February 2012
1 post
"I'm a ... "
Great for primary grades and great introduction to building interesting tableaux. Choose 5 to 7 players, number them 1, 2, 3, etc. Choose a location in which the scene will take place (i.e. The Magical Forest). Player 1 enters the stage, says “I’m a [character or object in the scene] and I [do some action/have some feeling]” he then freezes in a pose that shows what he is and...
November 2011
1 post
Fairy Tale Interview
Fairy Tale Interview
Attribution: Alastair Forbes/Jessi Linn Davies, Bad Dog Theatre Company
Each performer is a character from the same well-known fable (4 to 7 players on stage at a time). Characters chosen should be secondary to the action (i.e. not Cinderella, but one of the mice; not Little Red but the woodcutter’s daughter; not Prince Charming but his tailor, etc.).
Set up a talk show on...
June 2010
3 posts
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May 2010
64 posts
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Five Elements of a Story - Storytelling Device
Five Elements of a Story
#1 Location – the where of the scene. Location includes the physical objects (and ‘set-dressing’ people) in the immediate space where the scene takes place, the time period, the atmospheric mood.
#2 Characters and their Relationship – who the main characters (or groups of characters) are and what is their relationship to each other. Give the characters names and make...
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Physical Choices for Characterization
Make a choice and show it really clearly. Make it BIG! I should be able to tell that you’re acting and what choice you’ve made for at least two of the following.
Amount of space between your steps – big steps or small steps
Speed – fast or slow
Level – tall, medium, or small
Volume – amount of space your character takes up – lots or little
Direction – Direct or Indirect – straight lines or...
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Offer Circle - teaching notes and philosophy
The Offer Circle:
I often start introductory sessions with an offer circle so that all players get a chance to be on stage. It’s a great way to work on both of the two fundamental rules: do something and support each other.
Teachable Moments in the Offer Circle:
Someone doesn’t want to take their turn.
Encourage encouragement from the others. “How do we encourage someone who’s nervous?”...
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Soundscapes
Large Group Soundscape
Attribution: Jessi Linn Davies, Canadian Improv Games: Kingston; E=MC, Queen’s University
Create a sound rich sound environment with your group. Have students sit in a circle, spead out from one another. After allowing students to explore the different sounds they can make, guide the work by bringing everyone to silence. Build various sound environments with each...
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Job Interviews - Character Work
Job Interviews
Put performers in pairs. One partner is the interviewer, the other enters (in character) for a job interview. Interviewer asks questions which feed and strengthen the interviewee’s character choices. This scene should take 1-2 minutes maximum and could be as short as 30 seconds. The exercise can be used for performance or as an everyone-in-pairs exercise.
This activity is...
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Hotseat Revolve - Character Activity
Hotseat Revolve
Attribution: Jessi Linn Davies, SEEDS (Seven/Eight Enrichment Day Studies), Queen’s University
Each performer has developed his/her own character for this exercise. Place 4 chairs on stage – three for the questioners and one for the character in the hotseat. Set up the rest of the class so they are sitting in a circle, including the 4 chairs. Taking turns, questioners each...
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Boost - for Raising the Stakes
I was working with the LCVI improv team earlier this month and was inspired to create this game for them. It is as yet untitled, so if anyone has any ideas…
Get everyone to walk around, filling the space, taking care to spread out as they walk. At any time, one team member (the initiator) makes a statement (ie “I’ve lost my wallet”). Right away, other team members move toward the initiator and,...
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Layers - great focus
LayersGroups: this works for groups of 8 to about 30. Grades 6 and up, modifying difficulty as necessary. The Game: Stand everyone in a circle. This is an energy-passing game that requires lots of focus from all players.Add each layer after mastering the layer previous. This can be accomplished in one go, or over a series of days, tracking the group’s progress. First Layer (Names): Have everyone...
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Yee Haw
Attribution:
This is a classic camp/improv/drama game with lots of variations floating around.
I learned this game over many workshops and team trainings with the Canadian Improv Games in Kingston.
