Not just the ones whose schools can afford it — every child. That belief built everything you see here.
Not theatre as a hobby. Not theatre as entertainment. Theatre as the experience that teaches a shy kid to speak up, a bully to feel empathy, a struggling student to discover they're actually brilliant at something.
I've seen it happen hundreds of times on a gymnasium stage, in front of 300 students who didn't expect to care — and then couldn't look away.
"I want every school in Los Angeles — not just the well-funded ones — to have access to professional live theatre. That's what Play'N Around is built to do."
— Robbie Colley, Founder · Bradley Colley, Artistic Director
Growing up, Robbie Colley discovered early that stories — told live, in person, with real performers and real stakes — could transform an audience. Theatre didn't just entertain. It created empathy, built confidence, and opened minds in ways no textbook could. That realization never left her.
Working in the Los Angeles arts community, Robbie kept running into the same reality: schools that needed arts programming the most — Title I schools, under-resourced districts, schools in the San Fernando Valley and across LA County — had the least access to it. Field trips to theatres were too expensive. Hiring professional companies was even more so.
Play'N Around Theatre Company was founded on a deceptively simple idea: pack a full professional production into a tour-ready format and perform it right in the school gym. No bus. No chaperones. No $30-a-ticket budget meetings. One invoice, fully fundable through arts grants. Professional actors, original music, full costumes — delivered directly to where kids already are.
From the first school in Sherman Oaks, word spread across the San Fernando Valley and throughout LA County. Principals who booked one show became repeat clients. Arts coordinators who used Prop 28 funds to pay for an assembly became advocates who recommended Play'N Around to their colleagues. The model worked — not just financially, but educationally. Teachers reported behavior changes. Students requested to see the shows again. That's when Brad knew this was bigger than just a company.
Play'N Around Theatre Company is now an approved LAUSD Arts Branch vendor and a member of the LA County Arts Bench — two of the most competitive approvals in LA County arts education. Every show is designed to meet LAUSD curriculum standards, address CASEL SEL competencies, and deliver measurable educational outcomes. And every performance still carries that original belief: this should be available to every school, every child, regardless of zip code.
Play'N Around Theatre Company was founded by Robbie Colley, who built the company from the ground up with a singular belief: that professional live theatre should be accessible to every K–12 student in Los Angeles County, regardless of their school's budget or zip code.
Bradley Colley serves as Artistic Director, leading the creative vision for every production — directing shows, developing curriculum alignment documentation, personally handling school bookings, and performing in the productions himself.
When you call 727-255-3514, you're talking to someone who will actually show up at your school. When you email playnaround@me.com, you get a direct response — not a booking portal. For a principal trying to coordinate an assembly, that directness matters.
Trained performer and director with deep roots in Los Angeles's theatre community.
Every show is built around learning outcomes, not just entertainment value.
Most of our bookings come from principals and coordinators who've worked with us before.
Founded and run by the Colley family, based in Sherman Oaks. We're your neighbors — and we'll treat your school like it.
One of the pre-qualified vendors for LAUSD schools — no competitive bid required for qualifying purchases. Accelerates Prop 28 procurement from weeks to days.
Selected for the county's vetted roster of arts education providers — a distinction held by a small number of organizations in all of Los Angeles County.
Listed in the California Parks Artist Directory, recognizing Play'N Around as a professional performing arts organization.
Every production is documented against LAUSD Visual & Performing Arts standards and CASEL Social-Emotional Learning competencies. We provide the paperwork your staff needs.
All services qualify under California's Proposition 28 arts funding mandate. We've processed Prop 28 procurement for dozens of schools and know exactly how to make it easy.
To make professional live theatre accessible to every K–12 student in Los Angeles County — regardless of their school's budget, zip code, or resources — by delivering fully staged, curriculum-aligned productions directly into school campuses.
A Los Angeles where every child has experienced the transformative power of live performance — where they've seen themselves in a story, felt the electricity of a live audience, and learned something real through the magic of theatre.
We are professional performers, not hobbyists. Every show gets our full preparation, full costumes, and full commitment — whether it's our first time at a school or our tenth.
Theatre builds empathy. We design every show to help students understand perspectives different from their own — the foundation of SEL, character development, and citizenship.
Principals and coordinators are overwhelmed. We make every aspect of working with us — booking, paperwork, setup, performance — as effortless as possible.
We will never price out a school that needs us. As long as Prop 28 funding exists, we will find a way to make our programs work for your budget.
Robbie Colley or Bradley Colley directly — 727-255-3514 (call or text) or playnaround@me.com. You won't be routed to an assistant or a booking portal. When you reach out, you're talking to the people who will actually show up and perform at your school.
All of Los Angeles County. We're based in Sherman Oaks, so we serve the entire San Fernando Valley first — Van Nuys, Encino, Studio City, Reseda, Northridge, North Hollywood — then Burbank, Glendale, the Westside, East LA, and South LA. No school is too far.
Each show is designed for specific grade bands. BullyProof targets grades 2–8. Little Red & Stranger Danger is ideal for K–4. Rumpelstiltskin and The Elves & the Shoemaker work well for K–5. We can recommend the right show for your student population and split shows across grade levels for large campuses.
Minimum 2 weeks, ideally 4–6 weeks. For fall semester dates, reaching out in July or August gives you the best selection. For spring, contact us in December or January. We sometimes have cancellations that open up shorter-notice windows — worth a call even if your timeline is tight.
Yes. We can perform on outdoor stages, amphitheaters, blacktop areas, or grassy areas with a clear performance space. We bring everything we need for outdoor performances — including portable sound equipment designed to work in open-air environments.
Yes. While our LAUSD and Prop 28 vendor status primarily benefits LAUSD schools, we work with all school types in LA County: private schools, charter schools, Catholic schools, and alternative schools. Prop 28 applies to all California K–12 public schools, and private/charter schools can book us through standard purchase orders.