Felt at ease with straight away

We were all very sorry to hear of Denise's illness and her passing. We only had the pleasure of Denise's company on one occasion. It was during the visit of the Sharkey clan to Donegal and I met them all when they visited my mothers house. It was great to meet our cousins that we had heard about from my mother (Kathleen). Of course we had met Bridget and Charlie many times, as they were and are frequent visitors to Donegal. They visited my mothers house in Carrickfinn one evening and we spent the evening talking and laughing. I remember Denise as a bright and bubbly person and was the kind of person whose company you felt at ease with straight away. The following evening we spend a lovely night at the local pub in Mullaghduff. If I remember rightly a few nice creamy pints of Guinness and maybe even the odd half of Irish whiskey were enjoyed!
- cousin, Denis Duffy (Kathleen's son from Carrickfinn, Donegal)

from Robin Eurich

Denise
Cruise Director on a fabulous journey.
Improv Incorporated to The Sunset Comedy Store.
We made all of the mistakes of youth and had all of youth's glory.
Denise,
Gravel-alto voiced, quick to laugh.
Lauren Bacall trapped in the body of a Nevada Ranch girl.
She made you want to spoil her.
A poke in the ribs and a cooing smile and soon you were walking through a San Francisco midnight buying cigarettes although you didn't smoke.
Unpretentious charm, Daring wit, Unbelievable talent and softness.
What a dame!

from Gil Christner & Sira Windwer

Dear Denise,

Sorry we can’t be there today. But we are even sorrier you can’t be there either.

You were a force of nature in our lives. You taught us so many things, like how to ask for a better room at a hotel, how to send food back until it’s right, how to look for the secret way out of a cave, where to find lobster for $5 in Rosarita Beach, a greasy pork chop in Death Valley, the quietest part of Yosemite, the prettiest part of Pismo beach at sunset.

But mostly you taught us that life is an adventure to be had, and it never pays to be timid about what you want or what you feel. Because of our friendship with you we have seen so much, experienced so much, and felt so much that we never would have otherwise; all of it good.

We love you and miss you, our dear friend.

from Jim Diederich

When I first met Denise she was an Au Pair for a wealthy Pacific Heights couple and I remember picking her up once at their home. As I waited downstairs I was admiring the opulent surroundings when I heard a swoosh on the stairs and looked up to see Denise seeming to float down the stairs in a flowery, flowing, retro-‘30’s silk dress that trailed behind her like a shimmering puff of smoke. I have that picture of her, carefree and flowing. That is how I will always remember her.
One more thing - she was wearing flip flops. How was she able to float down a staircase like that while wearing flip flops? It was just part of her magic.
On the stage she was fearless. I particularly remember a scene she and Anne Marie Smith did together where she played a child talking to an imaginary friend and Anne Marie was the mother who insisted there was no imaginary friend. The scene became more and more intense with Denise frantically insisting that the imaginary friend was really, really there. It was so heartbreakingly familiar to anyone who has been told their dreams aren’t real. (And isn’t that everyone, period?) It was classic “playing the moment”, and the moment was so real and touching that it affected everyone in the theater that night, including several hard-bitten improvisers.
When I think of Denise it is these two scenes that come to mind, one in the real world, one on the stage. She was a special woman, a special improviser, and a special friend.

In our thoughts this Saturday

The east coast Sharkey, McGlynn and Nodine families join her friends and family on the west coast in ‘Remembering Denise’. We cannot be there in body, but know that we are there in spirit to celebrate a life filled with love, laughter and adventure.

We all have our own fond memories of Denise.

The east coast family first met Denise when she and Joe came back here for a niece’s wedding in October, 1986. The first time meeting our family is sometimes overwhelming but Denise fit right in and endeared herself to all of us. She showed great courage being surrounded by 90 some relatives of Joe’s, making sure she met everyone, in-laws and out-laws, and remembering who belonged to whom and always caring enough to ask about them when we saw her.

Over the last 20 some years she continued to care. Her comforting presence in our times of loss and her great joy in our celebrations. She knew every kids name and covered their refrigerator with their pictures from babies, schools, weddings and family parties.

Even when she was sick her thoughts were for others – were we comfortable, having a good time in SF – was Joe taking care of us? She never stopped caring.

We will remember Denise as one special woman that we will not soon forget – and - she was the best thing to happen to my brother and to us.

We love you and miss you Denise.

The Inspector General

August 11-17, 1978
Ed Turner for Drama-Logue
The Inspector General
Gogol's comic statement on the absurdity of human endeavor becomes flesh and bone as a group of pompous town officials attempt to cover up their corrupt schemes when a big city inspector general comes to assess their local bureaucracy. In reality, their suspected inspector is nothing more than a vacationing petty official, who then takes full advantage of their greed and guilt
What a pleasure it is to see an ensemble group take its dramatic chance and not only come out on top of it all, but display a markedly progressive improvement within its repertory cast.
The Inspector General is a deceptively difficult play to successfully produce, played straight it won't work, and to play it as a farcical romp would be disastrous.
As the mayor's stodgy sister, Denise Schultz not only compliments her role but those actors surrounding her as well. With a strong improvisational base, one hopes she will continue to develop her flair for comedy.

