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Welcome to ImprovDr.com

Hello! Let me take a moment to introduce myself and welcome you to ImprovDr.com. I’m David, and I’ve been an improvisational practitioner for over 35 years now. I’ve spent the bulk of my professional and academic life writing about, dreaming about, and figuring out different ways to use improv in my teaching, directing, and on the stage as a performer.

Take a look around the website to learn a little more about me and my various experiences and projects. I’ve called my blog “The Short and the Long of it” as I’m one of those improvisers who likes to play on both sides on the fence, and as many do, believes that skills learnt in one style truly make you stronger in the other: are there still (m)any folks out there who don’t agree that these are really two parts of the same thing despite any posturing to the contrary?

A little about my journey: I was introduced to improvisation through Theatresports in my home nation of New Zealand during the late 1980s, and those lessons have deeply shaped my view and approach to the craft. (Shout out to Logan Park High School and Stripy Socks where the passion began – more on that in another post!) During the early 90s I came to the United States to study theatre and was a financially poor but artistically enriched student at Roosevelt University in Chicago. While I played with ComedySportz and later studied at the Players Workshop of the Second City, I now kick myself looking back on those days that I didn’t have the time and money to fully take advantage of all the amazing things that were happening at that special time in that dynamic place.

Photo Credit: Tony Firriolo
Photo Credit: Scott Cook

And then, as I often joke, I followed the Mississippi river (loosely) to Western Illinois University in Macomb for my MFA and then to Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge for my PhD. Because, of course, nothing makes more sense that someone committed to improv leaving Chicago in the mid-1990s… These new locations, needless-to-say, had much less access to improv, and so like many have done before me and will continue to do so now, I made as many opportunities as I could, creating shows and organizing troupes as there wasn’t anything ready-made, all the while reading up on anything I could get my hands on to further expand my own horizons.

In 2003, my doctorate fresh in hand, I relocated to the Orlando area in Florida to accept a teaching position at Rollins College, where the improv continued, and I had the good fortune to quickly connect with Sak Comedy Lab. This venue has been my professional improv home for about 20 years now minus a hiatus of 18 months or so when I was in the company of Walt Disney World’s now sadly defunct Comedy Warehouse. In the early 2000s there was little in the way of long-form in the area, and I’ve been doing my part to push that envelope whenever and wherever I can: on my home campus of Rollins, at Sak Comedy Lab, and in other Florida venues when they’ve let me onto their stages! This website includes some images and descriptions of the fruits (fresh or otherwise) of these improvisational long-form labors, and you’ll also see that I’ve never strayed far from being an active short-form player at the same time.

So, that’s the short and the long of it (this was probably more on the long side than I intended, but if you become a frequent visitor, you’ll quickly learn that I love words and am as verbose on the page as I am on the stage despite my best efforts to the contrary!) I’m going to strive to make weekly posts about games or techniques that I’m currently working with or musing on, and I also welcome you to pose any questions or conundrums that you might have in regard to this art-form that consumes so many of us so wonderfully and so completely. Maybe I’ll have a few thoughts that can help you unlock something in a new way.

Cheers, David Charles.
improvdr.com
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All website and blog material (c) 2020-2025

Looking for the ImprovDr “Game Library”? Then go here.

Or looking for the ImprovDr “A to Z of Improv” now in print with Routledge? Then go here. You can read about my journey creating this resource in this feature in Winter Park Magazine.

If you want to learn more about my improv path, you can listen to the RebelRebel podcast here or the Improv Autopsy podcast here and here.

Read my recent co-authored article in the Journal of Dramatic Theory and Criticism here.

And you can see some love for my blog from Feedspot here.

Game Library: “Word Ball”

Keep your teammates on their toes with this rapidly changing verbal challenge.

The Basics

One player (typically the emcee or an opposing team member) serves as the caller. Throughout the action, they periodically announce random numbers that determine how many words must feature in each speaking player’s dialogue.

