Never Say Never

Noe Valley Ministry, post final show
Barbara Scott, Pat Daniels, Debi Durst, Jeannene Hansen, Terry Sand, Denise Schultz, Sandee Althouse

The very last show (or so we thought) at the Noe Valley Ministry was a very happy affair and a great show. Bittersweet, but time to hang up our mantle of 'longest running improv group in the City' at our peak. Seven years after the very beginning…

What Killed S.F.’s Biggest Improv Groups

January 18, 1987 • SF Datebook

More elusive than Giants’ running back Joe Morris! More difficult than getting a straight answer from Oliver North! It’s — making a living doing improv! 

The latest evidence in support of this truism is the official demise of San Francisco‘s longest running and most critically acclaimed groups: Femprov and Faultline respectively. 

Femprov, which began at the Holy City Zoo seven years ago, inaugurated comedy at Cobb‘s Pub in 1982, and incubated such talents as Linda Hill, Susan Healy and Debi Durst, is disbanding this month.

Faultline, which opened it Lipp’s two years ago and won instant raves for having the audacity and the talent to stage fully improvised minimusicals, called it a day in October. But founder Reed Kirk Rahlmann is forming a new non-improv Faultline with new players. 

Each group ultimately fell victim to some combination of the four basic forces that have raised tombstone‘s over every local improv group from the Pitschel Players to Papaya Juice to the Screaming Memes: money, location, group dynamics and careers. Regardless of energy or ability, if one of them doesn’t nail you, the other will. 

Money. Both groups have avid, paying followings. But even with consistently healthy turnouts, says Femprov Jeannene Hansen, “it’s just not financially feasible when you’re splitting the money 48 ways.“ 

“We had 10 people on the payroll [six players, four support troops,]“ adds Faultline’s Gregg Proops. And while the group “did really well financially for a while,“ allows Brian Lohmann. “The audiences dried up for part of the summer, and the inability to make consistent living was frustrating.“

In fact, that both groups survived as long as they did was probably only due to outside income – “We were all doing TV or radio commercials or bits in movies,“ says Proops. This also explains the survival of groups like Comedy Underground and Theater of the Deranged. “They have real jobs. Real cash.“ says Durst. “They all do voice work and things. Improv is just a hobby for them; it gets them out of the house.” “Kind of like a garage band.” adds colleague Denise Schultz. 

Location. Femprov had abundant talent and fans, probably enough to survive fiscally. What they crucially lacked was their own room, with 100+ seats, five nights a week. As Lohmann admits “If Faultline hadn’t had a regular venue [Lipps, Thursdays and Saturdays], we wouldn’t have lasted as long as we did. It gave us the opportunity to build a following.“ 

Obliged to work various comedy clubs. Femprov lacked the fixed site advantage of, as Proops says “audience who came to see us.“

Ironically, though it was one of local comedy’s pioneers, Femprov was hurt by the ensuing popularity of stand-up. For one thing, improv works best by itself, in a theatrical setting and not as part of a stand up bill in a bar. For another says Pat Daniels, “Club owners get nervous about booking improv because their schedules just got too full.“ she says with a smile. 

The folk of Femprov and Faultline may be committed to new performing directions, but all are emphatic in their affection for improvisation and their eagerness to work together again, however sporadically. And their advice to anyone contemplating the art is simple. Do it. 

“It was the best theatrical experience I’ve ever had.“ McShane says flatly. “Once you’ve done improv, you’re hooked.” adds Schultz. “Old improvisers never die, they just ask for another suggestion.“

~Robert Weider • SF Datebook