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By Krista Ramsey

Those lucky enough to have attended Baldwin High School’s original musical production “Paradise,” performed January 5-7, just may have witnessed the early work of a future famous playwright.

Mikayla Davic, a sophomore at Baldwin High School, wrote, directed, and produced the musical “Paradise,” performed at the school January 5-7. All proceeds from all three shows went to the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

Mikayla Davic, a Baldwin High School sophomore, wrote, produced, and directed the musical—her third for the district and for the exclusive benefit of the Make-A-Wish Foundation. She’s always had the passion to write, act, and sing, her love of theater beginning when she was in second grade and played a Munchkin in school’s production of Wizard of Oz. In fourth grade, she performed in the production “Children of Eden.”

“Paradise” is about four estranged best friends in their late 20s who return to their small hometown to prevent the imminent industrialization bound to follow the construction of a touristy casino that has the potential of stomping out the close-knit community. Inspired by the song Big Yellow Taxi by The Counting Crows, which centers on how industrialization is eating away at nature in the world.

The major roles include the four best friends and the contractor (an old classmate) and their younger counterparts in flashback scenes. Other characters are an older woman, an uncle of one of the friends, and the wife of one of the friends. An ensemble cast performs in musical numbers and plays the townspeople. A total of 47 cast members, many of whom were Mikayla’s friends, ranging from pre-school thru 12th grade performed in the show. Jessica Kubas, a cast member’s mom, helped to produce the show. She formerly ran a musical theater company in Louisville. KY. Jess Hansen choreographed the show, and Paige Crawley handled photography.

Mikayla’s prior work includes another musical, “A Not So Magical Story,” she wrote for her 7th grade gifted project. She asked if she could bring it to the stage, and that production debuted in 2014. That is when she chose Make-A-Wish as the beneficiary of all proceeds the musical raised. “I wanted to find a charity that helped all children no matter what illness they had and that fostered hope in those who need it most,” said Mikayla. "We raised over $8,000 that year, which was enough to send two families to Disney World.” In January of 2015, she produced her second musical, “Murder on 34th Street,” which raised $17,200. Make-A-Wish children always attend Mikayla’s productions, seated in the front row, where they are treated “like royalty.” She has committed herself to raise $50,000 for Make-A-Wish by her graduation and plans to study film, screenwriting, and playwriting at UCLA, USC, or NYU.

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