SPRING 2026

Creative Arts Showcase

“Art connects us, helps us make sense of the world, and reminds us of our shared embodied, sensory experience.”

—Katherine Palmer, Creative Arts Director

Behind every performance, exhibition, and concert is a process of exploration, practice, and growth. Through creating, revising, collaborating, and taking risks, Menlo students learn by making. The work featured here reflects not only artistic achievement but also the curiosity, persistence, and problem-solving behind it.

IMAGE:

Menlo’s 2026 Spring Middle School Musical: Dear Edwina Jr.

MOVEMENT IN THE SPOTLIGHT

The All-School Dance Concert: Seeing Life through Color

This year’s dance concert transformed color into movement, with each dance inspired by a hue on the Feel Wheel and the emotions it represents. Through a diverse range of styles and performances, students in grades 6-12 explored the many facets of the human experience, bringing feeling, creativity, and connection to life onstage.

A NEW DIRECTION

Meet Menlo’s New Upper School Drama Director

The newest member of the Upper School arts program, Mark Schneider, joins Menlo with a passion for storytelling, collaboration, and student-centered theater. In this Q&A, he shares what drew him to Menlo, what inspires his work, and what excites him about the future of the drama program. Read more here.

MENLO DRAMA

Upper School Drama Spring Productions

At Menlo, theater is as much about the process as the performance. This spring, students collaborated to bring two wide-ranging stories to life: Lost Girl, which explores what happens after the Peter Pan fairy tale ends as Wendy Darling confronts the realities of growing up, and Legally Blonde: The Musical, a high-energy celebration of resilience, friendship, and self-belief that featured many seniors stepping onto the Spieker stage for the first time. Through rehearsals, character development, design work, and performance, students honed their craft while learning to take creative risks, embrace feedback, and work toward a shared artistic vision.

AN ADVOCATE FOR THE ARTS

Get to Know Our New Creative Arts Director

In this KnightLine Q&A, we are delighted for you to learn a bit more about Katherine Palmer, who recently completed her first year as Menlo’s Creative Arts Director. She shares what fuels her creativity, what drew her to Menlo, why the arts matter, and her hopes for the future, along with a few fun facts.

SOUNDS OF THE SPIEKER STAGE

Upper School Instrumental and Vocal Concerts

The Spring Concert brought together vocalists and instrumentalists for an evening of memorable performances, featuring the Middle School Choir, Knight Singers, and special collaborative works. The program celebrated the accomplishments of graduating seniors while highlighting a diverse repertoire with a mix of timeless classics and contemporary favorites.

VISUAL ARTS

Creative Arts Visual Arts Show: By These Hands

As part of Menlo’s Creative Arts Week, Middle and Upper School visual artists showcased works that reflect the power of making art by hand. In a world where images can be created with a few typed words, By These Hands celebrated student artwork and photography created through time, practice, and real presence.

Brian Bischof ’31

Graham Vasan ’31

Zara Mehta ’30

Danya Stein ’31

Breeze Longhenry ’30

Izzy Waxman ’30

Veronica Chai ’30

Vincent van Ruymbeke ’30

Olivia Telischak ’30

Camelia Rivas ’30

Cooper Uchida ’30

Amay Berry ’30

Roman Trujillo ’30

Alexander Gazor ’31

UPPER SCHOOL

Creative Arts Assembly

From music and movement to storytelling and visual arts, the assembly reminded us how creative expression builds connection, sparks joy, and creates a shared sense of belonging across our community.

MIDDLE SCHOOL DRAMA

Middle School Drama: Spring Productions

Theater offers students the opportunity to collaborate, take creative risks, and develop confidence through performance. This year, Middle School Drama students brought two very different stories to the stage: Empowered: How One Girl Scout Nearly Destroyed the World’s Economy, a fast-moving comedy filled with humor and larger-than-life characters, and Dear Edwina Jr., a charming musical celebrating friendship, self-confidence, and growing up. Through the iterative process of rehearsal and performance, students strengthened their artistic skills while learning the value of teamwork, perseverance, and creative expression.

VIDEO:

Empowered Highlights

VIDEO:

Dear Edwina Jr. Highlights

SPRINGTIME IN THE GARAGE

Middle School Spring Concert: The Sounds of Spring: Rhythm, Melody, Movement!

Students from across Menlo’s Middle School performing arts program took the stage for an evening of music, dance, and collaboration. Featuring performances by Sing!, Singing Club, Dance, Jam!, and the Middle School Ensemble, the concert showcased the skills students developed throughout the year while celebrating the joy of performing together.