Unscripted Voyages: Improv at SBMM

Santa Barbara Maritime Museum Launches New Unscripted Voyages Improv Series with Protecting Blue Whales Blue Skies Program November 7 event kicks off a new after-hours series blending live improv, ocean-inspired storytelling, science, conservation, and audience participation SBMM, in partnership with the Protecting Blue Whales Blue Skies program (BWBS), invites the community to the inaugural evening of Unscripted Voyages, a new after-hours improv series bringing spontaneous comedy, ocean-inspired storytelling, science, conservation, and audience participation to the Santa Barbara waterfront. The series launches on Saturday, November 7, 2026, at 7:00 p.m., with future Unscripted Voyages performances planned as part of SBMM’s growing lineup of creative after-hours programming. With no script and no predetermined path, performers will create scenes, characters, and stories entirely in the moment, drawing inspiration from audience suggestions, maritime themes, science, and stories connected to the ocean. A journey into the unpredictable. No maps. No rules. Just go with the current. Tickets: $10 SBMM Members $8 Children $15 General Public Come prepared to offer a suggestion, expect the unexpected, and see where the current takes you. Save A Seat Unscripted Voyages builds on the IMPROVology format developed by SBMM Executive Director Dean Noble during his time at the Santa Barbara Zoo. The family-friendly series brought scientists and professional improvisers together live on stage, transforming stories about wildlife, science, and conservation into spontaneous comedy. IMPROVology played to capacity crowds at the Santa Barbara Zoo and expanded to performances at the Lobero Theatre, UC Santa Barbara, and the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach, with excerpts also airing on KCLU Public Radio. “IMPROVology was very popular, but the stories we are able to tell at the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum may take the format to new levels,” said Noble. “The ocean gives us an incredible range of stories to explore—from wildlife and science to maritime history, conservation, and the people whose lives are connected to the sea. With improv, we never know exactly where those stories will take us.” At Unscripted Voyages, that spirit of spontaneity comes to the waterfront. Ocean stories, maritime themes, science, and audience suggestions will provide the inspiration while the performers determine where the voyage goes next. Because every show is created live, no two Unscripted Voyages evenings will ever be the same. Meet the Performers IMPROVology show presented by the Santa Barbara Zoo. The inaugural Unscripted Voyages brings together an accomplished ensemble of actors, writers, and improvisers whose work spans television, film, theater, animation, and live comedy. Scheduled performers include Edi Patterson, Dan O’Connor, Stephen Kearin, Kari Coleman, Ryan Smith, and Lisa Fredrickson. Patterson was a 2026 Critics Choice Awards nominee for Best Actress in a Comedy Series for her portrayal of Judy Gemstone on HBO’s The Righteous Gemstones, where she also served as a writer and consulting producer. Her credits also include Knives Out, Vice Principals, Violent Night, Abbott Elementary, Resident Alien, and It’s Florida, Man. A Groundlings Main Company alum, Patterson regularly performs her completely improvised solo show, PLAYGIRL, and narrative, genre-based improv with Impro Theatre. O’Connor, founder of Impro Theatre, has spent more than three decades creating and performing full-length unscripted theater around the world, with acting credits ranging from Seinfeld to Emily in Paris. Kearin, a founding member of 3ForAll, co-created “Simlish” and served as the principal male voice for several installments of The Sims. His television credits include Kirby Buckets, The Mandalorian, and Twin Peaks, and his film work includes DreamWorks Animation’s Kung Fu Panda and Megamind. Coleman, a founding member of Impro Theatre, has appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man films, Seinfeld, Veronica Mars, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, The Good Doctor, and The Rookie. Smith is an actor, writer, and improviser whose credits include writing and producing for Fox’s MADtv and co-creating the upcoming Sketch Box. Fredrickson brings more than 35 years of experience performing and teaching improvisation with organizations including Impro Theatre, California Lutheran University, SAK Comedy Lab, and Game On Nation. Together, the ensemble brings decades of experience creating characters, stories, and entire worlds without a script—making every Unscripted Voyages performance genuinely one of a kind. Scheduled performers subject to change. Meet the Collaborators The series is presented in collaboration with the BWBS, plus John Ryan with the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI), Holly Lohuis, Co-Director of the Santa Barbara Channel Whale Heritage Area, and Dr. Lindsey Peavey Reeves, Program Manager with NOAA ONMS Sound Monitoring, bringing a direct connection to the Santa Barbara Channel and the marine environment surrounding the museum. Ryan is a biological oceanographer who studies the ocean soundscape. Some may know him as the man who wheels around a huge sub-woofer so he can treat audiences to an acoustic demonstration of what the loudest animal on the planet sounds (and feels) like. Ryan uses acoustic monitoring to track whale calls with hydrophones and his research helps uncover how whales communicate, forage, and respond to environmental stressors. Holly Lohuis is a marine biologist, naturalist, and Co-Director of the Santa Barbara Channel Whale Heritage Area dedicated to fostering ocean stewardship. Since 2002, Holly has worked alongside renowned ocean explorer Jean-Michel Cousteau and Ocean Futures Society on international expeditions and outreach projects that emphasize the interconnection between humanity and the sea. Holly serves as a naturalist with Island Packers, boat concessionaire to the Channel Islands National Park, where she introduces thousands of visitors each year to the rich marine wildlife and unique ecosystems of the “Galápagos of North America.” Dr. Lindsey Peavey Reeves leads a diverse team of government and academic partners working to continuously monitor ocean soundscapes — the symphony of co-occurring ocean sounds from whales to snapping shrimp to ships. Over 30 listening stations in U.S. National Marine Sanctuaries track patterns and trends to support healthy and resilient ocean ecosystems. BWBS is a voluntary Vessel Speed Reduction program that started in the Santa Barbara Channel and now spans the entire California coast. BWBS works with ocean-going shipping and cruise lines to support healthier oceans, safer waters for whales, and improved coastal air quality while bringing together science, conservation, maritime interests, and the community. “We’re all about finding ways to connect with new audiences and more partners to break through bottlenecks and inertia in ocean protection,” said Becca Tucker, Director of Corporate Engagement for BWBS. “We greatly appreciate the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum for this opportunity to use humor, storytelling, and live performance to share more about the incredible world of whales and the collaborative work underway right here in the Santa Barbara Channel to protect them and our air quality.” “Unscripted Voyages is a chance to experience the museum in a completely different way,” Noble added. “It brings together creativity, community, humor, science, and our connection to the ocean—and gives people a new reason to come to SBMM after hours.” The November 7 performance marks the beginning of the Unscripted Voyages series, with additional performances, themes, and participants to be announced. About Protecting Blue Whales and Blue Skies Protecting Blue Whales and Blue Skies (BWBS) is a voluntary Vessel Speed Reduction program working to reduce the environmental impacts of commercial shipping in areas where whales, coastal communities, and commerce intersect. The program encourages participating vessels to travel at 10 knots or less within designated zones, helping reduce the risk of fatal whale strikes, underwater noise, greenhouse gas emissions, and air pollution. By bringing together shipping companies, conservation partners, researchers, businesses, and communities, BWBS advances responsible shipping practices that support safer whales, cleaner air, and a quieter ocean. Learn more at bluewhalesblueskies.org. About the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum Founded in 2000, the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum (SBMM) connects people to the rich maritime history, culture, science, and environment of the Santa Barbara Channel. Through engaging exhibitions, educational programs, and community experiences, SBMM inspires curiosity, fosters ocean stewardship, and deepens understanding of the region’s enduring relationship with the sea. Accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, SBMM has also been recognized by Marina Life Magazine as one of the top 10 maritime museums in the United States.