On April 28th, members of the Board of Education and the Friends of Music and the Arts inaugurated Scarsdale High School’s newly renovated auditorium. This was followed by a week of performances in the new space by the SHS Orchestra, Band, and Chorus.
The inauguration took place in the Brewster Commons, in front of the auditorium. Members from the Board of Education along with faculty members of SHS and the Scarsdale High School Orchestra ensembles were present. Kenneth Bonamo, the principal of SHS, Drew Patrick, the superintendent of Scarsdale Schools, and Suzie Hahn, the President of the Scarsdale Board of Education, all gave remarks to thank the Scarsdale community for their support of the project.
After planning the renovation of the auditorium for 20 years, the proposal was approved during the 2023 Budget Vote. The proposal was first taken into serious consideration in 2014 by suggesting that the renovation cost be incorporated into the 2014 bond. Unfortunately, at that time, there were insufficient funds to complete the project; it was only until just a few years ago, when a project in Greenacres was completed under budget, that there were finally sufficient funds to start the renovation of the SHS auditorium.
The decision to approve the renovation was made by members from the high school administration, teachers, parents, and board members. The design was brought to life by architects and consultants while incorporating students’ opinions. “[The students] really helped inform where the improvements needed to be,” Dr. Patrick expressed.
The start of summer vacation in June 2024 marked the start of the construction for the new auditorium. First, the old auditorium was demolished, and all of its seats and panels were removed. The task continued through the school year, with a significant portion of the work being completed during the night shift because of the excess noise. It was only when construction quieted down that the work was also done during the school day. Vacations were valuable to the workers, who persevered through extreme heavy lifting, removing large pieces at a time.
One main goal for the renovation was to improve the acoustics, since the auditorium’s previous setup was unfavorable for sound production. To achieve this, the design of the auditorium had to be changed. The previously rectangular shape of the auditorium was redesigned into a funnel-like shape, with the stage being the narrowest point in the room and seating being wider towards the back of the room. Now, the new honeycomb-like boxes on the walls of the auditorium are specially designed to redirect the sound in the room.
For student performances, the stage flooring was renovated and extended to more easily facilitate setting up the stage for productions. The stairs leading up to the stage were also newly placed, replacing the old temporary stairs. A new handicapped ramp was also installed to further improve accommodations for everyone. Most notably, the student dressing rooms were renovated for students after the school received many requests about them. The overhead lights were also replaced with LED bulbs, making them more environmentally sustainable.
This project marks a new beginning for the Scarsdale community, providing a space that helps prepare all Scarsdale students for their futures. The auditorium is a space for students to use throughout all four years of their high school experience, whether it be as a performer, in the audience, or a part of theater tech. This space is especially valuable after the pandemic—a time when everybody was separated by screens, unable to form community bonds. “Being in a space of community together [after the pandemic] just feels even more special to me personally,” Dr. Patrick shared.
Hopes of using this space for activities beyond the high school community itself may become a reality after this renovation. “It’s potentially available to outside groups in the community that may need a space like [the auditorium],” Dr. Patrick explained. The versatility of this space will foster new creative expressions, uniting our high school community.
