Studio Playgroud is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Donations are tax-deductible.

Your donation creates access to arts education for children in Rhode Island.

To make a donation, please visit our fundraising website: DONATE.

Your gift to Studio Playground supports our Camp Fund, which provides need-based scholarships and essential supplies for our summer programs.

Thank you for supporting access to arts education for children in Rhode Island.

“We talk about the health benefits of laughter - the release of endorphins and serotonin, relief from stress. We teach students that if they make someone laugh, they’re going to make that person feel better, which in may help them live a little longer and make the world a more compassionate place to live in. If a child is nervous about going onstage, one of the concepts we reiterate is that if they make someone laugh, they they’re doing something good for someone else. That’s why we risk it.”

-Matthew Bretschneider, Artistic Director, Studio Playground

We believe all children deserve opportunities for creative enrichments and social-emotional learning benefits derived from arts education programs. Lacking access to programs that build confidence and social awareness divides community members from their resources and deprives children of essential elements for healthy development. Laughter and performing arts entail benefits which transcend socioeconomic status and cultural differences. Studio Playground is a 501(c)(3) organization. All donations are tax-deductible.

Classroom Environment: By establishing a classroom environment in which students feel seen and respected by teachers and peers, we seek to create spaces that encourage feelings of safety, bravery, and compassion. Please read our EIDA policy for a comprehensive description of our commitment to equity, inclusion, diversity, and accessibility.

Teaching Philosophy: Our teaching philosophy is based on meeting students where they are and modeling compassion, respect, and inclusion. By allowing classes to develop to support the needs of individuals, we intend to enhance group dynamics and encourage individual growth for each student. Our programs foster empowerment by teaching the health benefits of laughter, facilitating the physical and emotional benefits of play, and inspiring empathy for younger generations.
Grant Awards:

• City of Providence Department of Art Culture & Tourism (ACT), 2025

• Rhode Island Council for the Arts (RISCA), Project in Education Grant, 2024

• Rhode Island Council for the Arts (RISCA), Project in Education Grant, 2023

• Rhode Island Foundation, Arts in Education Project Grant, 2023

With your support, our organization will implement weekend classes in Providence, summer programs in Lincoln Woods State Park, and after school theater programs across Rhode Island.

Studio Playground is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Donations are tax-deductible.

Contributions from Donor Advised Funds (DAFs) are acknowledged inaccordance with the wishes of the grantor. Studio Playgroud is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

To make a contribution from a Donor Advised Fund (DAF), please address payment to: “Studio Playground.”

EIN: 86-1813106

Mailing Address: 91 Blodgett Avenue, Pawtucket, Rhode Island, 02860

To request an acknowledgement or receipt of donation, please contact info@studioplayground.org.

For individual contributions, please use our fundraising website: DONATE.

Contributions to Studio Playground supports our Camp Fund, which provides need-based scholarships and essential supplies for our summer programs. DAF contributions may also be directed toward the (Performing Arts in Libraries (PAL) in partnership with Community Libraries of Providence (CLPVD).

Mission Statement: Our mission as a nonprofit organization is to foster individual growth for children in our community by using the performing arts to promote acceptance & empowerment. Thank you for supporting access to arts education for children in Rhode Island.

Grant Awards:

• City of Providence Department of Art Culture & Tourism (ACT), 2025

• Rhode Island Council for the Arts (RISCA), Project in Education Grant, 2024

• Rhode Island Council for the Arts (RISCA), Project in Education Grant, 2023

• Rhode Island Foundation, Arts in Education Project Grant, 2023

Classroom Environment: By establishing a classroom environment in which students feel seen and respected by teachers and peers, we seek to create spaces that encourage feelings of safety, bravery, and compassion.

Teaching Philosophy: Our teaching philosophy is based on meeting students where they are and modeling compassion, respect, and inclusion. By allowing classes to develop to support the needs of individuals, we intend to enhance group dynamics and encourage individual growth for each student. Our programs foster empowerment by teaching the health benefits of laughter, facilitating the physical and emotional benefits of play, and inspiring empathy for younger generations.

