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Gaither High School theater students create 'The Rona. The Musical' to deal with pandemic stress

Performance is May 21; tickets available online
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Posted at 3:30 AM, May 17, 2021
and last updated 2021-05-17 07:54:24-04

TAMPA, Fla. — For one night only, theater students at Tampa's Gaither High School will unleash all of their feelings and frustrations about the pandemic.

And they're hoping you join them in saying or singing goodbye to "the worst year of our lives."

Their May 21 performance of original stage show "The Rona. The Musical." will be a tour de force of autobiographical monologues. There are high-energy songs from Twisted Sister and Gloria Gaynor as well as wild dance numbers.

"We took all of our personal experiences and put them onstage for everyone to see," says Jena Bagby, one of the show's stars.

Because of safety restrictions, this show will be the only one the school's talented theater troupe performs for an audience this year.

They were considering more formal productions, but theater teacher Will Albritton says the mask mandate changed their plans.

"Let's do a show where masks are appropriate," Albritton says.

And there was nothing more appropriate than a deeply personal, albeit entertaining, dive into an unprecedented year.

For tickets to "The Rona. The Musical." click here.