Example

The scene is set on the balcony of a cruise ship cabin. Players A and B take the stage and stare out onto the moonlight night.

Caller: “Start with 5.”

Player A: (holding their beloved close) “This night has been perfection.”

Player B: “Happy first wedding anniversary, darling.”

Player A: “The first of many anniversaries…”

There is an offstage knock on their cabin door.

Caller: “2”

Player B: (scurrying off) “Room service…”

Player A: (delighted) “You didn’t…”

Player B: (opening the door) “I did.”

Player C: “Your champagne…”

Caller: “8…”

The Focus

Play fearlessly and endeavor to honor the calls even if that means not quite making it to the end of your intended sentence!

Traps and Tips

1.) The basics. For the players: just like the similar game, Sentences (see here), it’s more than fine to visibly keep track of your words on your fingers; in fact, that adds to the fun and lets the audience see that you’re not approximating the target number. And, as with the aforementioned game, be careful not to interrupt other players mid-sentence if they’ve not reached the assigned number, strive to alternate speakers so that one character doesn’t talk multiple times in a row, and avoid counting syllables rather than words. For the caller: it’s kind to start generously and patiently with numbers that will allow the foundations of the scene to clearly emerge and take hold. Look for helpful story moments to alter the target – such as the arrival of the waiter – rather than surprising the company with the timing of your early calls. The numbers alone are sufficiently challenging!

2.) The next level. For the players: work against the temptation of sounding like an emotionless robot. This dynamic can tend to strip the dialogue of any performance value, so really imbue every word with depth and subtext. Avoid talking just for the sake of talking or because it feels like it’s your turn. The scene can still contain silences, and stage business, and physical action. If you think of the scene as purely a verbal dynamic, then that is what it will become. For the caller: as the team (hopefully) finds their stride, strategically introduce some appropriate mischief (noting, as always, that your real intention should be to push the scene to greater heights rather than to scuttle or overwhelm it). Look for helpful contrasts in your calls: it’s less exciting or helpful to move from 4 to 5, for instance, than from 4 to 14 (or 40, although you’ll want to use those big numbers sparingly as they, by design, well usually halt the action).

3.) The nuances. For the players: look for, elevate (and then, perhaps, upend) patterns and routines. If one character keeps running out of words before they’ve said their piece, look for ways to lean into that choice. If you use an odd turn of phrase by necessity, consider weaving similar choices back into the mix. (Recently, a teammate found himself using “Dad Dad” to refer to his father to fill out a number and then kept that delightfully in play for the duration of the game.) Honor what accidentally happens in order to obey the “rules” and make it important in a “no mistakes in improv” kind of way. For the caller: look for, elevate (and then, perhaps, upend) patterns and routines. If your calls tend to land when the same character is about to speak, consider making this a sub game if it’s serving and everyone is having fun. If someone – possibly the waiter in the above scenic snippet – hasn’t spoken much, look for a chance to give them an opus of a monologue. If players have soared (or hilariously struggled) to land a particular call, there might be untapped joy if you surprisingly announce that same number again…

4.) The addendum. For players and caller alike, just avoid recycling old discoveries or games out of habit rather than attacking the stage and uncovering (together) new, organic possibilities (as is a standard wisdom, frankly, for all improv games, but doubly so for those that rely on a recurring handle or gimmick). If you return to this game a lot, it can be difficult not to dance a similar dance as before but always look for the new move born from the moment. The illustrations above are intended to inspire rather than provide a set playlist of bits. So, while I once stumbled into the choice of calling a fraction, inviting the characters to speak half a word each, I don’t look to relive this every time I’m in the caller’s chair.

