Warren High School senior Aydin Anthony will stay active in the fine arts beyond high school.

This article is part of the “Meet Your Neighbor Monday” series, highlighting the stories of individuals who make Warren County a special place to live. If you have a suggestion for a person to profile, email jrex@timesobserver.com.

Aydin Anthony, Warren High School senior, has made his mark in the musical and theatrical community here in Warren.

Growing up watching and performing in ensembles, Anthony loves the energy of it all.

Son of Renee and Josh Anthony of Warren, he said that he enjoys making music with other people as it allows him to escape the stresses of life and enter into a calm and relaxing way to express himself while having a genuinely fun time. Having played trumpet for seven years, he has recently joined a new band called the Kinzua Community Band. He remarked how he really enjoyed having Marcia White as his band director in school and since she is involved in this community band, it is what made him want to join it and it gives him something to look forward to.

“Warren doesn’t really have anything for the musicians other than the Warren Philharmonic, and for me that is way too much pressure, where this band is the fun without the anxiety and stress,” Anthony said.

Anthony thinks this is the start to something big.

“The sound was something I can’t describe, but it genuinely was amazing. I got chills, and a feeling of excitement knowing that this band not only would be fun, but it brings the people of Warren together in a way everyone can be themselves,” Anthony said.

Anthony plans to stay connected with the Kinzua Community Concert Band during his college breaks.

“This band is amazing and I want to be a part of it as long as I can,” said Anthony.

Also active in school musicals, Anthony became fascinated with production, production technology, and the whole process behind the scenes. With so much of a show being communicated through lighting, it is the part he feels the most. Anthony recalls being in 5th grade and watching the all-county musical, “Newsies.”

“From the playing of the overture, I felt so invested in that show,” he said. “The music, the lights, everything.” Determined to work on a show, Anthony was on the lighting crew for the “Seussical Jr.” show, but COVID interrupted its completion. He started to take lighting classes with Barb Crowley, who he says he will be forever thankful for because he learned a lot of design concepts which really got him started. Crowley recently retired from her position of technical and lighting director at the Struthers Library Theater, but is still active in helping out, volunteering and training some others.

Anthony has enjoyed teaching and working with other students to keep his efforts and skills in lighting alive by communicating his design vision and technical knowledge.

“I can have the peace of mind that my legacy will be preserved in Warren, and more students can understand the technical aspects of production,” said Anthony.

Stating that all of these experiences in the fine arts world are just the roots of a professional career; his end goal is to be a production lighting designer for both Broadway musicals and concerts. Anthony shared that one day he would like to be at the Super Bowl. With aspirations of wanting to own a multimedia entertainment company, Anthony wants to give the audience the same feelings he has had.

“If I can inspire just one person the way I was, my job will be done. But until that happens; I’ll be working in the shadows and living in the spotlight,” Anthony said. “All of my hard work, best work, dedication and determination happens in the part of the world no one sees — my life, my brain and my world. Nobody sees what I do other than a few people (working in the shadows). The end result is the composure, calm, and organized chaos I show to the world (living in the spotlight). In an industry where critiques run so heavy, I have a lot of work to do in the parts where no one is watching.”

Anthony will be leaving Warren for Point Park University in the fall to pursue a Bachelors of Fine Arts (BFA) in Theatre Production Technical Design & Management, concentrating in Lighting Design.