Judge Greg Mathis may be known for presiding over televised trials but some viewers may not know that his journey to arbitrating cases began when he was jailed.
He shares that story in “Don’t Judge Me,” a film and stage play world premiering Nov. 10 to 12 at John Ruffin’s Theater 47 in Park Forest.
“The first five to eight years of my television show showed my journey from jail to judge including a scene with my mother and me (in) jail,” said Mathis, who led the syndicated “Judge Mathis” for 24 seasons from 1999 to 2023.
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“The purpose of that re-enactment was to inspire primarily single mothers and troubled youth to overcome their obstacles as I did.”
The namesake of “Mathis Court with Judge Mathis,” which premiered in September in syndication including WCIU-TV (Channel 26), said “Don’t Judge Me” is designed to inspire a younger generation.
“Knowing the impact I’ve had and hearing so many millennials not know of that, I said, ‘I’ve got to get back out here and tell (my story) again so I can continue doing the work I’m committed to,'” Mathis said.
He splits time among Los Angeles, where his TV show is filmed; his native Detroit, where the Mathis Community Center helps young adults and ex-offenders and Mathis advocates for affordable housing; and Chicago’s South Side, where he chairs PUSH Excel, Rainbow PUSH Coalition’s education initiative.
“Don’t Judge Me” marks Mathis’ first collaboration with director, producer and writer Angela Dunlap of Faith Entertainment Media LLC.
“The state bar ethics committee denied my law license for two years after passing the bar, holding my record as a street youth against me. That committee gave me a hard time and asked me about every single allegation that had been made against me as a kid and I had to explain,” he said.
“What you see in (the immersive content) is a committee asking me about my life. You see that on film. Then I come out and explain.”
Allen Media Group Television, which produces and distributes “Mathis Court,” notes that the judge was involved with gangs, dropped out of school and jailed as a young man but turned his life around as a promise to his dying mother.
In honor of the late Alice Mathis, he went on to serve as a judge for Michigan’s 36th District Court, win a Daytime Emmy for outstanding legal/courtroom program for “Judge Mathis” in 2018, receive a Hollywood Walk of Fame star in 2022 and perform in “Don’t Judge Me.”
“It’s not just my journey that will inspire, that will make a difference. It’s awesome that I will be able to help change lives many times over for those who attend,” said Mathis, who added that a 20-city national tour of “Don’t Judge Me” is being planned.
“They’ll see the same Judge Mathis on stage, a lot more animated, a lot more humor and a lot more drama. They’ll see more of what they see on television in addition to the unique production.”
‘Don’t Judge Me’
When: 7:30 p.m. Nov. 10-12; 3 p.m. Nov. 11-12
Where: John Ruffin’s Theater 47, 350 Victory Drive, Park Forest
Tickets: $75-$100
Information: 833-448-7469; dontjudgemelive.com or theater47.com
Jessi Virtusio is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.