Makeup and Costumes and Sets, Oh My

An important part of the mission of Nisk Art Friends is to encourage creativity and connection across communities. This is why we wanted to take a moment to celebrate the behind-the-scenes hard work of all the student artists in our area supporting this Spring’s high school musical season!

School plays offer multiple opportunities for teens to get hands-on experience in the Arts — from applying makeup and creating costumes to designing sets or building props. Working as “crew” for theater performances is a excellent way to get creative and see what a group of artists can create together.

Continuing a decades-long tradition of hosting annual musical productions, Niskayuna High School just finished staging, “The Wizard of Oz” on Feb. 26-28. While the Shenendehowa High School Musical Company staged an insanely captivating production of “Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812” on Mar. 6-7.

If you’re interested in enjoying more theater, a calendar of local high school productions in the region was recently published in the Times Union. Highlights include —

• Balston Spa High School production of “Addams Family The Musical": High School Edition” (March 26-28)

• Schenectady High School production of “Once Upon a Mattress” (March 26-28)

• Scotia-Glenville High School production of “Disney’s The Little Mermaid” (March 26-28)

• Shaker High School production of “Footloose” (March 26-28)

We couldn’t be more proud of all these local, talented young people and their advisors who helped create the 3D visual worlds where these plays get staged. The NHS Drama Club hasn’t skipped a beat and has already started work on its next performance: “Radium Girls!” Hope to see you there.