In performance

It’s also possible for the caller to offer unique numbers for each onstage persona: “Player A – 4; Player B – 9.” Or, to the same end, change different players at different moments, so Player A stays in 4 while Player B is cued to individually change to 9 and the rest of the onstage company retains their own prior number. A little of this variant can serve, especially as the scene nears the finish line, but overly complicated calling (in an already challenging game) can tend to just bog down the actors and confuse the audience who takes delight in counting alongside the team (and, subsequently, want to clearly know what number everyone needs). This adjustment also moves Word Ball further into Sentences territory (linked above), which isn’t a bad thing in and of itself, but this alternative more clearly and elegantly puts word counts up against each other, so I don’t see the innate value in dragging this format into that related territory.

For the warm-up exercise that goes by the same name, go here.

Cheers, David Charles.
www.improvdr.com
Join my Facebook group here.
Photo Credit: Olivia Skvarenina
© 2025 David Charles/ImprovDr

Game Library Expansion Pack I

Game Library: “Word at a Time Express”

And here’s a warmup game that isn’t as easy as it might seem at first glance.

The Basics

Teams face off, and each provides one member (usually) on the playing field. Inspired by an audience prompt (at least initially), the featured pair improvise a narrated fast-paced story with each performer providing one word at a time. When the story falters (or, more rarely, reaches a satisfying conclusion), the audience makes a game show buzzer sound (or similar), and two new improvisers replace their teammates and repeat the process with a new story (possibly based on the initial suggestion or the prior offering or just the whim of the moment). 

Example

Players A and B rush to the stage and craft a high-energy story based on the idea of “marshmallows.”

Player A: “Benji…”

Player B: “Skewered…”

Player A: “An…”

Player B: “Extra…”

Player A: “Large…”

Player B: “Marshmallow…”

Player A: “With…”

Player B: “His…”

Player A: “Stick. “

The Focus

Bravely following the story wherever it might want to go.

Traps and Tips

1.) Don’t forget… the basics. As a “word-at-a-time” game, all the basic rules apply for this outing. It’s generally advisable to avoid first-person narratives (although these are less problematic with just two players than many of the related games). Be wary of winding run-on sentences that have no end in sight. And, most important of all, attack each new word with gusto so as to keep the momentum building. See here for other pointers for this verbal dynamic.

2.) Don’t forget… the staging. While this is a storytelling game at its core, that doesn’t mean it should become static physically. Narrators should, at the very least, engage their bodies and liberally use gestures and body language to enrich the narrative. At the not so very least, the action can become partially enacted with players pantomiming their joint adventure. It’s advisable to loosely face each other (as opposed to link arms as a word-at-a-time expert or character might) as this facilitates a faster pace when players can see each other’s mouths and intentions.

3.) Don’t forget… the greater conceit. Standing face-to-face also elevates the overall competitive vibe of the warmup (although this is very much an illusion as players won’t create anything of any value if they aren’t rigorously and generously working together). The appearance of competitiveness, however, helps the performance. Players should rush to the stage to replace “eliminated” teammates and seek even greater attack and finesse than those who went before. If each story doesn’t build off the last – in terms of risk, fearlessness, tempo, and possibly even callbacks and reincorporations – your company is likely to lose interest and excitement rather than increase these pivotal energies. So, as you look to construct each individual story, don’t forget the greater arc of the game as a whole as well.

In performance

I’ve generally seen this game used as an all-play style warmup before an audience at the top of the show. When embraced with skillful abandon, it usually culminates in a particularly impressive feat of storytelling bravery, or equally delightful narrative disaster. It certainly could work as a decider, with the host quickly assigning a point for team members who didn’t drop the ball, although you’d want to make sure this didn’t slow the transition of players running on and off the stage as this adds a lot to the energy and charm of the piece. Similarly, it could easily function as a pre-show or workshop warmup.

This structure sporadically appears and then disappears from the show roster in my current home venue. I don’t tend to seek it out as a player as it’s trickier than it looks and requires a high level of attentiveness and commitment to create pleasing results right at the top of a show. If you (or your team) are personally a little off, there’s nowhere to hide in between each shared word. That being said, I have to confess that I nearly always enjoy this game more than I think I’m going to when heading into the experience. The key is to embrace the joy of really connecting with fellow players and following that excitement wherever it might take you.

