Review: Emotionally Potent Musical INVISIBLE THREAD Sends An American Volunteer To Uganda

To describe Griffin Matthews and Matt Gould's uplifting new musical Invisible Thread as THE BOOK OF MORMON without the jokes may seem a bit flippant, but it actually is an effective drama that deals with the same subject; that of well-meaning, but naïve Americans traveling to Uganda to help struggling communities, but having no idea what is really happening a continent away.

The piece is based on the authors' true experiences, and Matthews even plays himself, standing center stage at the outset telling us, "My name is Griffin. And this is my story."

Griffin, who is black, is an actor who faces enough rejection in his career to put up with his church rejecting his homosexuality. His Jewish boyfriend, Ryan (Corey Mach) is a composer/lyricist whose new song about being freewheeling until he finds a home prompts Griffin to search for his own home. Inspired by the Jewish practice of birthright trips to Israel, Griffin impulsively buys a ticket to Uganda.

At Pastor Jim's Compound, fifteen miles outside Kampala, Griffin plans to spend six weeks helping to build a school, after which he fully expects to come home feeling good about his life.

Though the audience never meets Pastor Jim, we're introduced to Jacob (Michael Luwoye) and his sister Joy (Adeola Role), who are accustomed to the revolving door of young black Americans coming for brief stays in order to feel good about themselves by doing good.

An encounter with five Ugandan teens (Tyrone Davis Jr., Kristolyn Lloyd, Michael Luwoye, Jamar Williams and Nicolette Robinson) teaches Griffin that new school buildings don't do much good in a system that neglects to provide students even the bare basics of learning tools, so the actor breaks from his agreement with the compound and commits himself to providing the group with serious education. The threads connecting Griffin with Ryan, his students and Jacob, who believes that the volunteer is going to take him to a better life in New York, twist and tangle.

It's a meaningful subject that gets a little syrupy in its own earnestness, but the dynamic score, combining Afrobeat, rock and gospel with a musical theatre sensibility smooths over rough spots and Diane Paulus delivers another one of her strong directorial visions, peppered by the exciting African flavored choreography by Sergio Trujillo (Darrell Grand Moultrie is billed as co-choreographer).

INVISIBLE THREAD is emotionally potent story-telling about our many kinds of commitments.