"The Laramie Project," a powerful play about hate crimes, will be presented by the Department of Theatre at Coastal Carolina University from Thursday, March 22, to Saturday, March 31, at Wheelwright Auditorium.

The play, written by Mois's Kaufman and members of the Tectonic Theater Project, portrays a community's real-life reaction to a tragic hate crime. In 1998, University of Wyoming student Matthew Shepard was robbed, tortured and murdered, reportedly because of his killers' homophobic attitudes. "The Laramie Project" is a succession of short scenes based on more than 200 interviews conducted by the playwrights with Laramie, Wyo., residents and media coverage of the event; it portrays the town in the year after the murder.

Many schools, colleges and communities utilize the play as an opportunity to discuss tolerance and bullying.

The performance schedule is as follows: From Thursday, March 22, to Saturday, March 24, at 7:30 p.m. each day. From Wednesday, March 28, and Friday, March 30, at 7:30 p.m.; and Saturday, March 31 at 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

Sixteen CCU students will play the more than 60 characters in the play, with each student playing at least three different roles. The male ensemble consists of Aaron Burr, Drew Hardy, Conner Kendall, Nathan Smith, Charlie Tingen, Eric Brian Waters, Daniel Wilt and Taylor Wright. The female ensemble includes Justina Adorno, Madison Beane, Haley Chapel, Alexa Doggett, Miranda Frederick, Hannah Johnson, Cat Marshall and Jennifer Pagano.

Robin Russell, associate professor of theatre, directs the production.

Reserved seating tickets are $15; alumni, senior citizens (ages 65 and over) and OLLI members are $10; teenagers (ages 11 to 17) and children (ages 10 and under) must be accompanied by an adult) are $5.

To purchase tickets, visit the Wheelwright Box Office Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. or call 843-349-2502.