Members of the Tamaqua Drama Club will present “The Theory of Relativity” at 8 p.m. May 18, 19 and 20.

Instead of using the auditorium, students will deliver the performance outside in the Tamaqua Area High School courtyard.

“Decades ago, the courtyard was used for special performances, but it has not been used in recent memory, so it is a first for all of these students and most in the community,” said director Adriane Drum.

Readying the courtyard took a considerable amount of work and time - but Drama Club members were dedicated, Drum said.

“This has involved power washing, repainting, raking, weeding, taking out dead trees and stumps, replanting flowers and new trees, mulching, repairing masonry issues, rewiring and replacing lights and receptacles, replacing the light tops, repainting panels on the building, and washing windows,” Drum said. “We intend to continue this work and upkeep it next year, as we would like to improve it even further.”

“The Theory of Relativity” is a one-act musical set in a physics classroom at NYU.

“The students in that classroom, like all of us, feel alone in their worries, traumas, concerns, anxieties, and even their joys,” she said. “While they are physically taking a test to start the show, their minds are consumed by their individual problems, and they feel isolated from one another.”

The students learn from each other that they are not alone - and that they are connected to one another through shared experiences like grief, trauma, fear, hope and stress.

“This is true for all of us. We are not alone in this life, and that is why our relationships with others are so important. We can bear the immense weight of living by sharing that weight with others,” Drum said.

Seating is limited, so purchasing tickets early is recommended. Tickets can be purchased online at https://tamaqua-area-drama-club.ticketleap.com/the-theory-of-relativity/ or at the door beginning an hour before each show. Doors will open at 7 p.m., and desserts, coffee, snacks and beverages will be available for purchase.

Proceeds from ticket sales will help the club pay for the cost of flying services for the November production of “Tarzan.”

Students in the play include Helen Florea, Grace Kinder, Anna McCabe, Gracie Nallon, Megan Oswald and Jonathan Ulicny, all seniors; Stephen Behun, Timmy Berg, Amaris Means and Hunter Ruch, juniors; Denny Krell, sophomore; Koreena Bittner, Thomas Graham, Grant Johns, Lorena Olayo-Estrada, Christopher Smith, Destiny Steinmetz, Cecilia Ulicny and Ava Vengen, freshmen; Isabel Nallon, eighth grade; Corabel Najarro and Frank Wagner, seventh grade, and Henry Mylecraine, sixth grade.