Celebrating its 40th anniversary, Calhoun High School’s On Tour Company will present “The Laramie Project” by Moises Kaufman and members of the Tectonic Theater Project on May 10, 16 and 17 at 7:30 p.m.

The 1998 murder of Matthew Shepard, a 21-year-old gay student at the University of Wyoming, focused national attention on hate crimes, bigotry and homophobia. One month after Shepard’s killing, playwright Kaufman and members of his theater company decided to travel to Laramie to document the town’s reactions to Shepard’s death. After conducting more than 200 interviews, the writers assembled “The Laramie Project,” a unique play created from verbatim excerpts of conversations with the residents of Laramie. At its core, “The Laramie Project” centers on a stark fact: Shepard was hated – and killed – because of who he was. In an era of increasing divisiveness, viewing this film can inspire students to reflect on a myriad of vital and timely issues. These include the nature of tolerance, acceptance and pluralism; the meaning of community; and the struggle to overcome hate, bigotry and violence. Because of this play, which exposed the reactions of the people of Laramie to the public, many state legislatures and even average citizens began to question the lack of hate crime laws in our nation.

The talented cast features Josh Aberman, Zach Abrams, Brenda Alderete, Stephen Bennett, Melissa Bianchi, Mikayla Chamberlain, Ryan Dziedziech, Matt Edwards, Paige Fitzsimmons, Matt Futterman, Rob Gallo, Alani Garcia, Rachel Gullo, Sean Heverin, Sam Kamelhar, Matt Koffler, Alix Kozin, Jon Leiner, Dan Maldonad, Dani Mancini, Arielle Peretz, Rebecca Peretz, Stephen Ponticello, Jeralayne Ruiz, Peter Sideris, Drake Smith, Matt Vogel and Adam Wilkes.

This year’s season also consists of William Shakespeare’s “The Winter’s Tale,” Harold Rome’s “Pins and Needles” and Monty Python’s “Spamalot.”

The On Tour Company was founded in 1973 by James Drake and Dr. Dale Parkinson. The program, under the direction of Sal Salerno, has been performing since September 1985, and is considered one of the finest school drama programs on Long Island and in New York State. It was voted Best High School Theatre Program in the Northeast for 2012 by Stage Directions magazine.

Tickets reservations for “The Laramie Project” can be made by calling the box office at 516-992-1377. Tickets are $8 for students and seniors, $10 for adults, and can be purchased at the door.