As Mill Race Theatre Company prepares to bring The Laramie Project to the stage this October, we invite our community to come together for an evening of conversation, reflection, and hope.

Join us for The Laramie Project Revisited: How to Proactively Support LGBTQ+ Community Members, featuring a special virtual conversation with Dennis Shepard, father of Matthew Shepard.

Friday, September 18, 2026
Doors Open: 6:00 PM | Program Begins: 7:00 PM
Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Columbus
7850 Goeller Rd, Columbus, IN 47201
Free & Open to the Public

Dennis will join us via Zoom to share his perspective and answer questions from the audience.

The evening will also include a conversation with Eric Heyob, director of MRTC’s production of The Laramie Project, as well as a community panel exploring what it means to proactively support LGBTQ+ individuals in our workplaces, churches, organizations, and everyday lives.

Together, we’ll explore questions surrounding advocacy, creating supportive environments, navigating challenges and pushback, and finding hope even when the world has not yet reached the level of acceptance we want to see.

Evening Schedule: Doors open at 6:00 PM with snacks and refreshments available. Opening remarks begin at 7:00 PM, followed by the virtual conversation and Q&A with Dennis Shepard. The evening will continue with a conversation with Eric Heyob and conclude with a community panel discussion.

Community panelists will be announced soon.

Whether you’re familiar with The Laramie Project or encountering this story for the first time, we invite you to join us for an important community conversation about how each of us can help create spaces where LGBTQ+ community members feel supported, respected, and valued.