Couple takes the stage to corporate audience.

IN the early 1980s, a friend asked actors Lynn Chaplin-Noe and her husband. Buzz, to audition for roles on an interactive mystery train ride to San Francisco. They won the parts, and in 1985 decided to create their own interactive productions. Today, Capers Productions in Woodland Hills produces entertainment, as well as corporate Junctions and workshops.

"We're both very adventurous, so we thought, let's start our business and do things our way. We auditioned hundreds of actors. We narrowed it down to about 20. They're independent contractors, but we try to use the same people whenever we can for consistency.

"We both have a wonderful facility for absorbing corporate culture. We've worked for Amgen, Taco Bell and the Pasadena Symphony. Usually (our clients) are looking for something to entertain at the end of a conference, or something that focuses on teamwork or communication. One of our most popular products is the Casting Call where we have several teams tasked with writing or producing their own commercial. We often end it with a Hollywood-style awards banquet for a real team concept.

"We also do communication workshops, which we call Comedy Camp. Our products bring people out of the box. Our new motto is, 'When you're laughing, you're learning.'

"We've had extremely good word of mouth. Buzz and I perform on every single event and help the client create it.

"We have a basic writing fee of $1,000. But the other products are determined by venue, number of people and travel costs. Certain characters start at $375 and move into the thousands for corporate jobs.

"When you're doing improv, it can be an extremely selfish thing. But when you're doing interactive improv, the audience gives you your performance and it's an entirely different relationship.

"People come out of our workshops with some very strong lessons in communication. When you team people up and acknowledge them for their contributions, it's highly motivational."