About Us

At Child’s Play NY our mission is to empower the next generation through the theatrical arts. Through our programming, we uplift student voices, ignite curiosity, and center compassion. We seek deep truths about the characters we embody, and the stories we tell. The work is both a mirror for self-reflection and a doorway through which we travel for a deeper understanding of other perspectives.

We strive for an inclusive theater space where young people are seen and create their own stories. We center empathy and practice leading with kindness. Through the exploration of different points of view, we gain a better understanding of the world we live in and the world we envision.

We believe that young people can become more engaged and empathic participants in our world through profound engagement in the creative process.

Child’s Play NY is committed to uplifting underrepresented voices in the arts and envisioning a more equitable future. In theater productions, classes and educational workshops we seek to reach all children and in doing so, support the next generation of compassionate, collaborative change-makers.

About Our Founder

Child’s Play NY was founded in 2009 by Jocelyn Greene. Prior to starting Child’s Play NY, Jocelyn trained with regional theaters and organizations that used theater as a means to transform young people’s lives. Her work as an educator at Will Power to Youth, Oddfellows Playhouse, Shakespeare Festival LA, Epic Theater Ensemble, Harvey Milk High School inspires the engagement and mission of Child’s Play NY. Jocelyn holds an MFA from NYU’s Graduate Acting Program and a BA from Wesleyan University. You can learn more about Jocelyn’s work with Child’s Play in Action here.

Jocelyn was featured in Brooklyn Daily Eagle’s 3 Part Series on Amazing Women.

Child’s Play NY on Black Lives Matter

Child’s Play NY asserts unequivocally that Black Lives Matter.

We stand in solidarity – and in action – with the movement to dismantle white-supremacy. We condemn the devastating virus of racism and recognize our insidious complicity in systems that prop up inequities.

We acknowledge our role in creating culture and we vow to do the challenging and imperfect work of unpacking unearned privileges and disassemble systems of oppression.

The work involves self-reflection, education, assessment, the centering of historically marginalized voices.

We are striving to actively use an anti-racist and an anti-oppressive lens at every level of the company.

The Work We’re Doing

Anti-Racist Training
  • Senior staff members have completed training sessions focused on dismantling white supremacy with the following organizations:
    • Nicole Brewer
    • Center for Racial Justice in Education
    • Hollaback
    • BIPOC TYA 
  • Starting in Summer 2021, yearly anti-racist training will be provided for teaching artists, who will be compensated for their time to participate.

Community Outreach and Partnerships
  • Responsive residencies with Title I schools in Brooklyn and the Bronx bring out student voices through theater in connection with ELA curriculum. 
  • We are aiming to expand these partnerships to double the amount of residencies and partner schools by 2022. 
  • We will equip our BIPOC teaching artists with the resources to lead classes of their own design, develop and implement innovative curriculum that matters to them, and give their voices a platform. 
  • To ensure that the stories on our stages are reflective of the experiences of diverse performers and audiences, Child’s Play NY will strive to produce shows created by BIPOC artists, with an eye toward new commissions of this type of work.
  • When hiring, we will seek to recruit teaching artists from backgrounds that have been historically underrepresented in theater arts.
  • Our programming includes tuition-free spots for BIPOC students and those from historically underrepresented backgrounds from the community. Please contact us to learn more.

Donations & Community Engagement
  • We acknowledge that while we don’t own theater spaces, we work on the unceded land of the Lenape and Canarsie people, on whose ancestral homeland we teach our classes. Ticket revenue from our productions will be donated to Manhatta Fund.
  • We commit to collaborations with and recurring donations to The Drama Club, a 501(c)3 non-profit that provides theater instruction to incarcerated or court-involved young people.
  • We collaborate with The Service Collective to bring public performances to underserved communities.
  • Proceeds from Indigenous Peoples’ Day and other camp days will be donated to a community organization every year. Past organizations include:
  • We contribute to local public schools by donating gift certificates for fundraisers and events.

We welcome feedback and conversation around all of these pieces.
Our doors are always open – we’d love to hear from you.

Contact Us

What our customers say…

“Child’s Play NY is a gem for New York City families! Jocelyn is nothing short of a genius in her capacity to unleash a child’s imagination and to develop capacities for self-confidence, social skills, and creative expression. As a parent, professional actor, and NJ licensed social worker, I highly recommend the Child’s Play NY experience for any child. “
Katharine Roman LSW Comprehensive Mental Health Services
Child’s Play has been instrumental in providing structured play and learning, building confidence and self-esteem, and providing supportive, positive relationships among the kids and with staff.  I can’t say enough about how much my daughter has enjoyed each rehearsal and play. Theater offers an outlet for emotion and experimentation that is safe and supportive… and the staff could not be more amazing.”
Michele Perlman
“My oldest son was among Jocelyn’s first kids in her program and my middle son started participating not long after. They are now 11 and 7 and still eagerly participating in both after school and camp programs. I cannot say enough good things about Jocelyn and her staff as well as the whole approach to what they do. It is totally process-focused rather than performance focused.”
Vanessa Wise, City Center