Cast

Jill Bourque (Creator/Host) performs her signature style of improvisational stand-up comedy in clubs, theaters, and festivals all over the world. A tad bit (obsessively) curious about how couples meet, she grew weary of the same old stories from her family and friends (and they in turn weary of her), and so she created HOW WE FIRST MET. Now she gets to ask perfect strangers questions about their love lives. She lives in San Francisco with her hunky husband and spunky kids. More on her website.

Laura Derry (Improvisor) returns for another season of HWFM. She’s an improviser, actor, director, teacher and musician, and is celebrating 20 years in San Francisco. Laura has a B.A. in Theatre Arts from UCSC, has trained at ACT and with a number of Shakespeare companies, plus BATS School of Improvisation. When she’s not onstage, Laura can be seen dancing with horses and running with wolves.

Paul Erskine (Improvisor) has performed wherever they’d let him, including Disneyland and with Bay Area Theatresports. He supported his early acting career as a telemarketer, so there’s a good chance you’ve hung up on him. Paul’s thrilled to be back for his 11th season of HWFM and thanks his lovely wife Evelyne for tolerating his goofy antics, and their baby girl Juliette for the decorative patch of spit-up on his shoulder.

Improvising over twenty five years with Flash Family, BATS, Un-Scripted Theater Company and others, Scott Keck (Improvisor) performed sold-out shows at Great American Music Hall and Throckmorton Theatre; HWFM at Chicago and LA Improv Festivals; improvised Shakespeare at the Ashland Shakespeare Festival; and lots of video game voices (Mitsurugi anyone?) Scott dedicates his performance tonight to his Dad, Gordon. His wife Elaine is the good sport of the century, sacrificing Valentine’s Day for nine years, so Scott can do this show!

Jerome Rossen (Musician) has been jamming with the HWFM cast since 2002. He holds a Bachelor’s of Music in Jazz piano performance from the University of North Texas. He has over twenty years of experience as a professional musician, composer and producer spanning all genres: cabaret, classical, country, electronic, jazz, rock, and world.
Deborah Wade (Improvisor) returns for her third season of HWFM. Deborah  has worked in the Bay Area in commercials, films and theatre for the past eighteen years. She has performed with many Bay Area theatre groups as well as improv troupes in Los Angeles. Also a playwright, her full length comedy, Hardly Breathing, was produced in San Francisco at the Exit theatre. Her first love is improv and she is so happy to be a part of this talented ensemble. She thanks her husband Rich for being her forever Valentine and the inspiration for all the fun and adventure in her life.
Damon Paiz (Tech Improvisor / Co-Producer) has been technically tweaking and producing HWFM since it began. He met his wife at an impromptu potluck Thanksgiving dinner. Now they have two children and plan their Thanksgiving dinner way ahead of time.