THE WORKSHOP LEADERS: Jeff Doucette and Saba Doucette

Jeff Doucette has been a recognizable face on television and in film for over thirty years. He began his improv career in Chicago at the famed improv theater The Second City, where he worked with America's foremost improv guru Del Close. Del also helped Jeff and his comedy partner Ernst Emling fine tune their stand-up comedy act which quickly became one of the best team acts in the country. In 1976, Jeff and Ernst landed in Hollywood and began to make their mark on a national platform.

Hollywood was an exciting place to be in the late '70's. Jeff and Ernst joined other young comics including Freddie Prinze, Jay Leno, David Letterman, Richard Lewis, Robin Williams, Michael Keaton, Jim Varney, Jeff Altman, Richard Belzer, and Andy Kaufman in building the foundation for the Comedy Boom that was soon to follow. Together, Jeff and Ernst co-starred in two films, and did most of the local and national TV variety shows. In November of 1977, they hit the comedy jackpot with and appearance on "The Tonight Show."

Jeff was also a founding member of "Improv at the Improv" with Betty Thomas (Hill St. Blues, and director of Late Night Wars, Dr. Doolittle, 28 days, etc.), Paul Willson (Garry Shandlings Show, Office Space), Dick Blasucci (SCTV writer), and Ernst Emling. "It was kind of a loose structure. Robin Williams as well as most of LA's best improvisers would drop in and play with us. We all knew each other and felt comfortable playing together. It was a very creative time." Jeff and the rest of the Improv at the Improv group eventually became writers and peformers on the late 70's disco variety show called Kicks starring Jeff Kutash.

Jeff and Ernst went their separate ways in 1980 and Jeff began a very successful acting career. He has appeared in over 250 episodes on over 65 different TV shows. He recurred for five years as Harley Estin, the lovable optimist who never could find a job on Newhart, and four years as Al Wallace, the blond guy's father on Weird Science. Jeff was also a regular on Alien Nation as Jed Burns the sleazy tabloid reporter. Another generation might recognize Jeff as the Janitor on Beverly Hills 90210 who blackmailed one of the students for attempting to steal a key, or the hilarious Steve on the short lived series Townies with Jenna Elfman, Lauren Graham, Molly Ringwald, and Ron Livingston. Jeff has recurred on JAG, Delta, Harry and the Hendersons, Third Rock From the Sun, That 70's Show, and played the founder of Burning Man Festival in an Emmy nominated episode of Malcolm in the Middle. He is currently recurring on Desperate Housewives as Eva Longoria's priest Fr. Crowley. Too bad she never listens to his sage advice. Jeff is also seen in all of those WAMU ads as one of the stodgy bankers in "the pen", and in Febreze commercials stuffing a cat in his face. Jeff has also played in over 35 films and scores of stage productions throughout the country. He is the winner of the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award for Most Outstanding Lead Performance in The Alliance Theater's production of Rage, or I'll Be Home For Christmas. Jeff really showed his range as an actor playing Whitey Sperlock, a psychopathic family killer with a delicate balance of hatefulness and humor.

In addition to acting on camera, Jeff has carved out a career as a voice artist. He has done many commercials and cartoons over the last 20 years including Scooby Doo, Richie Rich, The Smurfs, The Snorks, Bobby's World, Cow and Chicken, I Am Weasel, Teenage Robot, Ben 10, Grim and Evil, and the NBC primetime cartoon series God the Devil, and Bob, as the devil's ever suffering assistant, Smeck.

Jeff has been teaching improv for over twenty five years. He has developed a personal approach to improvisation that actors find extremely down to earth and uncomplicated. The pressure to "be funny" is eased when actors learn to trust the truth of the moment and get rid of the critic in their heads. His students learn that the improvisational approach can work for them in their daily life as well as helping them to find their personal acting process.

In 2001,Jeff and Saba fell in love and began teaching as a team at Asilomar in Pacific Grove, CA, and churches, meeting halls and corporate events throughout the Southern California area. Both licensed by the State of California as Metaphysical Practitioners in the United Church of Religious Science, and are active as teachers, counselors and as teen and 'tween group leaders. They have introduced hundreds to the joys of improvisation as a path for spiritual and self discovery.

SABA MOOR– DOUCETTE has been involved in just about every facet of show business since the age of six.  She has worked as a dancer, actress, stunt girl, director, writer, and producer and even did a stint in the circus.

Always laughing at life, she got into stand up comedy. Saba created and took her own show, TURN ON 68, to Viet Nam. Back in the States, she teamed up with John Amos to create the comedy duo of AMOS & ANNIE. For the next ten years she starred and co-stared in various films and commercials.

Over the course of one year while starring in her own comedy review in Las Vegas, THE FUNNY FARM, she got the opportunity to step behind the camera – writing, producing and directing 40% of the local television commercial spots. She also directed and choreographed live shows, co-wrote, produced, directed, and performed in several local television shows as well.

Taking her talents to the theater, Saba co-wrote, produced, directed and performed in THE TIME MACHINE THE MUSICAL. The Theil Reeves Co optioned the play twice for Broadway.
 Saba received an Emmy for her work as choreographer on BETHOVEN’S FIFTH, a short film which has been honored with a Cine Golden Eagle and the Houston Film Festival award for Best Short Musical Film.

Saba teamed up with famed “little person”, Billy Barty and became Vice President of Billy Barty Productions. For the next few years she created, wrote, produced and directed many shows. During this time she added music videos, commercials, infomercials and television pilots to her list of credits and produced her first feature NOTHING PERSONAL, with Leo Rossi. She was the associate director and production executive for the television show HERE COMES THE BRIDE starring Lee Merriwether and Sharon and Lyle Waggoner. She produced directed & choreographed the 1999, 2000 MRS. CALIFORNIA PAGEANT. In association with D.A.R.E. she produced & directed a variety show, which featured over 20 talented children.

When Saba’s husband Bob suddenly died after 25 years of marriage and partnership she stepped back to take a look at her life. Saba chose to only do projects that would bring mankind to a higher level of peace, joy and understanding. She created AUTOSIZE, a metaphysical workout for the body and mind. In 2004 Saba wrote, produced and directed BROTHERS, an award winning short film that has appeared in festivals around the country.  She also produced THE GENTLE BARN: THOMAS’S STORY the first film project for ISE-LA, The International Spiritual Cinema Los Angeles for which she received the Spirit In Action Award for embodying the highest qualities of spirit through filmmaking.

Saba re-married in 2003. As licensed Metaphysical Practitioners she and her husband Jeff Doucette developed the teaching arm of their work through PowerSourceProductions.com.  They teach Living In The Now Through Improvisation and Finding Your Spirit Through Improvisation throughout the country, and use the same approach in working with the teens at North Hollywood Church of Religious Science on Sunday’s.

Saba is the founder of LACEE Los Angeles Chamber Of Enlightened Entertainment, an active member of Women In Film, she currently creates television programming for the websites, www.TruthSeekingSouls.com, and is the creator of a new internet talk show on gotwebtv.com, which she Co-hosts along with Jeff called “IT’S NOW”