OUR VISION:
The Story of the Story Time Players
I had an extremely imaginative childhood. I come from parents who were writers, artists, actors, and teachers. They were New Orleans' very own, Al and Janet Shea. My brothers and I were always motivated to create. One of my early childhood memories was asking my mom for a new tea set. She said, “you can make one!” She gave me a shoe box from “Shoe Town’, paper, crayons, tape, and scissors. I was in my room for hours. I created an entire paper “china” tea set, with my very own flower pattern and cabinet.
Our parents encouraged a world of spending time with ourselves taking the time to figure out what we could do with our own heads, hearts, and hands. That’s where the best dreams live. What were yours?
My father took me to Le Petite’s Children’s Theatre also known as, “Teddy’s Corner” in the French Quarter for nearly every production. Freddie Palmisano on piano and Luis Q. Baroso, the director, always were located on the right side of this cozy little theater. I would glance over at them in awe of the mechanics of making a story come to life. The time spent in that space, with all of the other smiling children, belonged to us.
It was a special place where professional actors, costumed in total character, lead the way into our imaginary worlds. We were told stories of faraway places, fables, heroes, and fairytales from talented and engaging performers. It was truly a magical experience. This began my true love for LIVE theater.
As time has passed and “Teddy’s Corner” is no longer, there is an entire generation of kids that have not ever experienced this type of storytelling in a small and immersive venue. “The Story Time Players” is a group of professional actors, writers, musicians, circus performers, and puppeteers, along with gracious volunteers, that wish to reignite this magic creativity. Our shows have been written, rehearsed, and performed with children and their families in mind. It’s time to bring back a positive and creative childhood. It’s time to tell our children fun and happy stories that inspire them to become creators of their own world.
I hope you become part of our dream by sponsoring, attending, or even volunteering for one of our productions. We can’t wait to see all of the beautiful faces of our audiences. We need the support of our community to make this a success. THANK YOU so very much for taking the time to learn a bit more about what the Story Time Players represents.
In Gratitude,
Jennifer M. Shea
“The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”-Chinese Proverb