CULTURE

Return to the Fold

After scaled-back years, Free Comic Book Day looks brighter than ever

The only thing more fun than comic books is free comic books. To attract new readers and bring foot tra c to retailers, Free Comic Book Day was launched in 2002 and takes place each year on the first Saturday of May. Along with o ering free comic books exclusive to the day, participating retailers often run fun promotions. This year’s publications come in every style – from funny to scary to super heroic – and they’re designed for kids of all ages.

For nearly 20 years, The Time Capsule, a beloved comics and collectibles store with locations in Cranston and Seekonk, MA has participated. Owner Rob Yeremian says that he sees about 500 people on Free Comic Book Day. “It’s a family-friendly event and an opportunity to put comics in the hands of young people, sometimes for the first time. It really helps build that future fandom and enjoyment of comics for years to come.”

After a few years of scaled-down events, Yeremian is excited to bring back some of the fun and excitement from pre-COVID days. Freebies this year include Avengers X-Men , Conan the Barbarian , Star Trek , Star Wars (don’t confuse the two), and Umbrella Academy & Witcher . There’s even a Smurfs Anniversary issue and everyone’s favorite turtles in a half shell, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Not every store has every comic and that’s where the adventure begins. Plan your day touring the area, visiting your local comic book shops, and try to get as many as you can. While you’re there, enjoy fun activities like cosplay contests and find special deals and o ers on comics and collectibles all day long. Diehard collectors are there when the doors open. As they say in Pokemon, “Gotta catch ‘em all!” Providence: Newbury Comics, Rah-CoCo’s Collectables; Cranston & Seekonk: The Time Capsule; Warwick & North Attleboro: Toy Vault. Learn more at FreeComicBookDay.com | By Hugh Minor

Robert Isenberg

Funny Business

Studio Playground is a theater camp that encourages clowning around

Matthew Bretschneider and Stefanie Resnick are a pair of clowns – literally. Before they founded Studio Playground, a theatrical workshop for children and adults, the two actors met at a clowning workshop, led by renowned pantomime Christopher Bayes. This was spring 2020, at the height of the COVID lockdown, and the sessions took place online. Despite the virtual interaction, Bretschneider and Resnick realized they had much in common, including a desire to work with young children. “We saw how powerful the clowning work was, as far as creating community, a sense of connection, a sense of relief during a di cult time,” remembers Resnick.

That summer, the pair started teaching their own classes over Zoom, working mainly with kids. Resnick was based in New York City and Bretschneider in Providence, and the pandemic loomed larger than ever. Yet the two performers were able to engage young participants with song, dance, and improv games. The extroverted curriculum helped kids stay social and confident at a time of extreme isolation.

“If you go on stage and make someone laugh, you’ll boost their serotonin, you’ll boost their endorphins, you’ll relieve their stress, you’ll speed up their immune system,” says Bretschneider. “So the idea is, if you’re feeling nervous to go on stage, it’s an act of generosity. It’s an act of bravery. You can change the world that way.”

This sentiment is the bedrock philosophy of Studio Playground, which will soon start its third summer. The program has grown exponentially: the original session had about 22 kids in total; now, they expect 70 or 80 over the course of the summer. Studio Playground partners with a range of organizations, such as Moses Brown, the Boys & Girls Club, and the Providence Children’s Museum. They have added after-school sessions, along with classes for adults. The team of mentors includes more than a dozen professional performers.

Most classes cater to kids ages five to 12, and the summer program mostly takes place outside, in Lincoln Woods State Park. Exercises and activities gradually coalesce into a final performance for friends and families. The presentation is a nice way to celebrate all their work together, but the lasting value of Studio

Playground is its social-emotional impact. The founders notice families from di erent backgrounds organizing playdates, and they hear about theatrical skills seeping into other pursuits, such as after-school sports.

This kind of coaching comes naturally to both. Bretschneider has taught for the likes of Rhode Island College and Trinity Repertory Company. Resnick, a veteran nanny and adjunct instructor, still works as an actress in New York, but she reserves her summers for Studio Playground.

“I love that I get to come to Rhode Island for the summer and do this outdoor camp,” says Resnick. “There are moments when I see the kids running around and screaming and dancing, and I’m like, ‘Whoa, we made this giant celebration happen.’ This is where my heart is right now. We’re trying to spread the laughter wherever we can.” Learn more at StudioPlayground.org