Inspiration for the Play (04:30)

FREE PREVIEW

Watch a clip of "Impossible Choice" where Brandon dedicates a song to people who are afraid of themselves. Within "The Play Within," two actors portray Tyler Clementi and Matthew Shepard. Mark Cole attempts to mount a live production.

"The Play Within": Performance (18:22)

Shepard and Clementi meet after they died. Shepard describes how he was tortured and murdered. Clementi committed suicide after his roommate streamed him having sexual intercourse with another man.

Performance Talkbacks (Two Nights) (09:12)

Audience members ask about how the actors prepared, the metaphor of Heaven, the use of balloons, and the impact the Orlando shootings.

Impact of Society (00:51)

"The Play Within" examines Shepard and Clementi's loss of self-esteem.

Coming Out (04:10)

Nanette Dowling explains that homosexuals who come out constantly assess whether they feel safe. Experts describe how they counsel individuals and how they disclosed their sexuality to loved ones.

Suicide (01:56)

LGBT youth are three times more likely to commit suicide than their heterosexual counterparts; transgendered individuals are thirteen times more likely. Experts describe psychiatric disparities.

Hate (02:30)

Homosexuality is a criminal activity in 80 countries. The LGBTQ suffers bullying, shootings, rejections, and emotional abuse because of their same-sex relationships.

Religion (00:46)

Some churches are more accepting of the LGBTQ community.

Normalization (08:12)

The APA removed the diagnosis of homosexuality as a mental disorder. Experts describe how to advance LGBTQ rights and community acceptance.

Credits: The Play Within: An LGBTQ Documentary (00:42)

Credits: The Play Within: An LGBTQ Documentary