‘Witness Uganda: A Documentary Musical‘ is the story of a gay man, his best friend, and five young Ugandans. The compassion and love that they share with one another transforms the musical from a story about seven individuals into a lesson of acceptance that can resonate with everyone. It’s a LGBTQ story that has yet to be told, but urgently needs to be.

The documentary musical follows Griffin, a young man who is devastated when his New York City Church kicks him out for being gay. He escapes across the world to volunteer in a small village in Uganda and commits himself to teaching a group of young people there. Being LGBTQ is criminalized in Uganda, forcing him to hide who he is from his new friends. His ‘good intentions’ are tested against the backdrop of HIV and AIDS, corruption, and a dangerous abduction that leaves him questioning everything. 

The show plays through March 3 at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Los Angeles.

‘Witness Uganda’ is based on the life of Griffin Matthews, who visited Uganda in 2005. He was moved by the young people he met there and started Uganda Project after returning to New York City. Uganda Project is a grassroots organization that provides free education, housing, mentoring, and basic needs to Ugandan students with the goal of empowering, igniting, and impacting global change.

Matthews and his husband Matt Gould wrote the musical ‘Witness Uganda’ to tell the story of his work in Uganda. The music and songs are uplifting anthems that break down walls to build bridges between the characters.

Jamar Williams brilliantly portrays Griffin and exhibits true heart when the character is rejected and then welcomed back to his Church in New York City. The story of a gay Black man deciding to unabashedly live his truth and, in the process, moving his fellow parishioners to open their Church and open their hearts presents a hopeful and real example for LGBTQ people grappling with their faith.

The cast also includes iconic singer Ledisi and Emma Hunton, a powerhouse singer, actress and ally who currently appears in the hit FreeForm drama series ‘Good Trouble.’ The whole cast of dancers, singers, and actors – paired with Matthews and Gould’s storytelling and music – create an inspiring energy that runs through the show and sticks with you. The Los Angeles Times noted that ‘Witness Uganda’ feels “honest, even vulnerable, in a way that is rare for a musical” and that it will “have you on your feet.”

Griffin Matthews, who also appears in Netflix’s “Dear White People,” recently answered questions for GLAAD:

What is it like to see your life story performed onstage?

It’s such a humbling experience to watch the cast and audience re-live events that were so personal and (at times) crippling for me. Anytime you put your life onstage, you invite people to judge it…so that’s always scary. But Witness Uganda was created to spark conversation/debate around hot button topics. So I try not to see the performance as an opportunity for judgement, but rather an opportunity to tackle the issues.

What has been the response to the show from LGBTQ attendees?

I’ve never felt so proud to be a part of the LGBTQ community. The response to the material has been so…loud. I think the show fires people up. The musical tackles politics and sexuality and religion and how complicated those worlds can be.  I’ve received countless messages from young and old who have had very emotional responses to the show because they are finally seeing their lives on stage. Both the pain and the healing are woven inside of our story. 

It’s rare to see queer people of color centered in entertainment projects, especially theatre. Are there performers or shows that inspired you?

It’s rare to see us, but we are here!! We are still in desperate need of producers of color. They are the gatekeepers. They are the first line of defense for our stories to be told and told correctly. Billy Porter was my college professor for a semester at Carnegie Mellon University. His class changed my life. His life and career definitely blazed a trail for me and so many queer men of color to tell our stories. I just finished shooting season 3 of Dear White People where I play a young, gay college student named D’Unte. I’ve never in my career played such a full bodied, wild, and complicated queer man. I’m forever indebted to Justin Simeon, our creator.  

Are you still in touch with the young people in Uganda whose stories are featured in the play?

Every single day.  They are family. They were family long before Witness Uganda ever existed. Several of them have traveled to the US to see the musical based on their lives. They know the music. They have contributed to helping the cast with the language and dialect. We have graduated doctors, entrepreneurs, artists, nurses, and we still have a few more finishing up their studies. Some of our kids are now married. They have children. They have families that they are able to provide for without the aid of Americans.

What would you say to a LGBTQ person living in Uganda who is forced to hide who they are?

Firstly: we see you. We love you. You have not been forgotten. In 2014, when Uganda was attempting to pass the “Anti-gay Bill” we met several Ugandan refugees who were seeking asylum in the U.S. Our cast raised money to help them start their lives here. We’ve become friends with several LGBTQ activists who are still living and fighting the good fight in Uganda. They live in fear, but they also believe that Uganda will eventually change if they continue raising their voices and awareness.

What’s next for the show after its run in Los Angeles at The Wallis Annenberg Center?

I’m a lover of the theater, but I also realize that theater has a hard time reaching marginalized communities. My ultimate dream would be seeing Witness Uganda on the big screen…and of course, a cast album would be amazing so that people can bump the music!

Learn more about Witness Uganda here and check out Griffin Matthews and Matt Gould performing one of the show’s songs below.