In preparation for Lincoln Center Theater's The Rolling Stone, director Saheem Ali visited Uganda—and documented the trip.
Written by Chris Urch, The Rolling Stone is named after a Ugandan newspaper that in 2010 published the names, addresses, and phone numbers of allegedly gay people. After the release, several people were attacked and David Kato, a teacher and LGBTQ activist was murdered.
To understand the context of today’s culture and what happened nearly 10 years ago, Ali traveled to the African nation and documented his experience. While there, Ali investigated homes the characters might live in, learned about daily life, and gathered visuals to inspire the actors. Watch the video above.
The Rolling Stone stars Ato Blankson-Wood, Latoya Edwards, Robert Gilbert, Myra Lucretia Taylor, Adenike Thomas, and James Udom. Performances begin June 20.