Published by New Jersey Stage
originally published: 05/02/2025
(FREEHOLD, NJ) -- Actors Playground School of Theatre, a beloved creative hub in New Jersey known for its innovative curriculum and deep commitment to student support, proudly celebrates its 20th anniversary this May.
Since opening its doors in 2005 under the visionary leadership of Artistic Director Ralph Colombino, the school has become a cornerstone of theater education, transforming the lives of young artists and igniting the power of storytelling for social change.
Over the past two decades, Actors Playground has cultivated a culture where students feel safe, supported, and artistically challenged. “When a student truly feels supported, not just by their teacher, but by their classmates as well, their self-esteem will be strengthened,” says Colombino. “That’s when their work will skyrocket.”
Taught by working actors and educators with advanced theatre degrees, the Playground’s curriculum spans a wide range of acting styles and techniques. The school’s mission is to build confidence, encourage creativity, and inspire discovery. What sets it apart is its unwavering support outside the classroom: students receive free one-on-one coaching, including taping sessions for auditions and college prescreens - an unprecedented offering in performing arts education.
This commitment has paid off. Alumni have been accepted into every top-tier theater conservatory, including ten currently enrolled at Rutgers University’s prestigious Mason Gross School of the Arts. Notable students include Shea Grant, starring as Claudia in Stranger Things on Broadway, and Ryan Buggle, who has been playing Noah Benson on Law & Order SVU for eight years.
Actors Playground is also home to the Playground Theatre Project (PTP) - a socially conscious ensemble of student leaders who tour the country performing powerful original plays about pressing social issues, including bullying, racism, mental health, and violence. Their critically acclaimed piece Lost Angels has run for ten years and remains a poignant catalyst for conversation and healing among young audiences.
Following one recent performance at a teen wellness conference, Lanette Mantle, Adolescent Health/Suicide Prevention Program Manager, said: “Many kids said they finally understood what they were going through and wanted to know how to get help. This play gave them the words.”
The youngest branch of this mission-driven theatre work is the Mini Misfits, a peer-led troupe of elementary-aged performers delivering an anti-bullying message to young students across the region. With 15 years of performances and the distinction of being the youngest social issue theater company in the world, they embody the Playground’s ethos of using art to make the world better.
Actors Playground isn’t just a school - it’s a sanctuary. Countless testimonials from parents and students echo the same sentiment: here, young artists find family, confidence, acceptance, and purpose. Students return week after week, year after year, not just to train, but to belong.
“It’s not just a place where my son could study his craft, hone his skills, and feed his passion,” said one parent. “It’s a place where he could feel safe, encouraged, and cared for. AP ROCKS!”
As the Playground celebrates 20 years of creative excellence, its mission remains unchanged: to provide unmatched theater training in a nurturing environment, to empower students to reach their potential, and to use theatre as a force for good.
EVENT PREVIEWS
The Maplewood Strollers to present a Broadway Karaoke Party on June 12th
(MAPLEWOOD, NJ) -- The Maplewood Strollers present a Broadway Karaoke Party on Friday, June 12, 2026 at the Burgdorff Center for the Performing Arts. The event, which serves as a fundraiser for the theater company, begins at 7:30pm.
Mile Square Theatre presents "An Evening in the Woods: Musical Selections from Into the Woods" on June 13th
(HOBOKEN, NJ) -- Mile Square Theatre will hold its first-ever Education Program Fundraiser, An Evening in the Woods: Musical Selections from Into the Woods in Concert, on Saturday, June 13, 2026 at 7:00pm, with a preshow reception beginning at 6:00pm.
The Growing Stage presents round 2 of the 2026 New Play Reading Festival on June 13th
(NETCONG, NJ) -- The Growing Stage presents round 2 of the 2026 New Play Reading Festival on Friday, June 13, 2026 at 4:00pm. The plays include Snapped, The Wind in the Wildflowers, Timmon and the Magic Shoes, and My Tree.
Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey presents "American Folktales" on Saturday
(MADISON, NJ) -- The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey (STNJ) presents American Folktales, the next installment in the Theatre's popular Classics for Kids! series, on Saturday, June 13, 2026 at 11:00am at the F. M. Kirby Shakespeare Theatre. The performance is appropriate for all ages.
Players Guild of Leonia presents The Marshall Playwright Showcase from June 12-14
(LEONIA, NJ) -- The Players Guild of Leonia presents The Marshall Playwrights Showcase from June 12-14, 2026. Named in honor of their long-time PGL member, Helene Marhsall, the showcase includes five original one-acts making for an unforgettable night! Works are by Keith Whalen, Conor Casey, Michael Gage Costa, and Chris Widney.
Studio Players' Reading Series presents "The Laramie Project 10 Years Later" on June 14th
(MONTCLAIR, NJ) -- Studio Players' Reading Series presents a Staged Reading of "The Laramie Project 10 Years Later" on Sunday, June 14, 2026 at 7:00pm. Written by Moises Kaufman and Leigh Fondakowski, this is a powerful and deeply moving epilogue to the groundbreaking original. The reading is directed by Thomas J. Donohoe II.
The Company Theatre Group presents a Staged Reading of "Final Day, the Musical" on June 16th
(HACKENSACK, NJ) -- The Company Theatre Group presents a Staged Reading of Final Day, the Musical in the Ruth Bauer Neustadter Gallery at Hackensack Performing Arts Center on Tuesday, June 16, 2026 at 3:00pm & 7:00pm. Set on the final day of World War II in Germany, Final Day follows prisoners awaiting liberation as they confront a camp commandant under orders to execute them all.
interACT Theatre Productions presents "Psycho Beach Party"
(MAPLEWOOD, NJ) -- interACT Theatre Productions presents Psycho Beach Party by Charles Busch presented as part of OUT IN MAPSO PRIDE 2026 with two performances June 19-20 at The Burgdorff Center for the Performing Arts.
Magnolia Productions presents "The Vagina Monologues"
(ATLANTIC HIGHLANDS, NJ) -- Magnolia Productions presents "The Vagina Monologues" across two weekends from June 12-20, 2026 at the Navesink Library. A whirlwind tour of a forbidden zone, Eve Ensler's Obie Award-winning play features personal monologues from women of various ages, races and sexualities.
Wharton Community Players present "A Midsummer Night's Dream"
(BERKELEY HEIGHTS, NJ) -- The Wharton Community Players invite audiences to step into a world of magic, romance, and mischief with their upcoming production of A Midsummer Night's Dream, directed by Wharton Performing Arts School faculty member Lilli Markey. Performances take place across two weekends from June 12-21, 2026.
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