Here is a bit of inspiration for your Thursday.
Having won a number of awards and acclaim, Witness Uganda held its first performance at the American Repertory Theater in Cambridge, Massachusetts just two days ago. The production team has already shared the performance with students and audiences around the world and began making headlines again after receiving their second Richard Rogers Award, developed to acknowledge and support works of musical theatre.
In fact, hundreds of Invisible Children supporters and activists got a taste of the performance during the 2013 Fourth Estate Summit.
Inspired by a true story, Witness Uganda follows the experiences of Griffin, a young man from New York City, who visits Uganda on a volunteer trip. He meets a group of orphaned teenagers, ultimately forging a unique bond with the them and committing himself to put these children through school. The musical addresses the many challenges confronted by aid workers throughout the world – the constant wondering of “Can I really make a difference?” and the imminence of failure that comes with trying to do good. It touches on themes including sexuality, religion, inequality, human rights and how to give meaning to your life.
While it’s evolved over time, the show continues to probe the question, “Is changing the world even possible?,” as Witness Uganda says on its website. On stage, they confront the challenges of working in development while teaching and encouraging young people to recognize that work, passion and commitment can lead to a better world.
It’s hard to hear about the work of the Witness Uganda team without thinking of where Invisible Children started. We began by working in the same country as Griffin, impassioned by a different issue, but driven by the common purpose of addressing the value of all human life and making stopping injustice our responsibility.
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