From Classroom to Supper Club: Inside Charter Dome’s “Enlightened Treasure”

If you’ve ever wondered what the future of the arts in Vero looks like, it was on full display for three glorious, candlelit nights (November 18-20) at Indian River Charter High School’s Visual and Performing Arts Charter Dome, made possible by The Horn Family.

The Enlightened Treasure—with its play authored by student playwright Johan Akiel Fontanilla—unfolded in a supper‑club setting of linen‑draped tables and flickering candles while live orchestra and jazz, ballet and modern dancers, with a soaring chorus, and fully student‑run team on lights, sound, kitchen, and floor service turned the space into a high‑voltage showcase of everything this visual and performing arts program can do.

The story followed a crew of treasure‑hunters who slowly realize the real riches are what they learn and who they become along the way – a perfect match for Artistic Director Michael Naffziger’s high‑energy, wonderfully animated style. One moment, the stage was flooded with full chorus and a sweep of ballet and modern dancers cutting through the half‑light, the next, the room slipped into a low, smoky groove as live jazz and strings wrapped around scenes at the heart of the story.

Gliding between candlelit tables laid with linens and glassware, the student kitchen and waitstaff teams moved with the easy confidence of a downtown supper club, so the entire evening felt less like a school event and more like a one‑night‑only room where every art form – theatre, music, dance, design, and hospitality – was part of the performance.​

Before guests even sat down, they wandered through the Enlightenment Art Gallery featuring work from the VAPA Program – digital art, photography, photojournalism, fashion, painting, sculpture, and mixed media. Guests stepped into a curated sequence of student work that made the idea of “treasure” feel personal and contemporary, as if each piece were its own small discovery. By the time they found their seats in the Dome, they’d already traveled through a world created entirely by Charter artists.​

All of this is leading to VAPA Vision 2026, the next big leap for IRCHS. The school is planning an adaptable 224‑seat venue designed by MKC Architects, with state‑of‑the‑art lighting and sound, real dressing rooms, and a gallery lobby dedicated to student visual and digital arts – a true black‑box–style home where every discipline can share the same stage. On campus, it’s described as the final piece of a puzzle students and the community have been assembling for more than 20 years; the only thing missing has been a venue worthy of their work, their dedication, and their passion.​

There are still naming and recognition opportunities available for this new space, which means the community has a chance to quite literally help build the room so many future Vero Beach artists will find their voices in.

To learn how you can be part of creating that home, contact Barbara Alderman at 772‑567‑6600 ext. 1013.

For more information, visit Indian River Charter High School.