Cheers, David Charles.
www.improvdr.com
Join my Facebook group here.
Photo Credit: Olivia Skvarenina
© 2025 David Charles/ImprovDr

Game Library Expansion Pack I

Game Library: “Word at a Time Broadway Star”

Here’s a lesser played musical improv game that makes the challenge of singing an original song even more difficult!

The Basics

Players form a line or tight cluster and become one “Broadway star” assigned the task of singing an original song based on an audience-inspired premise or title. Each line of lyric, however, is constructed in a “word-at-a-time” fashion moving quickly down the line in quick succession until the song culminates in a rousing ending.

Example

The title “Lifeguard Lessons” serves as the prompt. The improv musician begins to play a lush accompaniment as the players (A though D) form a tight line before the audience and start to croon…

Player A: “The…”

Player B: “Sun…”

Player C: “Shone…”

Player D: “Brightly…”

Player A: “In…”

Player B: “The…”

Player C: “Clear…”

Player D: “Blue…”

Player A: “Sky.”

The Focus

Find the unifying perspective and voice, and strive to incorporate the traditional devices and structural techniques that give an improvised song polish. While this game “appears” easier than other improv singing formats, in reality, the heightened teamwork and listening skills make it markedly more prone to chaos and inelegant fumbling.

Traps and Tips

1.) Start kindly. Perhaps more of a note for the musician collaborator, but it’s generally wise to begin the song with a more legato or leisurely feel. This gives each player a chance to find their own voice on the accompaniment in relation to their teammates and the emerging melodic line. When each word is truly sung with full support and commitment, you’re likely to gain confidence and a musical (and stylistic) template that can then serve the later verses. This doesn’t mean every single word should be needlessly milked – if you’re offering up a multi-syllabic contribution, take your time to find it’s musicality and sense. In terms of lyrics, it can also be helpful to start at least one step away from the provided offer or topic. By creating the feel of the day before introducing the lifeguard appears gives the team an easy place to land if the logic becomes strained or they’re looking for the chorus.

2.) Continue observantly. With the added risk of multiple authors, it can be easy to throw away song structure and just meander aimlessly from one word to the next. The game will become considerably more impressive if you still introduce and echo a rhyme scheme, craft clear verses that have a similar ring, and forge a simple chorus which is memorable and that returns as needed. Now this is all more easily written than accomplished, and the hiccups will undoubtedly provide a great deal of pleasure, but if you set up and land even one targeted rhyme, or reincorporate the essence of a pre-established chorus, your creation will start to feel like an actual song. A helpful interim strategy is to simply look for things to echo or repeat: words or phrases, line structures, melodic finesses, dramatic pauses…

3.) Disrupt strategically. I advise beginning the song with a slower intro section or verse, but as players find their vibe and connection, look for ways to increase the challenge (with an admittedly already challenging game)! If the whole song feels plodding or sluggish, even a masterful construction will land a little anticlimactically. So be on the lookout for opportunities to increase the risk which usually, though not exclusively, will consist of upping the tempo and shortening the space between each individual word. If singers start to bravely clip into each other’s offer – so that there is a small amount of overlap – this will add energy and interest. This increased pace is also a lovely way to construct a bridge if a slower tempo is generally serving, so singers should be vigilant to honor any dynamic adjustments provided by the improvising musician.

4.) End boldly. Similar to Tag-Team Song (described here) a helpful, somewhat standard, button to the piece can consist of the entire company joining together for the last word (or perhaps phrase) so that you can introduce some harmonies and greater vocal stylings if your team is so inclined (and capable of such a feat)! Regardless of whether this becomes an all-play moment, make sure the final singer really savors that last word to bring the piece home. And if you throw in a dynamic pose with the rest of the team, that’s additional icing on the improv cake as well!