Leaving out the many colourful insertions that the CIG:K kids have lovingly invented, here’s how I play:
Prepare:
All group members stand in a circle, shoulder to shoulder with a little bit of...
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WatchVideo explanation for “It’s not Hard”. Found on Google Video.
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Hua Hua Hua
Hoi Hoi Hoi / Hua Hua Hua - circle game. Imagine a ninga star. one player throws, overhead to another person across the circle who catches, overhead. After catch, two people on either side of the catcher ‘slash’ inward toward the catcher’s knees. Throw, catch, slash, throw, catch, slash etc. Each action is acompanied by a gutteral “Hoi” or a “Hua”, as you...
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Load Reload (a shoot-em-up)
Load-Reload: Sit across from partner, facing each other. There are three moves: Load, Shoot, and Block. Load - hands in ‘thumbs up’ position, pointing toward your back. Shoot - hands in guns posiiton, shooting forward. Block - arms crossed in front of you, hands on shoulders. You must load before you can shoot. Play goes: slap slap (slapping knees) action, slap slap action.You lose if...
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Triangles - Equilibrium
Triangles: Simlar to Attacker and Defender. Choose two people with whom to form a triangle, without indicating. On a “go”, all move to create an equilateral triangle with chosen people as the other two points, self as one point. I think this can always work out into an equilibrium.
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Attacker and Defender - Tag Game
Attacker and Defender: Each person, without indicating to others, chooses one person as their Attacker and one as their Defender. On a “go” all players must move in order to place themselves so that their Defender is between themselves and their Attacker. I like starting off at a run.
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Brain Freeze - tag game
Brain Freeze: Similar to Name Tag; when chased person says a name, the named person becomes It and must start chasing someone. If you get tagged you’re eliminated.
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Name Tag
Name Tag: It chases someone. The one being chased can call out the name of another player. It then needs to chase that player, and so it goes. If someone gets tagged, they become It and the old-it needs to shout out a new name.
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Pinch my Penny
Pinch my PennyLed by: JLNeed: a penny for each playerThe Game:stand facing your partner. Put your left hand behind your back and hold your right hand out, flat, in front of you with the penny in the palm of your hand.Stand so that your hand is right beside your partners, facing your partner. Rules: must start from open palms, must keep your left hand behind your back. Try to steal your...
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Flipper Flopper
Flipper FlopperLed by: JL Need: one penny for each pairThe Game:Divide into partners. One partner is the Flipper, one is the Racer.Racers line up at the starting line, Flippers at the finish line. Flippers, as fast as they can, must flip their coin and report what comes up.Heads - racer takes two steps forwardTails - racer takes one step backRacers must step heel-to-toe. First racer to high-five...
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Fold Like Me
Fold Like MeLed by: Jessi Linn | Skills: Communication Need: each person in the partnership needs the same sized paper as his/her partnerThe Game:Partner up and give a sheet of paper to each player.Partners sit back to back. One partner is the talker, one is the listener.The talker folds his paper, explaining just what he’s doing. His partner follows along, folding her own paper. The partner...
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Draw Like Me
Draw Like MeLed by: JL Need: a piece of paper and marker for each player The Game:Position each player so that no one can see his/her drawing.Each player, in turn, states an instruction for everyone to follow.”Draw a happy sun in the bottom left corner.”“Draw a long, lethargic snake across the top of the page.”etc.After a few rounds, share the...
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Pterodactyl, Moose, Elephant
Pterodactyl, Moose, ElephantLed by: Chantal | Type: icebreaker, mingle The Game:There are three variations to this mingle-mingle game.Start by choosing a mingle song and getting all participants to sing it as they walk around the space. Leader will call for players to partner up and do one of the following: Pterodactyl = stand straight, elbows close to body, hands outMoose = thumbs on temples,...
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LaughCry
LaughCryLed by: Will | Type: clown, performance The Game:Partner up, stand facing your partner.Leader calls “Laugh” or “Cry” and players accordingly laugh or cry to their partner. Try again, starting small and allowing the laugh or cry to grow organically. Get pairs on stage to laugh / cry one pair at a time. Get four players on stage in a line, facing the audience. Player...
