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Westboro Baptist Church To Protest Nyack Play

NEW YORK (WCBS 880) -- A group known for picketing at military funerals is now setting its sight on a theatre group in Nyack.

The controversial Westboro Baptist Church announced on its website that it will be protesting before a performance of The Laramie Project at Nyack High School on Saturday night, WCBS 880's Catherine Cioffi reported.

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WCBS 880 Reporter Catherine Cioffi with details

The Kansas-based independent Baptist church, headed by founder Fred Phelps, has made a name for itself with its anti-gay stance and by protesting at military funerals across the country.

The play is about 21-year-old Matthew Shepard, who was assaulted, and killed because he was gay. The director Joe Egan  said the show must go on and that the best way to fight hate was to continue telling Shepard's story.

"It's really about the kids and the kids trying to teach acceptance," Egan told Cioffi.

"The best protest is to come inside and buy a ticket and fill the 600 seat auditorium with people and support the kids and support what they're doing. That's the best way to protest," Egan said.

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