Performing Arts in Libraries (PALS)
Winter/Spring Session
February 23 — May 13, 2027
Mount Pleasant Library
Community Libraries of Providence
ADDRESS: 315 Academy Avenue, Providence, 02908
DAY/TIME: Tuesdays, 4:00 p.m. – 5:15 p.m.
Schedule:
o Tuesday February 23, 2027
o Tuesday March 2, 2027
o Tuesday March 9, 2027
o Tuesday March 16, 2027
o Tuesday March 23, 2027
o Tuesday March 30, 2027
o Tuesday April 6, 2027
o Tuesday April 13, 2027
o NO CLASS APRIL 20
o Tuesday April 27, 2027
o Tuesday May 4, 2027
o Tuesday May 11, 2027
PERFORMANCE:
o Thursday May 13 at 5:00 p.m.
Program Description
Performing Arts in Libraries (PALS) is a free program for children ages 7-11 with Studio Playground and Community Libraries of Providence (CLPVD). Students adapt a children's book into a play using physical acting and improvisation, which they perform on a stage that is assembled in the library, turning it into a temporary theater space. Classes include games designed to support developing skills for communication and collaboration. Students participate in multiple stages of creating a show, including forming an emsemble, interpreting and adapting a story, and sharing their completed work.
There is no cost for registration. Please note that space is limited and registration is required. Sign up using our registration system below. The Performing Arts in Libraries (PALS) Program is funded by the Stoico/FIRSTFED Charitable Foundation and the Providence Department of Art, Culture & Tourism (ACT).
Acceptance • Empowerment • Performing Arts
Learning Objectives
Understand the actor’s tools of voice, body & imagination
Adapt a book into a theatrical performance
Engage an audience in narrative storytelling
Skills for communication, teamwork & self-awareness
Funding Arts Education
Performing Arts in Libraries (PALS) is funded by the Stoico/FIRSTFED Charitable Foundation and the Providence Department of Art, Culture & Tourism (ACT).
Donate to Studio Playground!
Your gift creates access to theater education for kids in Rhode Island. Studio Playround fosters individual growth for children in our community by using the performing arts to promote acceptance & empowerment.
Studio Playground is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. Donations are tax-deductible.
Matthew Bretschneider
Founding Artistic Director, Studio Playground
Producer, Performing Arts in Libraries (PALS)
Matthew Bretschneider, MSW, LCSW (he/him) is Founding Artistic Director of Studio Playground and the producer for Performing Arts in Libraries (PALS). He is an Adjunct Professor at Boston University where he teaches Acting & Performance. As an actor, he has performed with the Huntington Theatre Company, (Tartuffe, Romeo & Juliet, Lehman Trilogy, Common Ground Revisited, Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead), 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 teaches for Salve Regina University, Commonwealth Shakespeare Company, Trinity Repertory Company, Walnut Hill School for the Arts, and Suffolk University. Matthew founded Studio Playground in 2020 with Co-Founding Artistic Director, Stefanie Resnick.
MSW, Rhode Island School School of Social Work
BFA, New York University, Tisch School for the Arts
Ava Varszegi
Artistic Associate, Studio Playground
Director, Performing Arts in Libraries (PALS)
Ava Varszegi (she/her) is an Artistic Associate for Studio Playground and Director for Performing Arts in Libraries (PALS). She is an illustrator and educator based in Providence, Rhode Island. Although she primarily teaches visual arts, she got her start teaching at the Children’s Circus of Middletown, where she taught unicycling, art, and clowning. She started attending the Children’s Circus as a camper at the age of nine ,and later started touring with their Circophony traveling circus troupe, both run by
Oddfellows Playhouse in Middletown, Connecticut.
BFA, Rhode Island School of Design
Graduate Certificates: Graphic Design; Natural Science Illustration; Rhode Island School of Design
Chris Stahl
Artistic Associate, Studio Playground
Director, Performing Arts in Libraries (PALS)
Chris Stahl (they/he) is an Artistic Associate for Studio Playground and Director for Performing Arts in Libraries (PALS). Chris is a professional actor and educator whose work spans classical and contemporary theatre, film, and television. They have performed extensively in New York and at leading regional theatres across the country, including Lincoln Center, Williamstown Theatre Festival, The Flea, Theatre for a New Audience, and Trinity Repertory Company. They have been honored with awards and grants for their work, including from the National Endowment for the Arts. Film and television credits include The Invisible Girl (Cannes Film Festival recognition), The Drama (A24) The Provider, and numerous commercials. Chris is a proud member of Actors’ Equity Association and SAG-AFTRA. Their teaching emphasizes truthful listening, on-camera technique, professional preparedness, and the integration of classical training with contemporary storytelling.
MFA, Brown/Trinity
BA, Fordham Lincoln Center
FAQ’s
Is there cost to enroll?
No, there is no cost to enroll. Performing Arts in Libraries (PALS) is a free program provided by Studio Playground in partnership with Community Libraries of Providence (CLPVD). Please note that space is limited and registration is required.
Should my child bring a snack?
Yes, children should bring a nut-free snack and a personal water bottle. Please note that snacks are not provided.
Is early drop-off or extended day available?
No, there is no early drop-off or extended day. Children must be signed out by the end of class by their parent or by an adult on the child’s authorized pick-up list.
How do I reserve tickets to the show?
Tickets are free and can be reserved using our registration system. The suggested minimum donation is $10 per person.
Donations support our Camp Fund which provides scholarships for our Theater Camp in Lincoln Woods State Park.
Safey Guidelines
Please note this policy is subject to change.
Wearing a mask is optional for staff and students. Class size is limited. Staff keep daily attendance records for contact tracing, provide hand sanitizer, and encourage hand hygiene. Any student who has a fever is advised not attend class. Students must be fever-free for at least 24 hours before returning to class.