Actors Playground at the Basie Academy

Freehold’s famed Actors Playground School of Theatre joined forces with the Basie Center Academy of the Arts!

For nearly 15 years, this unique school has offered the highest level of professional training in the art of acting and has become a staple of New Jersey’s arts community.

The Playground’s strong foundation of respect and encouragement allows for a challenging and diverse, conservatory-level curriculum taught by a staff of dedicated, extensively-trained teachers. Students can expect to train in a creative and supportive atmosphere where they study the latest versions of modern acting technique, as well as Second City-style improvisation, advanced scene study, elocution and speech, acting for the camera, and auditioning at every level. Students will also have opportunities to train with known actors and to audition for top-level theatrical representation.

Count Basie Center, Actors Playground School Of Theatre Announce Partnership

(SEPTEMBER 4 – RED BANK, NJ) The Count Basie Center for the Arts and Freehold’s Actors Playground School Of Theatre have announced a new partnership to make the renowned acting school’s program available in Red Bank through the Basie Center’s Performing Arts Academy.

“We’re excited to add another key partner to complement and deepen our current offerings for young actors,” said Yvonne Scudiery, Vice President, Education, Count Basie Center for the Arts. “The Basie Center Academy’s vision is to become a powerhouse for arts education – a place where beginners can gauge their interest, and then move upwards into deeper, more serious training. This vision is shared by the professional faculty from Actors Playground, and we’re thrilled to announce this collaboration and welcome them to the Basie family.”

“What an incredible opportunity to bring the work we’ve been doing with our kids in Freehold over the last 15 years to the artistic epicenter that is the Count Basie Center,” said Ralph Colombino, Founder, Actors Playground School of Theatre. “The Basie has been giving the kids and teens of Monmouth County an artistic home for decades. It is our responsibility to educate as many young people at the highest level we know how, and to do so in what is set to be the greatest center for the arts in New Jersey is thrilling.”

The Actors Playground program at the Basie Center will run on Wednesdays between October and June. Two tracks will be offered: one for students aged 8-12 (4PM-5:30PM), and another for those aged 13-18 from 5:30PM-7:30PM. The program’s monthly payment plan includes weekly classes, plus additional help or coaching a student may need prior to big auditions.

Registration and additional program information can be found here.