History of ScripTease

ScripTease, now into its 10th year of producing high-risk, risqué improv comedy, was founded by Sara Lovelady and Johnny Davis in Santa Cruz, California. Johnny and Sara had met and started performing a couple years earlier after being added into a long running Santa Cruz improv troupe called Um...Gee...Um. After their experience with Um...Gee...Um, the two decided to start their own troupe. Both had visions of what they would like to do differently. Sara had thoughts on shared leadership roles by every member of the troupe. Johnny's vision was to "up the stakes" by instigating consequences for their actions to get the audience even more into it. What those consequences were had yet to be discovered. The other thing they wanted was to introduce and lure people into the theater who don't consider themselves "theater-goers." They didn't hold any auditions for they already had some amazing people in mind and invited them to start playing around together. The synergy happened right away with Ken, Doron, Aine, Makeala and Kevin. Only a couple of them actually had an formal improv training. There was a dancer, a stand-up comedian, and a brilliant 17 year old high school student. Only a few weeks after their first rehearsal an annual benefit called the Improvathon, a show in which raises money for a local small theater, was coming up. They decided that they would introduce themselves to the public at this event and entered as one of the acts. But they still didn't have a name for themselves. A troupe meeting took place at a local coffee shop. Numerous possible troupe names were discussed. Finally Aine said "ScripTease. It's a play on words" she said. "People sometimes don't believe that we don't actually write some of the improvised scenes. So it is a tease that there might actually be a script." We all loved it, then.... DING! DING! DING! There was that consequence Johnny wanted. The play on words would thicken with the introduction of stripping an article of clothing whenever an improviser, or Teaser if you will, made a mistake on stage. The troupe just looked at each other quietly, contemplating that thought for a few minutes. We decided to give it a shot. That is if we could convince the theater that this would not offend anyone... much. They gave in. During the show we told the audience that during a ScripTease show we have some scenes called "Strip Scenes." These scenes have certain rules, and it is up to you - our audience - to enforce them. If you catch us breaking a rule during a "Strip Scene" you yell out "STRIP" and we promptly take off an article of clothing, much like strip poker. It was a hit. We were a cross between a burlesque show and freak show while still delivering quality improv. After that ScripTease started performing regularly in sold out small venues for the next year. Then Daniel Hughes was added to the troupe and he helped spice things up. He brought in a dark, fun, sexiness into the show, music and clothing, challenging all the other Teasers to load up their underwear drawers with funny and sexy garments and to beg him to make everyone tear-away clothing. Daniel is also usually the main creative force behind ScripTease's energetic opening dance scenes that are unusual to see at other improv shows. 9 years later ScripTease continues to perform in sold out venues in Northern California, some of which are 300 seaters with a deafening "STRIP!" bellowing into the night from the audience. ScripTease is very proud of their benefit work for many causes such as the Second Harvest Food Bank, funding for brain tumor research, aid to numerous 9/11 charities, and helping to keep local theaters running. Many times you hear people say that ScripTease lured them away from their couches and TVs for their first theater experience and that they have become turned on to the whole live theater thing. Over the years ScripTease has had many Teasers leave their laundry on stages all over Northern California. And starting in February of 2006 the Los Angeles Teasers have begun scattering their scivies onto the stages of Southern California. Come expose yourself to comedy!