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The Creature
The CreatureLed by: Karen | Type: focus, group mind The Game:Group four or so players together on stage. They are to become one creature together. Audience members ask the creature open-ended questions, the creature responds in one voice. Side coach the creature participants to try not to have a clear leader, to try to allow individual ideas to meld seamlessly with...
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Monster Mutant Tag
Monster Mutant TagLed by: Rebecca | Type: tag | Similar to: Space Tag The Game:Each person creates a monster. Walk like and make noises like your monster.One player is chosen to be it and chases others as her monster.All players must move like It does. At the same speed, too.When a player is tagged, he yells “Oh no, it got me!” all players freeze and reply “me too”....
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Mr. Hit
Mr. HitLed by: Rob | Type: funny, focus| Similar to: energy passing games The Game:Stand in a circle. Define what kind of “hit” is appropriate for the game.Action of play is Hit, Name, Hit, Name, Hit, Name…One player begins stating: “I’m Mister Hit” or “I’m Ms. Hit”. He/she ‘hits” one player beside him/her. The player who was hit...
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Werewolves!
Werewolves!Led by: Amy | Type: story, elimination| Similar to: Mafia The Game:Describe a world where there are hungry werewolves, innocent willagers, and a seer who dreams visions of the truth.There are two different phases to this game: DayTime and NightTime. Begin in NightTime; all heads down. Wereolves choose someone to eliminate. Seer asks about status (werewolf/not-werewolf) of one...
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Rant
RantLed by: Amber | Type: brainstorming; pre-writing; (collective) creation The Game:Here a “rant” can be defined as a spirited monologue about, well, almost anything. Don’t rant about people you know (those in the room, your teachers, etc), keep all other rules (language, content, etc) that would apply to other work with this group. Divide group into 3s. Each 3 should have...
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Speed Dating - meet each other!
Speed DatingLed by: JL | Type: intro | aka: Concentric Circles, Speed Networking The Game:Divide into partners, circled around the leader who stands in the middle.One partner should stand closest to the leader (inside circle), the other farthest from the leader (outside circle). In 90 seconds, find something unique that you and your partner share (both have broken world records, both have eaten...
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Tell me no Lies
Tell me no Lies
I learned this game from a gifted teacher, Mike Bullet at Theatre Complete.
Good for: commitment, listening, deduction
Each player writes a story from when they were young. You can use any variety of projmpts (give a topic, guided meditation, word web, etc) to find the source material for the story. Stories must be short (no more than 5 sentences) and must have the names of the...
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Story as it Happens
Story as it Happens
I’ve been workshopping this in various ways for a while now. This format is best for very young or beginner groups or as a fun narrative exercise for experienced storytellers.
Good for: storytelling, listening, re-incorporation, beginner work
Act as a narrator and tell a story leaving space for players to add in their own characters, actions, dialogue, and stage...
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Name Three - fast and witty
Name Three
Good for: warmup, energy, focus, commitment
Elect one player to be the challenger (to go first). Line up players in a row facing the challenger. Those in the line each, in turn, ask the challenger to “Name three _____”, identifying a category of sorts (Name three types of chairs; Name three Dougs; Name three hockey players). The challenger must respond quickly naming three things in...
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Cat and Mouse - classic chase
Cat and Mouse
A classic.
Need: a tambourine or other such shaker.
Group members stand in a circle, arms up in bumper position to keep both ‘cat’ and ‘mouse’ inside the circle safely.
Choose two group members, one to be the cat (chaser) and one to be the mouse (evader, with tambourine). Blindfold and gently spin both cat and mouse, round continues until the cat catches the mouse. Use you...
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Cat and Mouse
Magic Wand
Good for: listening
I learned this from a student, Tom Preece, who was a participant in my E=MC Improv Intensive program in 2004.
Group stands in a circle.
“It” is blindfolded and placed inside the circle.
