Every artist contains seen and unseen influences. 

For improvisers, the obvious influences are the teachers and colleagues we trained under and played with over the years. Those teachers and colleagues were often trained by others whom we ourselves never directly worked with. 

Second City 1971 cast. Back row: John Belushi, Joe O’Flaherty, Roberta MaGuire, Judy Morgan, Jim Fisher. Front Row: Brian Doyle Murray, Dan Ziskie

I was very fortunate to have met the human gem, Roberta Maguire when I lived in Seattle, playing with Unexpected Productions. Roberta was funny, earnest, generous, vulnerable, and kind. Those are exactly the perfect ingredients for an amazing improviser, teacher, and director.

She trained with Del Close in Chicago in the 60s and 70s alongside other amazing performers cemented in improv history. 

Second City 1969 Cast. Roberta stands on the left. Pyramid: Julie Morgan (top). Second row: Brian Doyle Murray and Jim Fisher. Bottom Row: David Blum, Harold Ramis, Joe Flaherty.

When I told her in 2007 that I was moving to Chicago, she insisted we set a lunch date before I left town. There, she shared with me some great stories of her time at Second City and founding the Victory Gardens Theater before she moved to Seattle. She also generously wrote a recommendation letter “To Whom It May Concern” in which she was embarrassingly kind. I hadn’t asked her to write one, and she offered it to me with a scoop of her self-deprecating wit. I cherish it because it was such a thoughtful and gracious sentiment.

She had a selfless way of performing, teaching, directing, and living. 

It’s because of her that Del Close and Keith Johnstone first came to Seattle to spread their teachings of improvisation. Although I never had Roberta directly as a teacher, she was responsible for improvisational theatre truly taking off in Seattle. And because I trained and performed in Seattle for nine years, she continues to impact my teaching.

She will be deeply missed. Her influence lives on.