Artistic Directors

Matthew Bretschneider & Anna Basile

Artistic Associates

Stefanie Resnick

Alexander Crespo-Rosario

Kelly Robertson

Filipa Estrela

Matthew Bretschneider, MSW (he/him) is the Managing Director and Founding Co-Artistic Director of Studio Playground. He is an Adjunct Professor at Boston University and 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 his MSW from Rhode Island College School of Social Work and has extensive experience teaching theater in clinical spaces, focusing on self-care, empowerment, and ensemble development. Matthew received a 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 many more. Matthew has taught physical theater for Commonwealth Shakespeare Company, Trinity Repertory Company, Walnut Hill School for the Arts, Rhode Island College, University of Rhode Island, and Suffolk University.

matthewbretschneider.com

Education: MSW, Rhode Island College School of Social Work; BFA, Tisch School for the Arts, New York University

Anna Basile (she/her) is Co-Artistic Director of Studio Playground. She is a Rhode Island born actor, teacher, and director and has worked as a performing arts faculty member for the Lincoln School in Providence, Beacon Charter School for the Arts, and Rocky Hill Country Day School. She has extensive experience directing youth productions for organizations including Trinity Repertory Company, the Lincoln School, and the Actor’s Gymnasium in Chicago. Acting credits include The Wilbury Theatre Group, Burbage Theatre Company, Teatro en el Verano with Trinity Repertory Company, Filament Theatre, and Chicago Musical Theatre Festival. Anna has also directed and produced original works for the Providence Fringe Festival and other venues. Anna received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Theatre from Northwestern University and completed her Master of Fine Arts Degree in Devised Performance in Physical Theatre from Pig Iron School for Advanced Performance Training with the University of the Arts. She has trained with clowns and circus performers such as Shannan Calcutt, Giovanni Fusetti, Mycah Hogan, Sylvia Hernandez Di-Stasi, and David Catlin. Creating original works of physical theatre and clown with young performers is Anna’s absolute favorite thing to do, second only, perhaps, to being onstage herself.

Education: MFA, University of the Arts, Pig Iron School for Advanced Performance Training; BA, Northwestern University

“I consider it a gift and a tremendous opportunity to be stepping into artistic leadership alongside Matthew at Studio Playground. As a teacher and a director for the organization, I have witnessed the genuine love and sense of community that drives it. My artistic roots took hold in Rhode Island. When I was fourteen, I attended Trinity Rep’s Young Actors Summer Institute and found artistic inspiration and a sense of direction. I completed my undergraduate degree at Northwestern University and my graduate degree at the Pig Iron School for Physical Theatre and Devised Performance at University of the Arts. As an artist and teacher, I draw on skills from both fields to make a positive impact on the lives of the young people in my community. I believe an education in theater has the power to teach all of us to love more and love better.”

-Anna Basile, Co-Artistic Director

“When you’re working on clown as a professional actor, it’s good for flexibility, for range, for emotional intelligence, physical intelligence, and when we offer it to children, one of the concepts we start with is the gift of laughter. Essentially, we’re trying to teach students to be generous with their work. We talk about the health benefits of laughter - the release of endorphins and serotonin, relief from stress. We’re trying to teach them that if they make someone laugh, they’re going to make that person feel better, which in turn may help them live a little longer, and therefore make the world a more compassionate place to live in. If a child is nervous about going onstage, one of the concepts we reiterate to them is that if they make someone laugh, they they’re doing something good for someone else. That’s why we risk it.”

-Matthew Bretschneider, Founder and Co-Artistic Director (Providence Monthly, 2023)

“I consider it a gift and a tremendous opportunity to be stepping into artistic leadership alongside Matthew at Studio Playground. As a teacher and a director for the organization, I have witnessed the genuine love and sense of community that drives it. My artistic roots took hold in Rhode Island. When I was fourteen, I attended Trinity Rep’s Young Actors Summer Institute and found artistic inspiration and a sense of direction. I completed my undergraduate degree at Northwestern University and my graduate degree at the Pig Iron School for Physical Theatre and Devised Performance at University of the Arts. As an artist and teacher, I draw on skills from both fields to make a positive impact on the lives of the young people in my community. I believe an education in theater has the power to teach all of us to love more and love better.”

-Anna Basile, Co-Artistic Director

Teaching Artists

Perry Barkett

Maddie Burtan

Courtney Cooke

Siohan Doherty

Evie Dumont

Genevieve Ferrara

Emma Freel

Annie Belkin Fox

Kafui Glover

Leslie Grant

Tyler James

Allison Jones

Sophie Kahn

Teddy Lytle

Alexis Macedo

Joan Merwyn

Sara McCormick

Diana Murton

Emma Sacchetti

Rachel Santagate

Anna Slate

Chris Stahl

Ava Varszegi

Hillary Bushel

Allison Beauregard

Amanda Bolt

Jamie Carty

Sofia Galloway

Lizzy Lunardi

Mary Mahoney

Joye Prince

Oliver Rizzo

Managing Director

Matthew Bretschneider

Producing Director

Anna Basile

Outreach Director

Kelly Robertson

Matthew Bretschneider, MSW, LCSW, Chairperson

Elizabeth Henderson, Secretary

Kevin Kelly, Treasurer

Christopher Bayes

Karin Capobianco, MSW, LICSW

Kimberly Hickey, JD

Stefanie Resnick

Sagree Sharma

Gardner Stratton