A magic wand (or similar object) is dropped somewhere inside the circle and “It” has to find it.
I’d usually play Cat and Mouse instead of this game, unless I’m working with a group...
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Lotsa Ball - Energy Warmup
Lotsa Ball
An energy-passing game that was first introduced to me by Ned Dickens.
Stand in a circle. Start by tossing around an imaginary ball. Define its qualities (i.e. “big, heavy ball,” or “Fiery hot ball”) and throw and catch it accordingly. Players must say the ball’s name when passing it. Allow players to create new balls and add them to the mix.
Try to keep all balls moving.
Note: Yes,...
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What are You Doing? - Justification Game
What are you doing?
I’ve seen this game played a few different ways, for introductory improv/drama warmups, for justification skill-building, or for a quick pick me up rhythm game.
What are you doing?
Large group activity, all stand in a circle. One person enters the circle and starts an action. Someone else enters the circle and asks “what are you doing?” The first person responds by creating a...
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Look Up, Look Down (Cow!)
Look up, Look Down
I learned this at camp, then learned a few variations from drama students and teens in my Arts for Children leadership program.
Stand in a circle and place an object in the middle (for focus). Leader tells everyone to “look down” at the object, then on “look up” each player must directly look ONE PERSON in the eye across the circle. If players are looking at each other, they...
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Giants, Dwarves, Wizards
Giants, Dwarves and Wizards
Divide group into two teams and establish a centre line and two goal lines on either side of centre. To start the round, each team gathers behind opposite goal lines and decides whether to play as giants, dwarves, or wizards.
Giants – raise hands above heads and growl – Giants beat Dwarves
Dwarves – couch low and sneer – Dwarves beat wizards
Wizards – mid level, wands...
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Hats Off - ways to be silly at dinner
Hats Off
Good for: character development, observation
I first tried this as a game to play around the dinner table at an overnight experience for teens called the Improv Escape at RKY camp. I’ve since used it as scenework exercises to promote outlandish characters.
Need: A variety of hats, basic character building skills
Players each choose a hat and create a character based on the hat and a...
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Gimo - run around strategy game
GimoLed by: Jessi Linn | Type: running, names The Game: Divide into two teams.Mark out two goal areas (“X” on the ground, hula hoops, or end zones). Teams stand near their home goal area. Meet the Gimo: an invisible ball that can only be passed between players onopposite teams. Example: Rob and Amy are on team Spades; Will and Amber are on opposing team Willagers (lucky for Will!)....
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Psychic Dance (Party)
Psychic Dance (Party)Led by: Karen | Type: focus, challenging| Similar to: Count to 10; ABC The Game:Review the “count to ten as a group” game. Now extend it to the body.Spread out all players around the room.One player takes initiative and walks, then freezes.Then, two players - at the same time - walk then freeze at the same time.Then, three players walk and stop. Then four!If more...
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Minimum Surface Contact
Minimum Surface Contact
This is from Augusto Boal’s Games for Actors and Non-Actors
Instruct group members to play around with gravity and their bodies. Find the minimum surface contact needed to balance and support oneself on feet, hands, bum, back, etc.
Partner up and go through the similar exploration in pairs. Try sitting down and standing up facing each other holding hands. Explore!
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In the Street - Raising the (organic) Stakes
In the Street (15-20 minutes)
I saw Ed Nevraumont do this at a workshop once and have since taken it and used it with huge success with groups both new to and experienced with storytelling.
Good for: organic storytelling, raising the stakes, storytelling
When I do this I get the group to squish in “like stroytime” so they’re all close at hand, leaving a bit of acting room for myself in the...
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It's Not Hard
It’s not Hard
I learned this as a camper and, I like to think, perfected it as a 15-year-old counselor at Pearce Williams. It’s a great rhythm game and a good intro to getting the group to sing together.
Song: It’s not hard I tell you so, just sing along and go like so. (one eight count)
Repeat twice for each action.
Knee slap: slap, slap, slap, slap (x2) (on each beat)
Slap Clap: slap-clap,...