Recycling: washi tales brings to life in performance the human stories contained in sheet of "washi" (Japanese handmade paper) as it is recycled through time. Four tales of paper making from different periods of Japanese history unfold on stage with an extraordinary ensemble of performers and musicians, in a world created by distinguished paper artist, Kyoko Ibe. The Papermaker, Karen Kandel, serves as narrator and guide as she creates something new from what she learns of the old. Washi Tales explores the aesthetic and spiritual value of recycling, carrying contemporary environmental concerns into the realm of history and imagination. Working internationally we collaborate with local artists and encompass different paper making traditions around the globe; in Egypt, a Papyrus Tale. There is an important educational component to our washi work, with workshops in papermaking and performance reaching students of all ages.