s gender, sexual orientation or disability.

“And then we thought we still would be [on that path] in 2016. We were so sure no one would vote for the, you know, TV star. But they did. And everything got sidetracked. Everything.”

The Shepards hope keeping The Laramie Project alive will help stem the tide because it puts a personal and recognisable face to the scourge of discrimination. But they also hope that, beyond the emotional experience someone might have watching the reading, the audience will also be inspired to act.

Judy suggests it starts with speaking up.

“The haters are the loudest. There are more of us that don’t think that way and wish they would just stop, but we’re silent for the very reasons Dennis outlined. We’re afraid of retaliation. But they’re not going to retaliate against this from the voting booth. So our encouragement right now is just get everybody to go vote.

“And in Australia, where you must vote, at least be an educated voter.”