academy

by John Mercurio
conceived and developed by Andrew R Kato

At Dover Preparatory Academy, the nation’s brightest young boys are being groomed for success. In this, his senior year, Amory – popular, charismatic and from a long line of familial achievement – learns his impressionable young cousin Benji will be attending Dover and Amory's father has made him promise to look after the boy. Knowing implicitly that one good turn deserves another, Amory strikes a bargain with his friend Michael. He tells Michael who is struggling to maintain a B average that through his connections, he can guarantee him admittance to Harvard next year if he'll take Benji off his hands and look out after him. Michael, who comes from a long line of Harvard grads is desperate to not disappoint his father, and accepts the deal. What starts as a simple arrangement soon goes recklessly out of control when the three boys are forced to make decisions that compromise their own integrity as well as each other's. They learn that the price for success is often a piece of their soul.

With the five other characters acting much like a Greek chorus, Academy is a chamber musical that uses an energetic pop score to explore the relationship of fathers and sons, exploring the problem of trying to succeed and make proud while still remaining true to yourself.

Inspired by Goethe’s Faust, in which God and the Devil battle over a man’s soul, these two senior boys strike a seemingly harmless deal but end up getting more than they bargained for.

<<Back