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Saying Yes And Since 1979
Hit and Run Theater is an improvisational and comedy theater group headquartered in Mendocino, California. We have produced over 20 original comedy revues and hundreds of improvisational comedy shows, with many more to come!
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Doug Nunn has been producer/director of the group since the mid-1990s. He now shares that role with Mindy Ballentine & Sara Bulakowski.
Mission Statement
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We spread the joy of improv to all through shows and workshops,
because laughter opens the mind and brings happiness to our world.
Hit & Run: The Ongoing Saga
Its origins do indeed remain shrouded in mist, but we can safely say that Hit and Run Theater was actually named in the lead up to the Christmas comedy revue, "Tis the Season" in December 1979. Hit and Run veterans acknowledge that Jim Noyes, former group member and local musician made up the name. Jim even added a sound effect, the sound of a car crash and a hectic driveaway that seemed to perfectly fit the attitude of a smart-alecky bunch of wannabee sketch comics.
A group of performers, notably Ellen Callas, Antonia Lamb, Kathy O'Grady, Bobby Markels, and others had been meeting on and off since "200 Years of Madness", a bicentennial celebration show in 1976. In July, 1979 they were joined by Doug Chateau, Pamela Stoneham, Richard Albright, and Laura Jean Cardinal for "Happy Birthday Mendocino", an irreverent look at coastal history.
In the fall of 1979, Jim Noyes, Kay Rudin, and Doug Nunn joined the group for that Christmas revue, which led to the group name and identity. 1980 saw the group visiting improv workshops led by San Francisco’s The Committee and Hit & Run’s first improv shows at the Caspar Inn in April and June, 1980. They were often joined by Cat Mother’s piano player, Bob Smith and their posters were done by the brilliant John Chamberlin, a relationship which continued for the next 25+ years.
From that point on, rehearsals and shows came more frequently. In 1980-81 in addition to Caspar Inn improv shows, the group did more comedy revues like "Improvaganza", "Laugh Em Down", and "Winestock". The ensemble waxed and then waned, sinking to Ellen Callas, Kathy O’Grady, Doug Nunn and Harry Rothman, when they produced a radio show-- "The Fighting MOMS" in winter 1981.
But 1982 was a very productive year, where the group brought in Linda Pack, Otak, Antonia Lamb, and Steve Weingarten for the super creative comedy revue "Oh Velveeta" in February 1982. Then in the summer of 1982 the group added Tracy Burns and came out with the politically charged revue “National Velveeta". By now Burns and Weingarten were group regulars, with Weingarten joining Matt Rowland as set and prop designers.
The Fall of 1982 witnessed a further burst of creativity with the homegrown musical, "The Arnold Vicious Punk Opera". In addition to the full ensemble, Richard Feinbop, Margy Crowningshield, John Chamberlin, Louis Demitri, and Louie Callas coalesced as the group's musical "Orch". Arnold Vicious was an explosive local success.
In 1983 Hit and Run Theater worked at making its rewrite of "The Arnold Vicious Punk Opera" roadworthy. The ensuing "Rockalypse" had a cast and crew numbering over 20 people and played in San Francisco and Berkeley for two months in late '83 before collapsing financially. The group had continued doing improv shows on the side but giant productions now took a back seat.
Rockalypse was quite a ride, and although financially difficult, it did lead to contacts with Bay Area comics, culminating in Hit & Run’s monthly "LaffFest '84" comedy series which ran from March through September 1984. It featured a half dozen headliners from the Bay Area comedy scene like Will Durst, Ray Hanna, Doug Ferrrari, D.Alan Moss and the SF Comedy Underground.
In the fall of '84, Hit and Run Theater took a new revue "Democracy in Traction" on the road through Northern California, ending in a nice run at the Julian Theater in San Francisco. Chock-a-block with the group’s favorite skits and songs, “Democracy in Traction” proved to be a fun and successful show for a two month run.
In early 1985 various group members went in different directions. Tracy Burns and Doug Nunn formed double act “Burns and Nunn” and would work extensively in Europe and the western USA over the next five years, Ellen Callas became production manager of the SF Mime Troupe, Harry Rothman was their Tech Director for a while, Pamela Stoneham worked with a variety of improv groups in the Bay Area, and Richard Albright, Kathy O'Grady, and Steve Weingarten continued to be involved in various theatrical and creative projects.
Hit and Run did regroup for the comedy revue "Fiat Yux" in 1986, a show which featured two sets of new political and social satire. For a while it seemed like they would continue building on this success but their differing paths led them in a variety of creative directions. During the latter 1980s and into the 90s, the group came together occasionally as various members spread out to work in other locations and with other groups. worked in various "Burns and Nunn" shows into the early 90s and made an effort to come together for reunions as often as they could be in the same geographical area.
In the early 2000s Hit and Run Theater regrouped as an exclusively improvisational troupe with Doug Nunn, Kathy O’Grady and Steve Weingarten joined first by Jill Lemos, Ayn Ruymen, and Ute Rowland, and then between 2005-09 by Alonya Eisenberg, Steve Antler, and Leandro Sorice.
The group solidified in 2008 with an ensemble that stayed tight for the next 8 or 9 years, with O’Grady, Weingarten, Nunn and Lemos joined by Ken Krauss, Christine Samas, Dan Sullivan, and eventually teen phenom, Nicole Paravicini. These players were regulars with Mendocino Stories shows at the Hill House from 2008—16. During this time musical accompaniment was supplied by Bay Area Theatresports musical stalwarts Joshua Raoul Brody and Laura Derry. Improvisational lighting has consistently been the province of Sallie Werson.
After that the group continued shows at the Matheson PAC and Caspar Community Center, experiencing a few losses, but buttressed in 2019 by Janet Atherton and Mindy Ballentine. As with all performing groups, Covid proved a major challenge from 2020 through 2022. The group’s response, “Hit & Run Under House Arrest” was an attempt to deal with the Corona Crisis by trying virtual improv shows on Zoom. Janet Atherton, Mindy Ballentine, Ken Krauss, Jill Lemos, Doug Nunn, Kathy O’Grady, Dan Sullivan and Robin Warman were joined by Joshua Raoul Brody of Bay Area Theatresports supplying musical accompaniment from afar.
In the Fall of 2022 Hit & Run regained its footing and has continued since with seasonal shows at the Caspar Community Center and its regular summer workshop series’. The revitalized group now consists of Janet Atherton, Mindy Ballentine, Ken Krauss, Jill Lemos, Doug Nunn, and Kathy O’Grady, and has been joined by the energetic Sara Bulakowski and another teen phenom, Katan Sosonovec, as well as strong newcomers Joel Ginsberg and Marco Snow. Stalwart Joshua Brody continues on keyboards, and Sallie Werson holds steady at the light board. The most recent show, "The Chuckle Chase," featured the debut of the Hit & Run Harold - a fun foray into long form improv, spearheaded by Mindy Ballentine.
Hit & Run Theater has regular shows planned through 2025 at the Caspar Community Center and continues to produce a summer workshop series at the Community Center of Mendocino.