Health Benefits of Laughter: “We talk about the health benefits of laughter - the release of endorphins and serotonin, relief from stress. We teach students that if they make someone laugh, they’re going to make that person feel better, which in may help them live a little longer and make the world a more compassionate place to live in. If a child is nervous about going onstage, one of the concepts we reiterate is that if they make someone laugh, they they’re doing something good for someone else. That’s why we risk it.”

-Matthew Bretschneider, Artistic Director, Studio Playground

Studio Playgroud is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Donations are tax-deductible.

Your gift creates access to arts education for children in Rhode Island.

To make a donation by check, please please address payment to: “Studio Playground.”

Mailing Address: 91 Blodgett Avenue, Pawtucket, Rhode Island, 02860

To request an acknowledgement or receipt of donation, please contact info@studioplayground.org.

To make a donation using a credit card, please use our fundraising website: DONATE.

Donations to Studio Playground support our Camp Fund, which provides need-based scholarships and essential supplies for our programs.

Studio Playground is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Donations are tax-deductible.

EIN: 86-1813106

Studio Playgroud is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Donations are tax-deductible.

Your gift creates access to arts education for children in Rhode Island.

To make a donation using Venmo, please send payment to @studioplayground.

Mailing Address: 91 Blodgett Avenue, Pawtucket, Rhode Island, 02860

To request an acknowledgement or receipt of donation, please contact info@studioplayground.org.

To make a donation using a credit card, please use our fundraising website: DONATE.

Donations to Studio Playground support our Camp Fund, which provides need-based scholarships and essential supplies for our programs.

Studio Playground is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Donations are tax-deductible.

EIN: 86-1813106

Mission Statement:

Studio Playground fosters individual growth for children in our community by using the performing arts to promote acceptance & empowerment.

Grant Awards:

Providence Department of Art, Culture & Tourism (2025, 2026)

Rhode Island Council for the Arts (RISCA) (2023, 2024, 2025)

Rhode Island Foundation, Arts in Education Project Grant (2023)

Studio Playground is a 501(c)(3) organization. All donations are tax-deductible.

Laughing Club with Chris Bayes

Scholarship Fundraiser

Time

Friday February 20, 5:00-6:00pm

Location

Virtual on Zoom

Christopher Bayes

Internationally renowned teacher of clown and commedia, Head of Physical Acting at Yale School of Drama, and author of Discovering the Clown, or The Funny Book of Good Acting.

Reservations

Please make a reservation using our registration system below.

This workshop is for adults ages 18 and older.

Minimum Suggested Donation

$30 per Person

Support Access to Arts Education for Kids in Rhode Island

Studio Playground fosters individual growth for children in our community by using the performing arts. Your gift provides a scholarship for a child to attend our annual Theater Camp in Lincoln Woods State Park.

To make a donation to our scholarship fund, please visit: Donate

Studio Playgroud is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Donations are tax-deductible.

Founding Artistic Director

Matthew Bretschneider, MSW, LCSW

Artistic Associates

Alexander Crespo-Rosario, Chris Stahl & Ava Varszegi

Matthew Bretschneider (MSW, LCSW, he/him) is the Founding Artistic Director of Studio Playground and an Adjunct Professor for Boston University. Matthew has performed with the Huntington Theatre Company, the Flea Theater, Theatre Row, The New Ohio, Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Kitchen Theatre Company, and Boston Playwrights’ Theatre. Television Credits include Law & Order: SVU and The Path. Matthew received a Master of Social Work (MSW) from Rhode Island College and has extensive experience teaching theater in clinical environments. His practice focuses on acceptance, self-care, and empowerment. Matthew received a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts with additional training from The Pandemonium Studio, Movement Theater Studio, and The Clown School. He has trained extensively with Christopher Bayes and has studied physical acting with Norman Taylor, Mary Overlie, Orlando Pabotoy, David Bridel, Gabriel Levey and others. Matthew has taught physical acting and audition techniques for Commonwealth Shakespeare Company, Trinity Repertory Company, Walnut Hill School for the Arts, Rhode Island College, University of Rhode Island, Dean College. Salve Regina University, and Suffolk University.

