Un-Scripted:About
About The Un-Scripted Theater Company
Our Mission
The Un-Scripted Theater Company creates smart, innovative, and entertaining improvised theater that delights our audiences and advances the art and craft of improvisation.
The Company
The Un-Scripted Theater Company has been in existence since 2002; as of 2010 the company is in its eighth season of improvised theater. In that time, Un-Scripted has produced over thirty runs of shows in seven seasons (and counting), in a range of genres and styles: game shows, such as You Bet Your Improvisor! and Improv Survivor; musicals such as Let It Snow!, Theater: The Musical and Shakespeare: The Musical; genre longform plays such as Fear and Love At First Sight; and theatrical experiments such as The Impossible Film Project, The Great Puppet Musical, and The Great Puppet Bollywood Extravaganza! They were extremely proud to have been voted Best Theater Company 2008 in the SF Bay Guardian, and they continue to look for ways to push the improvised envelope.
Un-Scripted has a core ensemble of actors, and for each show there are also auditions for additional castmembers.
The Un-Scripted Theater Company is a fully registered 501(c)3 non-profit corporation. All donations are completely tax deductible and are a vital part of our operating budget. We keep our advertising prices low to help local business. We keep our ticket prices low so our audiences members can afford to come back again and again. Donations from patrons of the arts keep us alive and growing. As a non-profit theater company, we strive to present a professional image; we are usually so successful that donors are quite surprised when they find out how much we are able to do with so little money. Our donors' funding goes a long way, and if you would like to help us continue to bring great professional improvised theater to the Bay Area, please contact Christian Utzman and find out how your financial support can be put to work today. Improv Theater vs. Improv Comedy: Audience Expectations
There is a big difference between "Improv theater" and "Improv comedy." Improv comedy is based on stand-up comedy. It normally includes quick one-line jokes and fast-paced timing; it's a place where the sharpest and zaniest of improvisors usually steal the show. Improv theater, however, is based in stage acting. It's usually funny, but it can also be serious or touching; the comedy usually comes from situations rather than from one-line jokes; and it can be both short-form (quick scenes or games) or long-form (like a play, only without a script). The group ComedySportz is straight-up improv comedy. The television show Whose Line Is It Anyway? has elements of both improv comedy and improv theater. The Un-Scripted Theater Company specializes in improv theater. While many of our shows are hilarious, and all of them have comedic elements, almost none of our shows are "improv comedy." Still confused about the difference? Come to one of our shows and see for yourself!
