Pandemic-Inspired Operetta LEND ME A ROLL Debuts Today

The premiere of the original COVID-19 musical extravaganza you didn't know you needed, Lend Me a Roll; or The Woeful Diarrheic, has premiered today! Like many in the performing arts industry, composer/librettist/performer Vincent Gover watched helplessly as his 2020 performance gigs were canceled. Faced with the prospect of a lost year, he explored other mediums as an outlet for his creativity. The day-to-day absurdities of suddenly ubiquitous Zoom calls and scarce toilet paper provided the inspiration for a pandemic-themed operetta.

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The cast, an ensemble of operetta, opera, and musical theatre veterans, features Vincent Gover, Ivana Martinic, Tanya Roberts, Ned Hanlon, Yvonne Trobe, Kyle Yampiro, Christopher Robin Sapp, and Aidan Smerud, with the help of Tanya Roberts Creative (video editing), Alex Williams (sound mixing), and Daniel Hobbs (art).

The pandemic has been a sad and difficult time for many, but there is value in smiling through the tears. "As vital as it is to be taking this pandemic seriously, there is still room to laugh about it" said Gover. "Parts of the experience of living through a pandemic have been utterly ridiculous and admitting that ridiculousness by poking fun at those parts is a good way to keep our spirits up."

Soprano Tanya Roberts adds "We hope that Lend Me a Roll can provide a moment of escape and fun during this crazy time. Operetta allows us to reframe our challenges in a fresh and funny way."