In performance

A thought on microphones: I currently play in a venue where we’re fortunate enough to all wear body mics and so we tend to just rely on these for amplification. If that isn’t your setup but you have a microphone on a stand or similar available to you, I would actually advise against using it for this piece (unless the acoustics of your space or strength of your singers’ voices absolutely demands it). It can prove challenging to gather a larger number of players around a single mic without necessitating awkward shuffles or leaning in to sing each word. This small staging choice can actually have a surprisingly large effect on the pacing and rhythm of the song as each word is now preceded by a movement or pause. When players can just stand in a line (albeit a slightly curved one to facilitate hearing each other), there tends to be fewer impediments to quickly passing the focus when inspiration hits.

New to ImprovDr.com or the Game Library? You can find the ever-expanding collection of games, exercises, and warm-ups here.

Cheers, David Charles.
www.improvdr.com
Join my Facebook group here.
Photo Credit: Gontran Durocher
© 2025 David Charles/ImprovDr

Game Library Expansion Pack I

Game Library: “What Happens Next?”

This exercise that explores the concept (and gift) of making small and obvious steps is pulled from my high school improv days with Dunedin Impro and so is likely the brainchild of Kieth Johnstone who infused much of our workshops in those days.

The Basics

One Player, A, volunteers to be the performer and stands before the workshop group. Another four players (or thereabouts) sit on the ground and become the “panel” while the remaining ensemble members form an audience behind their five peers. Player A prompts each new step of their action by asking the panel, “What happens next?” A panel member (perhaps working in order down the line) then offers up a small, connected, and obvious choice that Player A performs before pausing again to ask for another step in their journey. Observers in the audience (perhaps led by the facilitator) can “challenge” actions before they’re executed if they feel they are unhelpfully giant, needlessly random, or gratuitously over-original. If such a challenge is deemed warranted, a new step is brainstormed for the featured player to complete. The process continues until a natural and satisfying ending emerges.

Example

Player A stands “neutrally” in front the panel.

Player A: “What happens first?”

Player B: “You open the refrigerator door.”

Player A reaches in front of them to pull open an imaginary refrigerator door and then pauses.

Player A: “What happens next?”

Player C: “You reach for the milk carton on the top shelf.”

Player A performs the stated activity.

Player A: “What happens next?”

Player D: “Your cat brushes up against your leg…”

Player A reacts to the arrival of their cat.

Player A: “What happens next?”

Player E: “You drop the milk cartoon after being startled…”

The Focus

In large part, this is a storytelling and progression exercise, that embodies Johnstone’s “backwards-looking improviser” model where each new step can be determined by considering what has just occurred. Surprisingly engaging one-person vignettes can magically emerge from just following where the simple prompt can lead you.

Traps and Tips

1.) For the performer. Simply put, do what you’re told! Yes, you’ll want to bring your gifts as a performer to the part but be careful that you don’t overly complicate or add to the steps offered up by the panel. If you reach for something in the fridge before being told to do so, you are inadvertently editing a whole host of narrative possibilities – the light in the refrigerator might have gone out, or there’s been a power outage and you’re confronted by the smell of rotting food, or you’re a struggling student and there is absolutely nothing in the fridge to stave off your hunger. You don’t want to be an emotionless automaton who plods through the paces without any performance energy or value either. But seek to honor the “small steps” nature of the exercise and aim to concentrate on what you’re given and no more.

2.) For the panel. I’ve noted the points of concentration (to use Spolin’s terminology) above, in that you should strive to provide small, connected, and obvious moves for the featured player. Small in that they don’t condense bigger processes in a way that erases the chance of new smaller discoveries within the steps: “You grab some eggs and make yourself a cheese omelet on the stove.” Connected in that contributions don’t wildly shift the lens, mood, or promise of the scene or squash subtler potentials under their boot: “You put on your suit and go to work on your motorcycle.” And obvious in that you are seeking to react to the unfolding story rather than overtly manipulate it to a personal or predetermined end: “You find the taxidermized racoon on the shelf and stage a puppet play for your cat.” In many ways, you should never feel the pressure to do too much with your direction. Rather, it should just pick up where the prior action left off in a possibly unremarkable yet helpful way.

