When Women Weren't Funny…

Proposed cover for interactive book

On the heels of converting analog photographs (from original negatives), newspaper reviews and press, and all manner of Femprov ephemera into 21st century digital versions, it seems logical to  honor the collection with a new-fangled interactive iBook. The process is ongoing and this blog works as a gathering place for our dear gaggle of gals to hash out the facts, aggregate the memories, celebrate accomplishments, illuminate the times for those less fortunate to have lived through that wild and wooly frontier. The outcome from the collective Femprov-mind will inform and build the final publication… and dispel the doom of repeating the past.

Honored to be Honoring Barbara Scott

An improviser for over 25 years, Barbara Scott is a member of BATS Improv and a founding member of True Fiction Magazine. She has led master improv classes at Stanford University, BATS Improv, Full Circle Productions, the AFTRA Conservatory, SF Opera Center, Dell’Arte School of Physical Theatre, The Funny Women Fest in Chicago, and at many international improv festivals.

This exceptional career, in addition to her specialization in and work with song improvisation and her incredible skills as a performer, makes Barbara Scott the San Francisco Improv Festival’s first-ever OCIC Award recipient.
The OCIC Award is the San Francisco Improv Festival’s annual recognition for outstanding achievement in improvisational theater. OCIC awardees participate in an evening celebrating their work in improvisational theater after an awards presentation during the San Francisco Improv Festival, held every August at the Eureka Theater.  This years’ line-up included surprise guests that have worked with Barbara throughout her career including Femprov and Tonal Chaos as well as interviewer & improv aficionado William Hall (BATS Improv, Fratelli Bologna).

—From the SF Improv Festival

Backstage at the Eureka Theatre waiting to surprise Barbara and improvise our This is Your Life slideshow
left to right: Pat Daniels, Debi Durst, Sandee Althouse, Terry Sand, Jeannene Hansen

All Together Now

Every member of Femprov ever.
Top Row: Carol Roberts, Teresa Roberts, Barbara Scott, Terry Sand, Debi Durst, Linda Hill
Bottom Row: Sandee Althouse, Pat Daniels, Jeannene Hansen, Denise Schultz, Susan Healy

Femprov always had a revolving roster that snagged most of the best improvisational talent residing in the Bay Area. Solo careers beckoned and the group grew and shrank depending on availability for a myriad of performing dates and bookings. Starting with founding members Terry, Susan, Teresa and Pat, Carol was invited to join in the fun with the founders. Jeannene graduated from official photographer to performing member. Susan and Carol were having their successes with stand-up bookings, so Linda Hill joined the group to help out and shortly found her own solo career blossoming. Debi Durst, Barbara Scott and Denise Schultz ably filled the gaps left in the group from departures to LA and points beyond. Sandee Althouse was a staple of the line-up near the end, and some still blame her for Femprov's premature demise. Kidding!

Mirth • Music • Memories

Barbara Scott narrates a Femprov slideshow

Old friends showed up to pay respects and play

Other improvisor friends join Femprov to perform Concerto at Denise's Celebration

John Elk directs Concerto

More remembrances from friends and family @
rememberingdenise.blogspot.com

Her laughter always filled the room

Denise Schultz-Sharkey
9/27/1955 - 3/4/2008

There was no better sound than her knowing laugh. The one that let you know she thought whatever you were saying was funny, which coming from her was no faint praise. She knew her funny. The same laugh, which also signaled she knew where you were going with 'it', you could hear coming with her breath, just a nanosecond before the laughter left her throat and hit your ears. She always got the joke, even the feeble or unformed ones. Years of improv had trained her to anticipate it at the threshold, before it dashed through the door and caught you unawares. Actually her talent was inherent. Improv may have honed the quick wit she was blessed with, but her level of skill was certainly natural born. To put an even finer point on it, most of the time, she probably knew the punchline of my stories before I did... and had a capper ready, to plop like a cherry on top! Quite a gracious fit for an improviser, waiting politely for your delivery, so she could counter with her own perfected bon mot. What a thrill she was to work with, what a joy that she was just as giving off stage. Here's the thing, most performers are a bit self-centered & selfish. (a bit?) It's part of the job description. Denise was above all that. Not only did she have funny down cold, but she coaxed the funny out of you in that playful way of hers. She was always up for a little of the old back and forth, the wordplay, even a sarcastic remark or two. (or two?) All in the service of letting the big laughs rip and fill the room. Denise was always my best audience and I flatter myself to think I truly tickled her with my silliness from time to time. I know the music of her giggle, her throaty guffaw, and even the supportive snicker will not fade away soon. I hold them too dear.

- Jeannene Hansen, fellow improviser, friend and cohort

More remembrances from friends and family @

rememberingdenise.blogspot.com

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