Since their time at SC, Lindsey Wilson ‘23 and Natalie Hess ‘23, the two editors-in-chief for Menagerie have been waiting until their senior year to have the biggest impact on the annual literary magazine publication. Hearing about the publication from former friends and family at LT, Wilson and Hess knew they would both find an instant interest in the magazine. 

“Menagerie is completely open to anyone, especially those that find interest in art, literature, and graphic design,” Hess said. “We are a very creative bunch of people.”

Throughout the whole year, the staff works from the start of school, up until the end to create the lit mag and it’s exciting to see at the end how all the stages come together, advisor Angela Gutierrez said.

Literary work in the magazine is typically divided into poetry and prose, occasionally with plays and songs, and is very open with artwork too, Wilson said.

“We are open to all work,” Hess said, “If you wrote it, we’ll read it.”

Throughout the year, Hess and Wilson don’t consider the theme when picking writing and art pieces, Wilson said. Even the staff doesn’t know the theme.

“The theme is more elemental on the pages and the works we pick are separate from the pages,” Wilson said. “We use the theme to make the work cohesive and don’t make the work fit the theme.”

With a talented writing and art staff, the goal is to expand and get as many of those voices as possible, Gutierrez said. The goal is to showcase the unique vision the editors have come up with throughout the year.

Menagerie has won a lot of awards and a goal this year is to continue that. Even more importantly, the staff wants to just get it out to people and want the people to enjoy it when it comes out at the end of May, Wilson said.

“We struggled last year and the year before because of COVID-19, and coming back from COVID-19 changed the way we run Menagerie a little bit,” Hess said. “We have been trying to go back to old times and I think we have been successful in doing that.”

Inspired by nostalgic books from their childhood, the theme for this year’s publication is “storybook,” Hess said. Menagerie wanted to create a magazine with a theme that transports readers back to their childhood while they enjoy the magic of their stories

“Stories have always been important in society, and continue to be important, so the theme honors them in a beautiful and whimsical way,” Hess said. “Many traditional storybooks rely on illustrations, so the theme is a perfect marriage between celebrating lit and art, which is what Menagerie aims to do.”

Menagerie was set to be distributed to all students on May 16.