Marco Island Academy To Stage World Premiere Musical In April

Marco Island Academy has announced the world premiere of Torch: A Musical Tale, an original musical written and directed by MIA's Performing Arts Instructor, Christopher Dayett. The production runs from April 4-12, 2025 on the Rhine Stage at Marco Island Academy.

Torch: A Musical Tale is an inspiring story of individuals finding their way through love, loss, and the pursuit of their own light. Set in an Icelandic Viking-like era, the musical follows the story of an orphaned young man named Torch who has always felt destined for greater things. Ever since the Northern Lights were stolen by an evil sorcerer eighteen years ago, the Kingdom of Aurora has been thrown into darkness. Torch finds his fate intertwined with the kingdom's when he encounters a mysterious young woman who will change the course of his life forever. With the fate of the kingdom and the entire world hanging in balance, Torch and his newfound friends set out together on a quest to restore hope before time runs out.

This touching story is the latest work from Marco Island Academy Performing Arts instructor, Christopher Dayett. The idea for Torch came to Dayett during the COVID-19 pandemic. "It started out as two siblings cleaning out the attic after their parents passed away ,and they found an object that connects them to something bigger. A few weeks later, I watched a cruise ship musical on YouTube, and it inspired me to completely streamline the concept to a single boy and add a Nordic feel and the Northern Lights to the mix. I really wanted to explore the feeling we all experience at some point in our lives - when we question whether or not we're where we're meant to be."

Dayett brings a wealth of experience to this production, having written several musicals and plays, most notably the musical, Dorian Gray, which debuted Off-Broadway at the New York Musical Festival in 2017 and won the Show-Score Best in Fest Award. With over 20 directing credits to his name, Torch will mark Dayett's 7th production at Marco Island Academy.

Behind the scenes, students at MIA are already hard at work. Students in Dayett's Fall Production Design and Marketing class have played a significant role in bringing the musical to life. After reading the script and completing a full analysis, they developed a social media marketing campaign and helped design graphics for props. The class has also been involved in crafting this very press release, and learning valuable skills in arts marketing. The entire MIA community is excited to bring this adventurous and heartwarming story to life this spring!

More information will be forthcoming regarding the exact show dates and times. In the meantime, interested patrons are encouraged to follow MIA Theatre on Instagram and Facebook (@MIATheatre) for all of the updates.

About Christopher Dayett

Christopher Dayett, M.A., is in his ninth year teaching Performing Arts at Marco Island Academy. An award-winning actor, singer, songwriter, and playwright, Dayett has earned accolades for his work both on stage and behind the scenes. His musical Dorian Gray debuted at the New York Musical Festival in 2017, winning the Show-Score Best in Fest Award. His nineteen years of directing experience include productions across various cities and states, and he has also been recognized as a Grand Finale/Golden Ticket Winner at Disney's American Idol Experience. He holds an M.A. in Theatre from Villanova University. Outside the classroom, Dayett continues to write and develop new works, including a project about dinosaurs in space.

MARCO ISLAND ACADEMY is a public charter high school on Marco Island. The school's mission is to provide a student-centered, well-rounded, interdisciplinary education. Students engage in critical thinking while focusing on math, science, technology, arts, environmental and global studies. The Academy upholds the highest standards of excellence, integrity, respect, and social responsibility, while guiding students to achieve post-secondary success. The vision of Marco Island Academy is to form an integral partnership among students, teachers, parents, and the community. Together, a culture of high expectation, collaboration, and service can be created that will prepare students to succeed in an increasingly complex global society.

Marco Island Academy's Performing Arts program strives to empower students to imagine, create, and inspire by providing a positive, safe, and fun outlet as they discover and explore the creative world of the performing arts and how these disciplines can be applied to everyday life. Class offerings include Theatre, AICE Drama, Musical Theatre, Production Design & Marketing, and Film. Co-curricular opportunities include musical/play performances and competing at the District and State levels through the Florida State Thespians (part of the International Thespian Society, the theatre Honor Society). For more on the Performing Arts program and/or to learn about Marco Island Academy, visit www.MarcoIslandAcademy.org/thearts or follow the Performing Arts on social media @MIATheatre.

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