Matthew Bretschneider, MSW, LCSW, Chairperson

Elizabeth Henderson, Secretary

Kevin Kelly, Treasurer

Kimberly Hickey, JD

Stefanie Resnick

Sagree Sharma

Gardner Stratton

Christopher Bayes

Karin Capobianco, MSW, LICSW, PhD

Alicia Gordon

Studio Playground was founded in July 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Lockdowns and school closings created significant challenges for children and families. The initial goal of Studio Playground was to provide a source of connection and empowerment for youth in isolation with virtual classes integrating social-emotional learning with physical acting. Our organization connected with students and families across the country and received highly positive feedback regarding the impact of our classes on children’s mood & behavior.

Studio founders, Matthew Bretschneider and Stefanie Resnick, trained together as actors with Christopher Bayes, Head of Physical Theater for Yale School of Drama, Founder of Pandemonium Studio, and master of clown and commedia dell’arte. Matthew and Stefanie adapted concepts based in physical acting pedagogy to create developmentally appropriate curriculum for children ages 5-10. The curriculum emphasizes the health benefits of laughter as students engage with concepts that promote empathy, compassion, self-awareness empowerment, and skills for performing arts.

In 2021, Studio Playground implemented their flagship program: a theater camp that provided a unique experience for children in a picturesque outdoor setting surrounded by nature. Attended by 26 children in 2021, the camp now serves over 100 children every summer. Each week culminates in an outdoor performance attended by over 200 audience members in which children present an original show.

In 2024, Studio Playground expanded its Board of Directors to include experts in child development, social work, arts administration, and financial planning.

Our nonprofit organization now serves over 500 children annually through summer camps, week​end classes​,​ workshops for adults in Boston and Providence, partnerships with schools, theater companies, and other nonprofit organizations, and after-school programs across Rhode Island

By forming partnerships with schools and nonprofit organizations, we have helped children across the state access theater education with highly qualified teachers in an environment that promotes acceptance, empowerment & individuality.​ Studio Playground has maintained partnerships with organizations which include Providence Children’s Museum, Boston Children’s Museum, Commonwealth Shakespeare Company, Providence Public Schools, Boys & Girls Clubs of Providence, Gordon School, Lincoln School, Moses Brown School, Croft School, UCAP School, Child Opportunity Zone in Pawtucket, Providence After School Alliance, Cedar Hill Elementary School in Warwick, Hampden Meadows School in Barrington, Globe Park Elementary in Woonsocket, McGuire Elementary in North Providence, Providence Country Day School, Rocky Hill Country Day School, and Jacqueline M Walsh School for the Arts.

Studio Playground has been awarded grants from the Rhode Island State Council for the Arts (RISCA), Rhode Island Foundation, and the City of Providence Department of Art, Culture & Tourism to fund our summer camp in Lincoln Woods State Park and our Performing Arts in Libraries program in partnership with Community Libraries of Providence (CLPVD).

Our organization has produced original plays for young audiences at the Providence Fringe Festival; productions include Out There (2022), All on One Channel (2024), and Escape from the Zoo (2025). Our organization has produced an interactive theater experience for ages 5-10 based in theatrical clown and improvisation for Providence Children’s Museum (2023) and Boston Children’s Museum (2023, 2024).

Performing Arts in Libraries (PAL) is an after-school program which promotes skills for performing arts, literacy, and social-emotional development. Students participate in weekly classes as they adapt a children's book into a play using movement and playful improvisation, culminating in a performance. PAL has been implemented with Community Libraries of Providence (CLPVD). The program has received funding from the Rhode Island Foundation and the City of Providence Department of Art, Culture & Tourism.

Studio Playground has implemented our school-based Social-Emotional Learning through Performing Arts Program has been implemented for Providence Public Schools, Moses Brown School, Gordon School, Croft School, and Boys & Girls Clubs of Providence. The program fosters individual growth for children in elementary school in the core areas of self-awareness, social awareness, and relationship skills. The curriculum uses games, movement, improvisation, and physical acting to teach strategies for self-regulation, collaboration, and self-care.

