(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 (4:00pm-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 is available at www.thebasie.org/playground.

The Count Basie Center for the Arts is New Jersey’s premier center for the cultural arts, dedicated to fostering powerful, inclusive artistic experiences and creative exchange of ideas. The Basie mission is to inspire, educate and entertain through its distinct and engaging cultural and artistic offerings that reflect the diversity of the region.  As a nonprofit organization, the Basie is committed to enriching the community’s quality of life by generating opportunities for participation in the arts, partnering with schools, collaborating with other mission-based organizations and driving regional economic prosperity. The Basie Center has hosted an array of world-class artists, including Bruce Springsteen & the E-Street Band, Jon Bon Jovi, John Legend, Crosby Stills & Nash, Tony Bennett, Sophia Loren and Ringo Starr. Count Basie Center programming is made possible in part by funds from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts.   

For nearly fifteen years, Actors Playground School of Theatre has offered the highest level of professional training in the art of acting to generations of students and has become a staple of New Jersey’s arts community. The Playground's friendly and creative atmosphere provides a strong foundation of encouragement and trust that allows its students to gain confidence in their work and challenge themselves uncluttered to explore their creative imagination. Students of Actors Playground study the very 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 for all mediums.