The MHS theater design class held a showcase event at 3Below Theaters in San Jose on Nov. 20, where they presented the artwork of several current and past students, according to theater director and theater design teacher Kaila Schwartz. The event was part of San Jose Playhouse’s “Sunday in the Park with George” musical, which was aimed at celebrating and showcasing local artists by displaying their art, according to the San Jose Playhouse website.
San Jose Playhouse contacted Schwartz about hosting an exhibition, Schwartz said. She jumped at the opportunity for her students to get the recognition they deserve for their work, she added.
“I thought this would be a really cool opportunity to put our high school name out there in public outside of the Milpitas community so that they can see some of the awesome things that we’re doing here,” Schwartz said.
Headlining the event was junior Mallika Ghante, who was the artist behind most of the art, which was displayed before and after the musical, as well as during intermission in the exhibition hall, Schwartz said. An entire room was dedicated to MHS students’ work, she added.
“We’ve done set designing and prop making. I designed a set for ‘Chicago’” Ghante said. “And for prop designing we had to do an alien project where we designed food or instrument props for an alien play.”
Additionally, according to Ghante, she designed abstract set designs, and three-dimensional steampunk styled art made on a computer software. She also worked on a multi-colored lighting system for her miniature “Chicago” set.
“I could see that people were really impressed by what was going on in our theater design class especially since like in San Jose, not a lot of people know about Milpitas High School and what we do in this design class,” Ghante said.
This event was a big breakthrough for the theater design class, Schwartz said. She wanted her theater design students to feel appreciated and be awarded just like her acting students, and the event is a step forward for them to be recognized as artists, she added.
The theater design class has only existed for five years, and their San Jose exhibition featured art from classes throughout the years, Schwartz said. Being the class’s first big event, it proved to be successful, she added.
“It was received very well,” Schwartz said. “Some of the patrons who came into the exhibit were blown away by our students.”
Ghante said this event was a breakthrough for the school’s theater department, but it is also the beginning of her career as a thespian. This event helped her create a new identity within the art and theater world, because it was her first time showcasing her art publicly.
“Being in this class gave me a network of people I can rely on after I graduate,” theater design student Gabriel Carreon said.