Black Swamp Players (BSP) is a non-profit community theater that enriches the arts in Bowling Green by offering educational and creative opportunities to the cast, crew, and viewing public. The organization is dedicated to producing little-known plays with powerful messages—shows that entertain, inspire, and challenge its audience. Volunteer membership is open to everyone, regardless of age, religion, sexual orientation, or race.
In 1965, a nucleus of local theatre supporters (later called the “Society of the Arts”) began performing melodramas for the downtown Bowling Green merchants. These one-act shows would kick-off the “Old Fashioned Bargain Days”(later: sidewalk sales) Money raised went to purchase Christmas decorations for the downtown area. After the success and community support for the May, 1968 performance of “Lily, the Felon’s daughter”, a small group of avid thespians decided to form a permanent theatrical group. The Black Swamp Players was officially born in the home of Gene and Mary Dapogny on July 21, 1968. Gene Dapogny was voted in as chairman, with Lee Forse as secretary and Ethel Berlin as treasurer by those in attendance, including founders: Jim Forse, Richard and Marie Mutschler, and Carl Berlin.
BSP’s name comes from the great black swamp which covered much of Northwest Ohio until drained by German and Scottish farmers in the mid-nineteenth century. The name, suggested by founders Lowell Randall and Agnes Hooley, was chosen at the first meeting to emphasize a commitment to provide a theatrical outlet to the entire community, and to avoid any confusion with the theatre program at the university ( BGSU).
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