Killing My Lobster & Z Space Present:

San Francisco Hysterical HistoriuM

A Co-Production witH Red Barn Productions

Z Below, 470 Florida St, San Francisco, CA 94110

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Show Program

Tarnation! Killing My Lobster, San Francisco's premiere sketch comedy troupe, is fresh off our run at Red Barns Production's San Francisco Historium--and we're bringing our lovable troupe of prospectin' players to the stage at Z Below. We're travelling back in time to San Francisco as it was during the Gold Rush era of the 1800's. Abandon your ship at the docks, hop on one of them new-fangled "cable cars," and join us for some sketch comedy that ain't fool's gold!

Production

Director: Nikki Meñez

Head Writer: Ela Banerjee

Stage Manager: Sam Taylor

Artist Support Advocate: G Momah

Writers

Allison Cavanagh

Alvin Adrian Lee

Laura Domingo

Melissa Claire

Sean Owens

Performers

Celeste Kamiya

May Simon Ramos

Perry Fenton

Sam Bertken

Tirumari Jothi

Production

  • Nikki Meñez (they/she/siya) is a director, producer, and arts administrator based in the SF Bay Area and a proud Bay Area native. Nikki is the Curatorial Director at Z Space where they curate rental partnerships, nurture residency programs, and produce adventurous new works. Select directing credits include The Code (American Conservatory Theater), A Very Special Holiday Special & Mythed Opportunity (Killing My Lobster), and The Day the Sky Turned Orange (Z Space & SFBATCO). Other local affiliations include Awesome Theatre and Analog Theatre.

  • Ela Banerjee (she/her) has previously written for KML shows like Mythed Opportunity, Let's Do the Sex, J'Accuse, and Lobster Boil. She has taught sketch writing to both kids and adults (and loves it!). Ela is also the co-creator of the web series Sad SAC: Sad Second Asian Child.

  • G (they/them) is a Black, queer, trans nonbinary performer, writer and director based in the east bay. They have been performing with KML since 2018. @blaqberrrry

Writers

  • Allison Cavanagh (she/her) is a sketch comedian and improviser who's written for KML's Lobster Boil and Sketch on Speed shows. Catch her co-producing a monthly variety show called the Living Room show on second Fridays, or find her performing in Your Fucked Up Relationship also on Fridays.

  • Alvin Adrian Lee is a writer, actor, and improv & sketch writing instructor based in San Francisco. Past credits include work with CounterPulse, itsQwere, Left Coast Theater Co., Bindlestiff, and Killing My Lobster. They are currently a part of the Auntie Pho Comedy group.

  • Melissa Claire (she/her) is an actor, writer, designer and puppeteer based in the East Bay. KML shows include: Legends and Laughter, Freddy Kruger's Day Off, Pride Inside, Mythed Opportunity and Sketch on Speed. Other Credits: Venus in Fur (Vanda), Constellations (Marianne), A Streetcar Named Desire (Stella). She is also a Red Nose Doctor with Healthy Humor.

  • Laura Domingo (she/her) is a writer & actor based in Oakland, CA. Laura wrote for Killing My Lobster's Legends & Laughter. As an actor, Laura has performed in Killing My Lobster's To Bard or Not to Bard, Let's Do the Sex, A Very Special Holiday Special, and J'Accuse. She has also been a part of the PlayGround writing pool, winning the 2025 June Anne Baker Award. When she's not in the writing room or on stage, she's playing mom to the cutest kid in the universe.

  • SEAN OWENS (they/them) has been a writer with KML for a long time (personally, not historically ). They are a SF-based playwright and performer, and they also produce queer nightlife events in SF, including the literary drag experience FANCYPANTS at the STUD, and the Lavender Live Sing cabaret CROONERS, at Stookey's Blue Room. They also play Oscar Wilde at the Great Dickens Faire for Red Barn Productions.

Performers

  • Celeste (she/her) is an Oakland-based actor, singer, and theater educator originally from San Francisco. She is the Communications & Casting Director at Korsa Musical Theater, a musical theater training company where she regularly directs the next generation of performers. When not creating or seeing theatre, Celeste can be found walking her dog around Lake Merritt, trying out NYT Cooking recipes, or comfort-watching Aaron Sorkin movies. She is PSYCHED to be back at KML, where her goofball tendencies can truly take flight.

  • May Simon Ramos (they/them) is an actor and educator who has performed with Killing My Lobster for almost a decade, including productions Sketch on Speed (2025 and 2026), Good Grief (2022), KML + 826 = BFFs (2019), and Queering my Lobster (2018). Outside of KML, credits include Mimi in Rent (Hillbarn Theatre) Yitzhak u/s in Hedwig & the Angry Inch (Shotgun Players), Princess in The Brat Pack: Live! (Feinstein's at the Hotel Nikko), and Raptor in Jurassiq Parq (Oasis SF). When not performing, they are teaching or training for their next long-distance and/or obstacle course race.

  • Sam Bertken (he/him) is an actor, performer and caertoonist based in San Francisco. Killing My Lobster credits include SEX BATTLE (2017), KML + 826 = BFFs (2018), IT'S A WONDERFUL LOBSTER. Performance credits include: Ensemble (San Francisco Neo-Futurists, THE INFINITE WRENCH, HOLE), Peter (Shotgun Players, WOLF PLAY), Norman (Awesome Theatre, THE JERSEY DEVIL PLAY), Ensemble (Black Ice Theatre Co., NEVER THE SINNER), Warren (Custom Made Theatre Co., THIS IS OUR YOUTH) Meekins (Samuel Peaches' Peripatetic Players, SHAKESPEARE OR SPACE WARS), Reverend Calvin (Idiot String, ELIXIR OF LIFE) IG: @slammybsketches

  • Perry Fenton (she/her) was not hugged enough as a child & that’s why she’s like this. Perry joined KML in 2025, and has been acting & performing in & around the Bay Area since 2018.

  • Tirumari (he/him) is a geeky stand-up comedian, improviser, sketch comedian, and actor based in the Bay Area and has performed at a variety of venues around California and the country. You can find him doing standup, writing and acting in sketch comedy, or getting too heated playing videogames online. He's also got a website; tirumari.com.

Thank you to Z Space

This production is co-presented with our partners in residency, Z Space!

A KML residency at Z Space feels like a natural fit for both organizations, since we have many artists that are key members of both communities and we have a shared history (for those who may not know, KML used to perform at Z Below way back when).

We’re looking at this first year as a pilot where we not only provide regular comedy performances at Z Space, but our two organizations will co-strategize around fundraising and programming and see how this exciting partnership might develop down the line.

If you think one or both of these organizations is cool, please consider a donation. Any amount helps to sustain Killing My Lobster's residency at Z Space and ensure’s KML keeps bringing smart, fast, fearless, and inclusive sketch comedy to San Francisco. Give a little today--for comedy.

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