3.) For the observers and facilitator. This exercise tends to invite more frequent interruptions when the system is being modeled and practiced for the first time. Small, connected, and obvious steps sound like a rather simple mandate until you are actually tasked with achieving them with each subsequent addition. Don’t inundate the panel with intellectualized meanderings and minutiae – everyone’s obvious, for example, should probably be a little different so there’s not a lot to be gained from deep debates on that front. (The appearance of the cat, for example, could feel like a non sequitur for someone who doesn’t have pets, while the sound of the fridge opening luring Kitty into the kitchen likely feels very connected to someone who lives that reality on a daily basis.) The game also loses something when players can’t build any momentum between instructions or Player A is left in limbo time and again for epic discussions about subtleties. Utilizing raised hands and a moderator can help in this regard, so that if an outlier sees something small, that can be shelved for later consideration, in contrast to most of the room feeling like a move was too big or bizarre.

In performance

It’s standard protocol to check in with the featured improviser (Player A) at the completion of the scene, especially if some pimping or discomforting choices nudged them into awkward territory. If you’ve let a few more “minor infractions” slip by, the debrief can also allow for a less disruptive moment to muse on some more nuanced missed or subverted opportunities.

If you’re in the market for a performance-ready variant on this same theme, see my earlier entry on the game Options, here.

Cheers, David Charles.
www.improvdr.com
Join my Facebook group here.
Photo Credit: Tony Firriolo
© 2025 David Charles/ImprovDr

Game Library Expansion Pack I

Game Library: “What Are You Doing?”

There is a lot to love about the action-packed decider What Are You Doing? If it’s new to your repertoire, it can take a little practice to find comfort with the rhythms and mechanics, but it’s worth the time investment if you’re looking for an energized starter.

The Basics

This is a tricky exercise to describe in print, so I’ve weaved my example through this definition for clarity. I usually deploy some iteration of this description in show with two volunteer players to make it clear for the audience as well.

One player begins by performing an activity…

Player A starts washing the dishes.

The second player then asks the first,

Player B: “What are you doing?”

The first Player must now respond by saying something they are not doing.

Player A: “Changing a lightbulb.”

Player B now begins performing that named activity.

We see Player B pantomiming the action of changing a light blub for a moment or two.

Player A must now ask the second player,

Player A: “What are you doing?”

And the second player must answer something they are in fact not doing.

Player B: “Reading the newspaper.”

And Player A must take on this new action…

Player A begins reading a mimed newspaper.

This continues until players are eliminated for stalling, repeating previously named or performed actions, or other infractions introduced along the way.

The Focus

This has a bit of a “pat your head” and “rub your stomach” at the same time feel to it, especially if you’ve not played it a lot. Play with fearlessness, embrace the loss with joy, and get yourself into trouble! My tips below are both dynamics to avoid and ways to increase the likelihood of eliminations if the game is going a bit long.

Traps and Tips

1.) Avoid stalling. While you want to give each player a moment to playfully establish new named activities, be mindful that you don’t wimp when you’re offering the verbal prompts. General “ums” and “ahs” tend to disproportionately slip in, as do “I ams” and “I’ms” as in “I am… [stall, stall, stall] painting my toenails.” All of these are (perhaps unconscious) ways of giving yourself a few extra seconds to get to the gerund or action. When I’m facilitating the game, I’ll usually give a warning if this type of language slips in and then use it as a criterion for elimination afterwards.

2.) Plant yourself. I’m not sure if I’m somehow inadvertently encouraging this behavior when I teach the game, but I often see players darting away into their own corner to start performing their new activity. This strikes me as another clever wimping strategy as you get some thinking time while you travel back and forth to your opponent. So, as best you can, start your pantomimed action right where you offered your reply. While you want to let these mini vignettes have a second to breath as they are often so much fun in their own right, also be wary of needlessly extending them in lieu of committing to the game. Sometimes a simple call of “faster” or “pick up the pace” will do the trick to get things jumping again.

