No Fog West Theater Company facts for kids

No Fog West Theater is a non-profit theater company created and run by students from Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York. It was started in December 2006 by a group of students who wanted to use plays to make a positive difference in the world.

The company's goal is to use theater to help people think about important issues and understand themselves and others better. They believe plays can be a powerful tool for starting conversations about how to make society more compassionate and understanding.

The Laramie Project

The first major play put on by No Fog West Theater was The Laramie Project. This play was written by Moisés Kaufman and the Tectonic Theater Project. In July 2007, a team of ten students from different colleges performed the play in Sheridan, Wyoming.

The Laramie Project is a famous play in the United States, but it had not been performed very often in Wyoming, where the events of the play took place. The No Fog West production ran for two weeks at the Carriage House Theater.

Community Discussion

Besides the play, the theater company also organized a community meeting. They wanted to talk about how communities can work together to prevent hate and prejudice. They invited a minister, a state lawmaker, a school board member, and a psychologist to lead the discussion with the audience. The student actors also marched in the local Sheridan Rodeo Parade to connect with the community.

The success of this project helped the student leaders of No Fog West meet with theater experts. These experts gave them advice for their next big production.

Talking to ...

For their second production in the summer of 2008, No Fog West chose a play called Talking to ... by Robin Soans. This play was first performed in London by the Out of Joint theatre company.

The play is made up of the real-life stories of many different people from around the world. It includes interviews with former members of groups involved in political conflicts, as well as the victims of these conflicts. The play explores why people make certain choices and helps the audience understand very difficult situations from many points of view.

After a three-week rehearsal period at the Ucross Foundation in Wyoming, the company took the play on tour. They performed in Sheridan, Wyoming; Salt Lake City, Utah; and McCall, Idaho during August 2008.

The Company Members

No Fog West Theater is managed by a board of directors made up of students. The main leaders were:

• Grace Cannon, Production Director
• Max Hershenow, Artistic Director
• Madeleine Joyce, Secretary

Actors for each play were chosen through auditions.

Cast of The Laramie Project

The actors and director for The Laramie Project were:

• Adam Colton
• Christine Hottinger
• Angie Prichard
• Mike Marshall
• Austin Bramwell
• Anne Gordon
• Jordan Coffey
• Grace Cannon
• Madeleine Joyce
• Max Hershenow (Director)

Cast of Talking to ...

The actors and crew for Talking to ... were:

• Jamie Watkins
• Baize Buzan
• Nijae Draine
• Nathan Birnbaum
• Grace Cannon
• Madeleine Joyce
• Adam Colton
• Mike Marshall
• Becky Katz (Road Manager)
• Max Hershenow (Director)