Martha Murphy has been teaching and directing youth actors for over 30 years. She began her career in Texas where she graduated from The University of Texas at Austin with a BA in English. Her first job was teaching secondary English in San Antonio, including English as a second language. It was there that she first began offering an after-school drama program for high school students and her very first show was a musical variety performance. In subsequent years, she taught in Galveston and Dallas, where she directed productions for high school students. In 1981, she moved to Whidbey Island and started offering classes in her home in Langley, and founded Whidbey Children's Theater. For over 20 years, she continued her work with the local South Whidbey Youth, working in conjunction with the South Whidbey School District, Private Schools, Choochokam, Churches, the Langley Library, Service Organizations and more.

She has served on the Boards of Island Theater, Island Arts Council, FOOLS, First Street Theatre, Langley Chamber of Commerce, and the Langley Community Club. She has directed over 200 stage shows, many original works she created with her students. In 2003, a group of parents began meeting with Martha with the intent of insuring the future of WCT by forming a Non-Profit Charitable Organization dedicated to creating opportunities for children to experience and participate in the Performing Arts. Whidbey Children's Theater gained its non-profit, 501 C 3 status, and found a new home in the Porter Building. In 2006, Martha celebrated 25 years of teaching children's theater in Langley and was honored as a Hometown Hero, and at that time, the Board of Directors announced that the new theater would be named in her honor, Martha Murphy Mainstage. Ms Murphy also enjoys acting and recently appeared in Wild Women's production of "Talking With," which will be touring in Ireland later this year. Ms. Murphy has been married to Jim Riley for 23 years and they live in their 1908 Langley farmhouse. They have three grown children, all of whom work in the Performing Arts.