Studio Playground was founded on the principle that all children deserve access to the social and emotional benefits they derive from participating in performing arts. A substantial number of scholarships are awarded for our programs; fundraising efforts include sponsorship from local businesses, financial support from our board of directors, and generous individuals, to achieve our ​a​nnual fundraising goal.

To read more about our mission and upcoming programs, please visit: Mission Statement.

To make a donation to our scholarship fund, please visit: Donate to Studio Playground.

Studio Playgroud is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Donations are tax-deductible.

Your donation creates access to arts education for children in Rhode Island.

UPCOMING PROGRAMS

6th Annual Theater Camp

Lincoln Woods State Park

More Info: Summer 2025

Fall & Winter Classes

Providence, Rhode Island

More Info: Fall 2025

Classes for Adults

Monologues & Physical Acting

Boston Center for the Arts

More Info: Weekend Workshop

Physical Theater Intensive

Boston Center for the Arts

More Info: Weekend Workshop

Movement

Boston Center for the Arts

More Info: Weekend Workshop

Theater Education for Young Audiences

AS 220 in Providence

More Info: Weekend Workshop

Coaching for Actors & Performers

AS 220 in Providence

More Info: Acting Coaching

Studio Playground supports students in their individual growth and inspires audiences to engage in meaningful discourse by enacting our core values: inclusivity, empowerment, and social change. We believe all children deserve opportunities for creative enrichments and social-emotional learning benefits derived from arts education programs. Lacking access to programs that build confidence and social awareness divides community members from their resources and deprives children of essential elements for healthy development. Laughter and performing arts entail benefits which transcend socioeconomic status and cultural differences.

Inclusivity: We define inclusion as the ability for all members of society to fully participate in programs from which they derive personal and collective value. By establishing a classroom environment in which students feel seen and respected by teachers and peers, we seek to create spaces that encourage feelings of safety, bravery, and compassion.

Empowerment: Our teaching philosophy is based on meeting students where they are and modeling compassion, respect, and inclusion. By allowing classes to develop to support the needs of individuals, we intend to enhance group dynamics and encourage individual growth for each student. Our programs foster empowerment by teaching the health benefits of laughter, facilitating the physical and emotional benefits of play, and inspiring empathy for younger generations.

Social change: We are guided by the principles of social justice and the importance of human connection. We believe all members of society deserve opportunities to participate in live performance and artistic enrichment. There is great potential for live performance to inspire social connection, facilitate meaningful discourse, articulate collective values, and heal the wounds of adverse experiences.

Our Commitment to Our Donors

We will not sell, share or trade our donors’ names or personal information with any other entity, nor send mailings to our donors on behalf of other organizations.

This policy applies to all information received by Studio Playground, both online and offline, on any Platform (includes the Givergy website and mobile applications), as well as any electronic, written, or oral communications.

To the extent any donations are processed through a third-party service provider, our donors’ information will only be used for purposes necessary to process the donation.

Your donation makes all the difference. With your support, we can serve the families in our community and make sustainable arts programming a reality in Rhode Island. Donations can be made using our fundraising platform, Givergy, using the following link: Donate.

Thank you for considering making a donation to our scholarship fund. Studio Playground teaches classes for all ages based in clown and physical acting. Our programs create a positive social impact and lead to artistic enrichment in the lives of our students. The beneifts of laughter and movement education include elevating endorphins and serotonin, promoting healthy immune systems and encouraging social-emotional learning. Your donation will create access to arts education and meaningful programs for children in northern Rhode Island.

Many families rely on financial assistance to attend our programs. Your gift will help provide tuition for our weekly classes in Providence and our summer camps in Lincoln Woods State Park. Thank you for sponsoring a child in our community as they experience joy and connection through laughter, clown, and physical acting.

If you prefer to make your donation via check, please email info@studioplayground.org.

Studio Playground is a 501(c)(3) organization. All donations are tax-deductible.