We are thrilled to interview rockstar Brooklynite and Executive Director of The Rock and Roll Playhouse, Stephen Grybowski. The Rock and Roll Playhouse is a popular family concert series at Brooklyn Bowl in Williamsburg among other venues.
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What is the history of The Rock and Roll Playhouse? How and where did it start?
The Rock and Roll Playhouse was founded in 2014 at Brooklyn Bowl in Williamsburg, by industry pioneer Peter Shapiro and Amy Striem, a certified Early Childhood and Elementary teacher, who were looking to create opportunities for families to experience live music together in iconic music venues.
Where are your concerts?
The Rock and Roll Playhouse currently hosts engaging concerts for families in 50+ legendary rock clubs in 26 states across the country.
What is your role in The Rock and Roll Playhouse team?
I oversee all aspects of The Rock and Roll Playhouse with a big focus on booking all of our shows, seeking out new venue opportunities, exploring new musical themes, and overseeing all aspects of show marketing. I'm honored to have Adam Roberts onboard as our Musical Director booking out all of the bands for every show across the country, Juliette Drayton who is our administrative rock and hires Teaching Assistants for every show across the country on top of a million other aspects to keeping The Playhouse together, and our new Marketing whiz Emily Chludzinski has played a huge role in helping our brand reach new fans.
What makes a Brooklyn Bowl concert different from the others?
What makes Brooklyn Bowl so special to us is the vibe. There's magic in the room from so many legendary concerts over the years combined with world class staff, 16 lanes of bowling, and incredible food from Blue Ribbon. I reside nearby in Williamsburg and absolutely love it.
We produce concerts for families there every other Sunday from Memorial Day to Labor Day and then every single Sunday for the rest of the year. We try to book a wide range of artists that fall under the rock and roll cannon in order to highlight as many incredible song books as we possibly can for the next generation.
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What can parents expect at a Rock & Roll Playhouse show?
The activities at each of our shows are geared for children aged 0-10 with the sweet spot being from 2-7. With music-infused activities like the giant parachute and limbo, our shows are far more engaging than your typical rock show. This brings out the inner child in everyone which makes it such a special treat for parents to share the music they love with their kiddos. We do recommend child-safe headphones, such as Baby Banz, for all babies and children with sensitive ears but we do monitor the decibel levels at all of our shows to make sure the environment is safe for children.
I hear some families choose to host birthday parties there – how does that work?
The special events team at Brooklyn Bowl is the best in the business and does a remarkable job putting together birthday parties for children at our shows with memories to last a lifetime.
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How has Rock and Roll Playhouse evolved over the years?
We're constantly looking to book The Rock and Roll Playhouse in new venues around the country and are always adding new music into what we offer. I'm incredibly proud of our team and that we were able to produce what I believe were the first ever Taylor Swift, Harry Styles, Beyoncé, and Jay-Z for Kids shows ever.
Any particularly memorable shows?
Our first show ever had Phil Lesh leading the band. With him being a founding member of the Grateful Dead and one of the most talented musicians of all time, it was an incredibly special show for everyone in the room.
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In your opinion, why is music exposure so important for kids?
It has been scientifically proven that music ignites all areas of child development and skills for school readiness, including intellectual, social-emotional, motor, language, and overall literacy on top of just being a heartwarming and fun experience for all parties involved!
Do you have kids? Do they enjoy the concerts?
I do not have any children, but I'm a proud uncle and the majority of my friends do and it's an absolute pleasure to bring everyone and their children out to our shows, they LOVE it!
What do you wish more families knew about The Rock & Roll Playhouse?
Families are constantly aging in and out of our core demographic with kids only getting older so more than anything we're just looking to raise awareness of what we're doing across the country!
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