Comic legend Karen Ripley brings her one-woman show “Oh No There’s Men On The Land” to Graton Saturday, February 6. The 70-minute show will happen at Graton Hall, 8996 Graton Road at 7:30 p.m. and tickets are $10 – $20.

Karen Ripley has been performing for over 35 years as a comic and improviser. She came on to the gay comedy scene in 1977 in San Francisco. From the cover of the East Bay Express (Berkeley, Ca) with Whoopi Goldberg to Ms. Magazines top 100 Lesbian Comic 2009. 2005 SF Fringe Best Musical Comedy with Annie Larson in the original play “Show Me where it Hurts,” and 2006 Diva Fest. with “waiting for FEMA.” Ripley has traveled all over the USA and the Caribbean. Featured in Logo’s Wisecracks episode 2. And from coast to coast making the LGBT community laugh.

Karen offers this about her show: “The show starts with me in high school and Martin Luther Kings death. Then I come out to my family. I get involved in the 60s rock scene as a drummer. I insult Bill Graham. I work with Jayne Dornacker. I work at a lesbian bar and lesbian restaurant before there were any. I come out as a comic in 1977. There were about 3 of us. Everyone else stayed in the closet. Tom Ammiano was a big influence. Aids hits hard and all I do are aids fund raisers. No regrets. I also reflect on countless news events going on at the same time. Mom wanted a girl dad wanted a boy now they are both happy. I do gay and lesbian jokes cause I don’t ever want to be rich and famous. That was very true in 1980.”

Karen Ripley has been teaching improvisation to children and adults for over 25 years. Karen has been the in house Improv teacher for Harvey Milk Institute, SF, Ca for the past 9 years. Some of her clients include: Thunder Road in Oakland, a teen drug and alcohol facility; Adult Children of Alcoholics of Alameda County; Girls Inc., San Leandro, at risk teen girls; The Healing Arts Institute in Columbus, Ohio; San Francisco State Universit; Theater Rhinoceros, SF; The Shanti Foundation, SF; Santa Cruz County Child Care Dept. Aptos; New College, San Francisco.

Karen has been a part of several improv troupes. The most well known, “Over Our Heads”, performed once a month for 13 years at Mama Bears Bookstore in Berkeley.
Currently Karen performs improv with “Women Who Crave Attention”, featuring Annie Larson, Amy Boyd, Karla Carmony and Jenny McNulty.