Paper Bag Players

The Paper Bag Players, a touring professional theatre company for young audiences, was founded in 1958 by Judith Martin, Shirley Kaplin, Sudie Bond and Remy Charlip. The company was committed from the beginning to creating and performing original musical plays for children ages 4 through 9. Their shows, based on a child's everyday experiences, combine short plays, songs, dances, audience participation, mime, and art construction on stage. Common household objects, such as cardboard boxes and brown kraft paper, were painted and used for sets, props and costumes. For example, if someone has hot feet, they might wear shoe boxes with a painted foot on their feet.

As the company grew, Judith Martin, playwright, designer, director and actress, became the Artistic Director. In 1966 Donald Ashwander joined the company as a composer and performer. He played the electric harpsichord, wrote ragtime music and played the score at each performance.

Judith Martin was Artistic Director for five decades and created and performed in over 35 shows, that included the popular plays, Hot Feet, I Won't Take a Bath, Dandelion, and When My Cousin Slept Over . Many theatre artists wrote, designed and choreographed for this company, including Irving Burton, Betty Osgood, Doug Norwich, Jeanne Michels, James Lally, Jan Maxwell and Brenda Cummings. Scenic artists Molly O'Gorman, Allison Campbell, Diane Brawarsky and playwright, Jennifer Wells.

In June 2009, Ted Brackett became Artistic Director, after working with Martin for over 23 years as a performer and Associate Director. Donald Ashwander died in 1994 and his obituary was printed in Time Magazine. John Stone became resident composer and Music Director in 2005.

The Paper Bag Players tours have taken them to 37 states and to Canada, England, Scotland, Wales, Israel, Iran, Egypt, the Philippines, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Japan. They were the first theatre for young audiences to perform at Lincoln Center and to receive a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA).

Their awards include: a 1965 Obie Award for raising the level of children's theatre through intelligence, imagination and respect for its audience; the 1989 AATE (American Alliance for Theatre and Education) Sara Spencer Artistic Achievement Award; the 1966 American Theatre Association Jennie Heiden Award; three American Theatre Wing Awards; the New York State Artists Award; The Broadway Theater Institute Award for Theater and Education; and the 2003 Children's Theatre Foundation of America Medallion. Nick Jr. Magazine presented Martin with a Playful People Award.

In 2008 the company donated their records to the New York City Public Library for the Performing Arts. An exhibit titled The Paper Bag Players: 50 Years of Theater Art, was created to celebrate this donation.

From the guide to the Paper Bag Players Records, 1958-2008, (Arizona State University Libraries Child Drama Collection)

The Paper Bag Players is a company of adults who create and perform original, contemporary, musical theater for children. The Paper Bag Players was founded in 1958 by Judith Martin, Shirley Kaplin, Sudie Bond and Remy Charlip. All four shared creativity during the first years, but as the company developed, Judith Martin more and more shaped The Paper Bag Players identity. Martin remained in the role of artistic director for fifty years, and as a writer, designer, director and actress, she both established and embodied The Paper Bag Players style. In 1966, Donald Ashwander joined the company as composer and performer. Ted Brackett assumed the role of artistic director in 2009, after having worked closely with Judith Martin for 23 years.

The Paper Bag Players have toured in 37 states, as well as to Canada, England, Scotland, Wales, Israel, Iran, Egypt, the Philippines, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Japan. The first theater for children to perform at Lincoln Center and to receive a grant from the NEA, The Bags have been recognized with an OBIE, awards for excellence from the American Association for Theater and Education, American Theater Wing Awards, the New York State Artists Award, The Broadway Theater Institute Award for Theater and Education. The company is still active as of 2011.

Source: Paper Bag Players. "The Paper Bag Players: History," accessed August 4, 2011, http://www.paperbagplayers.org/history.html.

From the guide to the Paper Bag Players records, 1958-2009, 1990-2004, (The New York Public Library. Billy Rose Theatre Division.)