The Trinity Church Wall Street has recently announced the details for Craig Hella Johnson's 'Considering Matthew Shepard' musical performance.
Craig Hella Johnson's musical performance is reportedly the first scheduled performance for the church’s Fall Music Season in 2022.
'Considering Matthew Shepard' Event Details
In a post from the Trinity Church Wall Street website, Craig Hella Johnson’s oratorio is scheduled for Sept. 15 to 17, at St. Paul’s Chapel.
The oratorio was created as a room for reflection, and unity of the life and legacy of Matthew Shephard through a musical framework.
Johnson reportedly said that Shepard and his story inspired him to compose the ‘Considering Matthew Shepard.'
The following will be the production team of the musical performance:
- Elliott Forrest and Rod Caspers, Stage Directors
- Malcolm J. Merriweather, Music Director
- Beowulf Boritt, Scenic Designer
- Ken Billington, Lighting Designer
- Claudia Stefany, Costume Designer
- Dustin Z West, Production Supervisor
- Nate Bertone, Scenic Assistant
- Lauren Page Russell, Props Supervisor
- Brian Giebler as Matthew Shepard
- Nickolas Karageorgiou, Narrator
- The Choir of Trinity Wall Street and the NOVUS NY
The play will be played on-stage and streamed online. The live stream can be watched on the church’s website.
As mentioned, the event is free. Interested participants may reserve multiple tickets as long as each ticket has separate email addresses.
Also, participants who do not have tickets may join the event’s standby line, but on a first-come, first-served basis
Available seats for the guests will be released 15 minutes before the performance starts.
'Considering Matthew Shepard' Schedule
Accordingly, the event scheduled for Sept. 15, at 6 p.m. will be the ‘The Weaponization of Spirituality Panel Discussion.’
The panel of experts including the following will be discussing the spiritual violence of the people to the physical violence against the LGBTQ+ community before the musical performance starts.
- Liz Edman, moderator, priest, political strategist, and author of Queer Virtue
- Beverly Tillery, Executive Director of the NYC Anti-Violence Project
- Rev. Matthew Welsch, a priest and a director of the Trinity Church Wall Street's Youth and Community Care
- Tabytha Gonzalez, associate human rights specialist, and transgender liaison of the NYC Commission on Human Rights
As they believe that the discussion on spiritual violence and its effects on LGBTQ+ people may be the stepping stone to achieving change and healing.
Moreover, after the musical play, the creative team of 'Considering Matthew Shepard' will be having a talkback discussion.
The ‘Considering Matthew Shepard Talkback with the Creative Team’ will be happening on Sept. 16, at 9 p.m.
The creative team will reportedly discuss the view of the church toward the rendition of the ‘Considering Matthew Shepard.’
About the Trinity Church Wall Street
Based on its website, the Trinity Church Wall Street is an Episcopal church in New York City that serves and aims to heal the community. The religious organization can do this by strengthening the people with the guidance of the teachings of the Gospel.
The church welcomes all people regardless of their ethnicity, race, and socio-economic level in the community.
Additionally, they are guided by their core values: faith, integrity, inclusiveness, compassion, social justice, and stewardship.
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