3.) Provide context. Most companies that regularly play this game likely use some variations of the following prompts, but it can be helpful to frame each round in a slightly different way. I generally start with open locations, move to occupations, and then deploy the addition of initials. Answers should now incorporate (at least tangentially in the first two cases) these prompts, so forest might garner “drinking from a river,” dentist could result in “coding a patient bill,” and the initials “D.C.” might inspire “dunking clowns.” I actually find that such handles help my creativity by giving some boundaries and limitations. These frames also make infractions a little more obvious and likely.

4.) Celebrate failure. As this game is designed to serve as a decider, everyone bar one player will eventually become eliminated. Take the loss with grace and excitement! If one player after another leaves the stage with an air of frustration, disappointment, or even angst, you’re setting yourself up for a rather funky show. On the other hand, when the audience sees everyone smiling and laughing as they stumble, it sets a delightful tone and, frankly, makes the crowd inclined to like you, which is not the worst thing in the world when they’re about to watch you for the next hour or two. And if you find yourself loitering on that colorful response that doesn’t meet your venue content parameters, it can be exciting to see that you wanted to say something a little naughty, but nonetheless opted not to before falling on the proverbial improv sword and taking the loss.

In Performance

The more fearless you are in the execution of this game, the more whimsical the actions tend to become and the more fun you’ll have in performing them. And while I’ve advised against voluminous scenic flights of fancy, don’t overlook that a quick specific or line of dialogue in these contexts adds so much entertainment value. Be careful of your inner wimp or desire to win getting in the way of this dangerous kind of fun.

Cheers, David Charles.
www.improvdr.com
Join my Facebook group here.
Photo Credit: Kalani Senior
© 2025 David Charles/ImprovDr

Connected Concept: Story Series for Improv I

Game Library: “Vroom”

Here’s a fast and delightfully silly warmup!

The Basics

Players form a – you guessed it – circle. One player begins moving the imaginary car around by turning to either side and saying Vroom. The car continues speeding around the circle, being passed (with strong eye contact) from one player to the next in sequence with the following rules:

If the next player elects to keep the car moving in the same direction, then they too make the titular Vroom sound. This should be the standard choice in the game.

If the next player wants to reverse the car’s direction, they make a dramatic screeching sound (as if the car is slamming on its brakes) before sending a Vroom back to the player who just sent it to them.

On occasion, the current player can elect to introduce an “oil slick” with a suitable hand gesture, which, in turn, skips the next player in the circle before the Vrooms continue. This phrase can be followed with a “whee” sound by the relevant player (or the whole group, if you like, with everyone quickly turning around).

Example

Player A: (to B) “Vroom.”

Player B: (to C) “Vroom.”

Player C: (to D) “Vroom…”

The Focus

Building and sharing energy, focus, and unabashed accepting.

Traps and Tips

1.) Drive. I’ve noted above that the Vroom should generally be the default choice. It’s difficult for the momentum to build if every second or third choice breaks a routine that hasn’t really been established in any meaningful way. The game reminds players of the power of the obvious, and here, the obvious choice is that of your previous improviser.

2.) Build. In embracing the simple core of the game, the potential for wonderfully reckless speeding presents itself. Look to increase the tempo of each tag so that the car metaphorically races wildly around the circle. By committing to this joyful exchange, you also increase the effectiveness and delight of each unanticipated…

3.) Brake. Sure, the warmup can and should be largely an embodiment of collective fun, but there can also be a value in exploring timing, suspense, and surprise. After all, a good routine literally invites disruption. When the variants are introduced sparingly, knowingly, and, dare I say, even expertly, the exercise can become oddly – even disproportionately – exciting. 

In performance

While I’ve teased out some potentially more robust gifts – as one would expect in a Game Library committed to building improv skills and confidence – don’t overlook the elegance of this quick warmup that invites us all just to play cars again!

