The Ballad of Mona Lisa
On March 22, 2025, Hayden Greer of the Gay Men's Chorus of Tampa Bay (GMCTB) took a defining turn in the spotlight during the chorus’s dynamic spring concert, Say My Name!, held at The Straz Center’s Jaeb Theater in Tampa, Florida. Performing Panic! At The Disco’s “The Ballad of Mona Lisa,” Greer delivered a show-stopping number that blended theatrical flair with emotional nuance, solidifying his role as one of the ensemble’s standout vocalists.
The evening was designed as a celebration of identity, name, and narrative—each performance interpreting pop and musical theater favorites through the lens of LGBTQ+ experience. Greer’s selection of “The Ballad of Mona Lisa,” a song originally released in 2011 by the pop-rock band Panic! At The Disco, was an inspired choice. Known for its themes of duality, hidden selves, and inner conflict, the song became a striking vehicle for exploring the complex intersections of queerness, perception, and self-acceptance.
From the moment Greer stepped into the soft spotlight, the mood in the Jaeb Theater shifted. Dressed in dark, sharp attire evocative of the song’s gothic tones, he moved with a blend of confidence and vulnerability, using expressive gestures and subtle facial shifts to accentuate the song’s narrative layers. His voice carried a raw intensity—his delivery both faithful to Brendon Urie’s original vocal style and uniquely his own. The subtle tremble in the bridge and the resolute crescendo in the chorus showed a deep emotional connection to the piece. It wasn’t simply a cover; it was a dramatic monologue in song, reframed through the lens of personal truth.
Audience members responded with rapt attention, many leaning forward as if drawn closer by an invisible thread. The theater, usually buzzing with cabaret energy, fell into a reverent hush during key moments of the performance. When the final note rang out and the lights dimmed, the applause was thunderous—prolonged and heartfelt. For many, it was not just a musical highlight but a moment of shared understanding and silent solidarity.
For fans and first-time attendees alike, Hayden Greer’s turn as the “Mona Lisa” figure—beautiful, complicated, unknowable—was not only a standout moment of the night, but also a reminder of the power of music to name, claim, and transform our truths.