Laughin’ it Up - Local Comedy Sportz Teams Keep Katy Audiences Rolling in the Aisles

By all appearances it’s a typical Friday night high school sports event. Two teams pitted against each other to see who wins the most points. There’s a handshake, hand signals for fouls, and a referee blowing a whistle. Then the fun and puns begin. Welcome to the funny, zany, fast paced, interactive, improv world of high school ComedySportz. It’s family friendly “clean comedy.” Similar to the TV show Whose Line is It Anyway? Regardless of the final score the night’s biggest winner is the audience. Enthusiastic fans turn out for plenty of laughs and to cheer for their favorite players.

Katy is home to six of the 14 teams in the high school ComedySportz league. Taylor High, Katy High, Cinco Ranch, Morton Ranch, and Seven Lakes all have teams as well as Faith West Academy (private). With games like Good Advice/ Bad Advice, Slide Show, Forward/Reverse or the Da Doo Run Run “athletes” must be mentally sharp and quick thinkers. A coach from Houston’s Professional ComedySportz league works with students once a week to prepare them for matches against neighboring schools. Coaches are Christopher Craig (Taylor, Morton Ranch, and Cinco’s 9th grade team), Peter Turrin (Katy High and Cinco Ranch), and Donna Yarborough (Faith West and Seven Lakes).

Taylor High organized a team in 1998, the first in Katy ISD. Its current sponsor is Twilla Woods. Schools hold open auditions in the fall. According to Taylor High’s Technical Theatre Director, Charlie Woods they once had 80 students turnout to audition. The team has fourteen to eighteen members. He says the program meshes well with other aspects of the theatre department’s activities. Describing its popularity, Woods says they “sell out 90%” of their matches. Larger matches are held in the Performing Art Center.

In addition to holding “live, hilarious, clean, fool proof, fast paced and positive” matches every Friday and Saturday evening (matinee on Saturday geared toward kids) the league also performs at corporate functions and private parties. Following a similar model used in other cities, Houston’s professional league established the high school league ten years ago offering coaching and other support. Currently there are nine former HSL members now on the professional team.

Houston’s Professional ComedySportz
The league has 30 players who must audition for the team. Members come from various backgrounds including an architect, flight attendant, corporate trainer, an assistant buyer, food distribution, research coordinator, teachers and students. The Houston league was founded in 1990 by native Texan Dianah Dulany (BFA in Theatre and MFA in Theatre Management). Dulany was involved with CSZ in Milwaukee (concept was founded there in 1984). After four years performing she returned to Texas to open her own location. Originally in the Heights, the league is now headquartered in the Town & Country area in West Houston.

For information about the high school league matches go to comedysportzhouston.com, then click ‘classes’ or contact the specific school campuses. For info on the Professional team, visit the same website or call 713-868-1444.

Jamie S. Garfield is a Katy-based writer and mother of two sons.