Pueblo's Steel City Theatre Tackles Hate Crime Legacy Through Powerful Pride Month Production

As Pride Month unfolds across Colorado, Pueblo's Steel City Theatre Company is taking center stage with a compelling production that hits close to home for many Rocky Mountain residents. The company is presenting "The Laramie Project," a documentary-style play that examines the aftermath of a tragic hate crime that occurred just north of Colorado's border.

The production, running June 12-21 in downtown Pueblo, chronicles the community response to the 1998 murder of Matthew Shepard, a University of Wyoming student whose death became a watershed moment in the fight against hate crimes in the Mountain West region.

Local Impact Resonates Beyond Theatre Walls

Andrea Garrett, managing director of Steel City Theatre Company, emphasizes the production's timely relevance to Colorado communities:

"These conversations are really important, especially as we're looking at some hate crimes against trans people," says Garrett, highlighting the ongoing challenges faced by LGBTQ+ Coloradans.

The theater company's bold programming choice has sparked both support and controversy in Southern Colorado. While facing some social media backlash, Garrett notes that most negative responses have come from outside the Pueblo community, suggesting stronger local support for the challenging material.

Community Voices Take Center Stage

The production features more than 60 different character perspectives, bringing to life interviews with various community members including:

• Law enforcement officers
• Local religious leaders
• Medical professionals
• College students
• Service industry workers

Cast member Zachary Price emphasizes the production's broader impact:

"The message here is not only presenting Matthew Shepard's story, but also everyone else's story around it."

"The message here is not only presenting Matthew Shepard's story, but also everyone else's story around it."

Fellow performer Macie Gross adds:

"It's very, very important to do this now to show people like, 'Hey, this is what's going on. This is still an issue, and this is still something we need to worry about.'"

"It's very, very important to do this now to show people like, 'Hey, this is what's going on. This is still an issue, and this is still something we need to worry about.'"

Supporting Colorado Arts and Dialogue

The production runs at Steel City Theatre Company on North Main Street in downtown Pueblo, offering Colorado residents an opportunity to engage with challenging social issues through the lens of regional history. For many Southern Colorado families, the proximity of Laramie and the continued relevance of Shepard's story make this production particularly meaningful for local audiences.

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