"Invisible Thread" Auto-bio Musical of Volunteer Work in Uganda

The overly ambitious and self-indulgent musical "Invisible Thread" is based on the playwrights' experiences volunteering in Uganda.  Griffin Matthews co-wrote and stars as himself.  For reasons that are not quite clear (ostracism from his church as a gay man, need for fulfillment?)  he travels to Uganda to volunteer.  He leaves Queens & his Jewish partner, an aspiring musical composer, for Uganda where he finds frustrations and purpose; tutoring young teens.  The staging is overwrought with visual stimulation.  The talented musicians are situated above the stage.  Unfortunately, the only memorable number is "Invisible Thread."  The earnest actors have lovely singing voices with the exception of Matthews who pales in comparison.  The choreography feels strained.  The idea of turning his experiences from Uganda into a play is enticing but there are too many storylines and themes that made the production feel pulled at the seams: attitudes towards gays, fraudulence, oppression, sister/brother relationship, a love triangle, exploitation and leading a purposeful life, to cull but a few.   The messages kept zipping over my head.  "Invisible Thread" was somewhat entertaining but it just didn't hold together.