Noah Kahan
Saturday Night Live
2023
The Playground delivered creative direction and design for Vermont-born singer-songwriter Noah Kahan in December 2023. For his debut Saturday Night Live performance, the team created an upside down forest and flooded the stage with low lying fog. The entire sound stage was transformed into an ethereal evening set in stick season in Vermont.
"Stick Season" refers to the period between when the last leaves have fallen and the first snow covers the ground, a stretch that typically lasts from mid-October to early December. The name evokes images of naked tree branches that snap into twigs and appear much like large sticks themselves—which we illustrated for Noah's SNL performance by draping au upside down, bare-tree, forest above the stage.
“Noah Kahan, “Best New Artist” Grammy Nominee, makes a stunning Saturday Night Live Debut."
The Grateful Web
Team
Allison Ciccarelli
Creative Producer
Dulce Martin
Creative Assistant
How we got there
The Playground worked with Foundations management and creative team to develop the concept for Noah's inaugural Saturday Night Live performance in December 2023. The team used in house SNL production and supplemented with scenic and lighting.
Once the production was aired, The Playground planted 200 trees with One Tree Planted! This Vermont based organization has created a simple way for anyone to help the environment by planting trees. Please go to One Tree Planted to see how you can get involved!
"Kahan, who in 2023 amassed over 1.4 billion streams on Spotify alone, was joined by a four-piece band for his impressive performance beneath sticks that were hanging from the stage’s ceiling."
Music Mayhem Magazine