Drums in the Night

April 7, 1978
StageBeat - Los Angeles Times
Brecht's 'Drums' at the Hyperion
The setting of Brecht's "Drums in the Night" at the Hyperion Theatre is restive post World War 1 Germany, where the atmosphere of corruption, malaise and dismay points to the period of hiatus before the war resumed with a new number attached. We meet Frau and Herr Balicke, stout bourgeois types, and the wealthy and decadent Murk, who has impregnated their daughter Anna and is considered "a catch". Into the scene walks Kragler, a war veteran who is Anna's former lover, assumed dead. He looks like a chimney sweep, ravaged beyond middle class pretension. The play deals with his efforts to reclaim Anna, but also with the burgeoning anti-bourgeoisie movement; in short, the hope of a heroic future that will transcend the ruinous complacency of the old guard.
… Denise Schultz is disarmingly subtle as Anna. At first, we think she is a lump, but a later quickness of thought and movement suggest an awakening.

Ed Turner for Drama-Logue
There is something about this piece which sticks uncomfortably after viewing, a viscosity that is disconcerting when considering the excellent entertaining quality by which the Hyperion acting ensemble presented the material.
Set in post WW1 Germany against a background of social revolution, Drums is a love story (Brecht called it a comedy). Andre Kragler, a soldier returns home after four years as a prisoner of war on the eve his lover Anna has betrothed herself to another man. Besides having to regain Anna's love, Kragler must decide on whether to remain a soldier and fight in the revolution which wages through Germany, or remain with Anna. He opts for Anna.
The director has cast the production with great care. He maintains a consistent pace which the actors carry with exemplary talent.
Denise Schultz as Anna is alive with soft, fine, facial expressions which convey her character's complexity and indecision.

The Garret

Aug 1, 1974
Stanley Eichelbaum of the SF Examiner
The Garret -- charming improvisational revue
A beguiling new improvisational troupe started up last night at the Montgomery Playhouse in a satirical revue called "The Garret". Since they've taken over the committee's former home, I can't help admiring their courage. But they're surprisingly good and manifest as much talent as the Committee did in their first show.
The idea is simply to assemble a play, partly set and partly improvised about changing behavioral patterns from childhood to old age.
It's performed by a very engaging, quite young and admirably polished cast of seven. Jim Diederich and Denise Schultz more or less carry the ball, since they're coupled off more often than the others in sketches that advance them from school age to maturity.

August 2, 1974
Paine Knickerbocker of the San Francisco Chronicle
Six Talented Improvisors
…The occupations of the six are suggested by the audience. On opening night, these included a hooker, a junkie, a welder, a woman lawyer, and a computer operator. They are revealed at a class reunion which opens the second half.
The players work superbly together at some moments, even anticipating what one another will do. Jim Diederich, one of the busiest of the group, is very lively, and is often paired with the vigorous Denise Schultz.

August 2, 1974
Barbara Bladen of The Times
The Garret has Longlasting Charm
Every night would then produce a new set of formulae and these attractive coupled and experienced improvisational players are up to the pace and demands of keeping the show bright, sparkling and witty. A few topical references creep into the material, conditioned by suggestions from the daily newspaper headlines. So that too will change from week to week and give them further grist for fertile sophisticated rebuttals. One has the faith in their ability to meet satirical challenges, then it's onto something else that crackles with effervescent energy.
Jim Diederich and Denise Schultz come off as the quickest on the quips. They use their faces with comic mobility and seem to be entirely comfortable at any surprise suggestions the audience may throw at them.

August 12, 1974
Carlon Tanner of The Daily Californian
Gentle Comedy of The Garret
This new troupe of young performers works in a mellower and more structured style, with little of the anger and cynicism and crazy energy of their predecessors. But the Committee reached its comic zenith during the 60's, before anger had been swallowed up by cynicism and politics had gone beyond laughable.
Most of the show is amply funny and occasionally hilarious, but its best moments come early. There's a delightful little sketch about a little girl's imaginary–but very real–playmate, that is perceptive and true as well as amusing. Of course improvised comedy is the riskiest of all businesses–that's what makes it so exciting.

-Joe Sharkey

So Far…

She had a love of travel and adventure that she got from reading… She & Shark, traveled all over Europe and most of the USA.

We've been everywhere (else)
Albi, Amsterdam, Arles, Athens, Assisi, Avignon, Auxerre
Berlin, Berne, Brussels, Bellagio, Bremen, Bremerhaven, Bielefeld, Barcelona, Bratislavia, Belfast, Budapest
Copenhagen, Corfu, Cambridge, Courmayer, Coullier, Colmar, Cote d’Azur, Carcassonne, Cinque Terra, Caernarvon, County Down
Dubrovnik, Dublin, Dortmund, Derry, Darmstadt, Donegal, Drogheda, Dingle, (the) Dordogne, Dungloe,
Edinburgh, Ephesus, Erlangen
Florence, Frankfurt-am-Main, Fiskardo
Galway, Geneva, Genoa, Geiranger, Gubbio
Hamburg, (den) Hague
Istanbul, Invermoriston, Istuzu, Innsbruck
Krackow, Knin, Karlsruhe, Kincasslagh, Kildare, Kiel, Kalmar
Lefkada, Letterkenny, Lillehammer, London Town, Luino, Luxembourg
Marathon, Montpellier, Milano, Menton, Monte Carlo
Nice, Neuchatel
Oslo, Omagh, Oz
Paris, Porthmadog, Penzance, Paestium, Prague, Portree, Portrus, Perugia
Ravensburg, Rome, Rothenburg
Stockholm, Sorrento, Salzburg, Schweinfurt, Sansepolcro, Sligo, Spello,
St. Remy du Provence, Sarlat
Trogir, Tarranto
Ulm, Urbino
Vienna, Vaduz, Vatican, Villefranche
Warsaw, Wilhelmshaven, Wexford
X-marxthespot
Yugoslavia(‘90), Yardley, York
Zeebrucken, Zagreb, Zuiderzee