John Stone

John Stone

John has been the Composer and the Music Director for The Paper Bag Players since 2004. He plays his compositions live on the electric keyboard when touring with The Paper Bag Players each season. As part of The Paper Bag Players Creative Team, he has collaborated on writing the script and composed all the music for THE PAPER BAG PLAYERS GREAT MUMMY ADVENTURE, THE PAPER BAG PLAYERS WHOOP-DEE-DOO! and THE PAPER BAG PLAYERS LAUGH! LAUGH! LAUGH!

John has written about the creative team, “A collaboration had been in the back of our minds for a long time when it finally became a reality, we were brimming with ideas. During our sessions I was always at the keyboard, trying many new melodies, taking suggestions for songs and sketches and incidental music. I feel our work strongly reflects the artistic roots of The Paper Bag Players— drawing inspiration from Judith Martin’s imagination and composer-musician Donald Ashwander’s wonderful music,”

John, a native of New York City, studied composition with Max Lifchitz during his years at Vassar College where he graduated in 1992 with honors in philosophy and English literature.

While at Vassar, he was commissioned to compose a score for a ballet exposition at the Bardavon Opera House, and later continued his collaboration with choreographers including Brian Brooks, Kun-Yang Lin, Elizabeth Higgins, and Rachel Cohen. He is Artistic Co-founder and Music Director of the modern dance group, Ariane Anthony & Company. Jennifer Dunning writes, “As always, the music composed by John Stone, [Ms. Anthony’s] invaluable collaborator, provided just the right blend of evocative melody and nutty dissonances” (The New York Times, 2002).

Stone’s chamber works have toured nationally and internationally, with recent works commissioned by the viol consort Parthenia and the Queen’s Chamber Band who performed his work at Merkin Concert Hall in 2007. His music for theater and film includes the scores for Vanessa Redgrave’s production of Antony and Cleopatra in 1994 and short films by Jennifer Reeves, Alister Sanderson, Elizabeth Higgins and Nate Atchenson. He has received grants from Meet the Composer as well as the prestigious W.K. Rose Fellowship of Vassar College to complete a book on J.S. Bach’s last fugue.