BYU MDT Alum and Former Staff Member Dayne Joyner (BFA ‘19) Bids Adieu to BYU to Join Broadway Touring Production of ‘The Sound of Music’
Ever since he was a child, Dayne Joyner has wanted to perform in musical theatre.
When he found out he would be embarking on an international touring production of “The Sound of Music” with Broadway Asia, he was in shock.
Joyner will join the world of the Von Trapp family in the Academy Award and Tony Award winning story as Franz the butler and the understudy for Maximilian Detweiler.
Rehearsals and performances will begin in Singapore before the show travels for performances in Malaysia, Taiwan, Hong Kong and mainland China.
While Joyner said he felt good about his audition for this production, he moved on, since he said actors often don’t hear back from auditions.
“You have to learn how to find value and confidence in yourself and develop tough skin,” Joyner said. “Many times, that belief in yourself will be what carries you.”
Joyner said this opportunity is one he has been working and fighting for since graduating from BYU.
Originally from Georgia, Joyner’s primary exposure to theatre and Broadway came from the touring productions that he and his family would watch. Joyner said he always looked forward to the show announcements so he could plan which productions he wanted to see.
Because touring productions influenced Joyner to pursue theatre, he said this opportunity means a lot to him. “It is special to me that I have the chance to be part of a Broadway touring production, and to travel around inspiring young performers and artists like I was,” Joyner said.
In addition to watching touring productions, Joyner said he would also perform for his family, inviting his siblings to co-star in his productions. From there, he participated in community theatre, summer camps and theatre classes, staying involved with musical theatre throughout high school and into college.
Joyner had his eyes set on BYU’s music dance theatre (MDT) program since high school, when he found out he could major in theatre performance. When he was a student in the MDT program, Joyner said he was most grateful for his instructors, saying the experience at BYU would not have been the same without them.
After graduating from BYU in 2019, Joyner returned to work at BYU in the fall of 2021 as administrative staff for the Department of Theatre and Media Arts. Joyner said he enjoyed continuing relationships with former professors as colleagues, in addition to seeing the program from a different perspective.
“I really enjoyed providing support to the program and helping students and prospective students navigate their education, as I had been in their same shoes not too long before,” Joyner said.
Speaking to aspiring performers at BYU, Joyner said he believes it is possible to be successful as a performer while also succeeding in other industries or professions; they shouldn’t feel limited to choosing between performing or something else.
Joyner said, “If you really want to, you can make all your passions work together to create the life you want.”
With an appreciation for theatre, traveling and performing, Joyner said he is excited to explore Asia and share the magic of theatre.
“Everyone has a place in this industry,” Joyner said. “It is just all about timing and being able to wait and push through until it is your turn.”