A fast-paced, team building, test of skill and wit, Spelling Master (Whiz or Expert, if you prefer) will put your through your paces.
The Basics
The host or a fellow player serves as the facilitator; the remaining improvisers form a line and become the “master.” (Four to six players seems to work well.) Answers begin with the stage right player allowing the team to respond to prompts provided by the emcee. Generally, a series of words are solicited, and each is spelled and defined in turn in the following manner. First, all players repeat the chosen word in unison. Next, players spell the word (as best they’re able) one letter at a time. The team then repeats the word in unison. This is followed by a prompt from the host (such as asking for a definition, the word’s etymology, or using the word in a sentence) which is completed one word at a time. Finally, all players button the process with one more unison repetition. The host then gathers a new challenge for the master.
Example
The host gets “Wheelbarrow” from the audience.
All Players: (in unison) “Wheelbarrow”
Players A, B, C, D and then back to A in sequence: (one letter at a time style) “W. H. E. E. L. B. A. R. R. O. W.”
All Players: (in unison) “Wheelbarrow”
Host: “Use it in a sentence.”
Players A, B, C, D and then back to A in sequence: (one word at a time style) “When. You. Have. A. Lot. Of. Wheels. To. Carry. You. Should. Use. A. Wheelbarrow.”
All Players: (in unison) “Wheelbarrow”
Host: (to the audience) “Well done. Who has the next challenging word for our expert…?”
The Focus
Assume the mantel of the expert and work together (playfully) to bravely attack each element of the game.
Traps and Tips
1.) Start confidently. As there are quite a few components to the game (albeit reasonably simple ones), make sure you have your head in the game. The host can do a lot to “conduct” the various stages, and when you get to the individual constructions, it’s good form to always start with the stage right player so that there’s no confusion who’s providing the next contribution. The unison moments are also great opportunities to build and sustain energy, so don’t let these become perfunctory.
2.) Listen closely. At its core, this game demands the skillsets of most word-at-a-time formats. If the sentences (or spelling sections) become ponderous or fearful, there won’t be much entertainment value for the audience. Retreating into your head, or trying to preload your next letter or word, will invariably just create a messy or stalling energy. Instead, fight to stay in the moment, pursue reactivity, and really hear and use the prior offers of your teammates.
3.) Play smartly. Pet peeve alert: I get really annoyed when the spelling sections just become players throwing out completely random and clearly unlikely choices, so that “wheelbarrow” now has a bunch of inexplicable Qs and Zs in it. Take the risk of really trying to spell each word. If the team gets it right – especially when you move into more complex words – then that’s quite impressive, especially if you were brave and fast along the way. If the team honestly stumbles, then that’s quite charming too for the audience to see everyone try to recover and adjust. When players just treat the spelling as a gimmick, then the stakes of the game become essentially zero. Risk letting the audience see you fail with a smile and good spirits! The same philosophy holds true when you get to the sentence-building round. Endeavor to use the language and syntax of dictionaries or find the unexpected (perhaps punny) meaning or context. If prior words reappear in later definitions, that’s a fun finesse, too.
4.) Build purposefully. As the host, you can really help or harm the arc of the game. If all the words are impossible (or you always start with or feature antidisestablishmentarianism), the format won’t have much shape or repeatability. When I facilitate the performance, I like amping up the challenge each round by asking for particular levels of challenge – perhaps a kindergarten-level word, followed by grade school, middle school, high school, and finally a college or SAT-level offering. In theory at least, this will allow players to warmup a little before tackling something more daunting. Similarly, you can vary the “speaking” round prompts to keep the exchange interesting. I’ve included my three standard go-tos in my description above but be on the lookout for discovered patterns and games as well. For example, if you just got a challenging SAT-style word, it might be fun to ask for the SAT question in which it appears…
In performance
I tend to use this participatory game in the earlier portion of a short-form match as it models the concepts of improv while also allowing players to get in the zone before tackling more complex scenic work. With strong in-show coaching, it can also easily house a few volunteers in the mix if you’re looking for ways for audience involvement.
Cheers, David Charles.
www.improvdr.com
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Photo Credit: James Berkley
© 2025 David Charles/ImprovDr
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