You can find lots of other improv and group warm-ups here.

Cheers, David Charles.
www.improvdr.com
Join my Facebook group here.
Photo Credit: Olivia Skvarenina
© 2025 David Charles/ImprovDr

Game Library Expansion Pack I

Game Library: “Universal Translator”

The core conceit of this game warrants some care in terms of its framing and implementation if you don’t want the silly physical hijinks to feel as if they’re at the expense of those in the hearing-impaired community. In my current venue, the new name Universal Translator was embraced to aid in this endeavor, as was greater care with the set-up. Some may view this as an imperfect or incomplete gesture. Frankly, some nights I’m still on the fence as well.

The Basics

To accommodate everyone in the audience, an interview scene is conducted in which a player uses pantomime to translate the dialogue into a make-believe (and made-up-on-the-spot) “universal” language.

Example

Player A assumes the role of the translator stage left while Players B and C sit in chairs on the opposite side of the stage where they take on the functions of the interviewer and expert. The audience provides the topic of “lawn maintenance” as the focus of the show.

Player B: “And welcome back to ‘Let it Grow,’ where we get to the bottom of all your gardening needs.”

Player A gestures throughout, waving and then pointing to their back, miming Pinocchio’s nose after a lie, turning and gesturing to their posterior, and finally digging a hole with a pretend shovel, all roughly in sync with B’s dialogue.

Player C: “It’s a real pleasure to be with you, John…”

Player A smiles broadly while shaking an imaginary hand, before creating the illusion of a man standing at a toilet or “john”…

The Focus

This game thrives when players balance embracing the simple and obvious (specifically their obvious), alongside mining less expected and more left-field uses of the speakers’ language.

Traps and Tips

1.) For the interviewer. I tend to play this role a lot and quite enjoy its essential function of enabling the fun for both the expert and the translator. It’s a small detail, but taking the chair facing away from the translating player (if your performance space doesn’t allow good views for both talking characters) generally allows the expert to watch the action and set the speed of the conversation accordingly, as they tend to contribute the bulk of the language. A lot of helpful content will still likely come from the interviewer’s chair, but ideally this role should focus on assisting the expert in the crafting of an interesting and detailed story – arguably the function of the interviewer in all expert games in general. There can be a tendency to only lean into the gag of setting up unusual or naughty words and phrases for the translator to craft. While this is certainly and delightfully part of the game, the interview can quickly stumble if no one is looking after the more mundane mechanics of also weaving a more meaningful tale or account. So, have a strong point of view, connect the dots of the narrative, and fight to get to the bottom of something in the scene, whether that is the truth or merely the most specific details about the given topic as possible.

2.) For the expert (and interviewer as well). Noting the chair placement suggestion above, and in addition to keeping an eye on the general pacing (so that the translator doesn’t become overwhelmed in a tsunami of words and images), the expert provides much of the raw material for the scene. Specifics are great in this regard, as they’ll tend to unlock novel approaches for physical storytelling, but even better than specifics are colloquialisms, poetic whimsy, and playful turns of phrase. “I haven’t seen you in a while,” will offer fewer enticing possibilities than “It’s been an eternity since our paths have crossed,” or “I feel like you’ve been hiding from me as you’re not returning my texts.” Be mindful that you don’t needlessly repeat words or key phrases over and over again, particularly those that belong to the base topic. It’s one thing to keep saying “lawn” if the translator has found a joyful mime that keeps building and evolving: it’s another thing to just accidentally or clumsily dwell on the word when nothing of interest is being discovered. Having your expert able to see the translations helps enormously in being able to determine and exploit the difference. Stock bits can easily become a curse of this game, too, so avoid just inelegantly scrolling through a list of countries or movie stars to prompt a repeat of old physical schtick. (I’ve found that these types of choices also invariably invite an ick as the translator now feels pimped into hitting blunt gags rather than working toward more complex and narrative-based humor.)

3.) For the translator. This role can be played beautifully with a real sense of physical control and restraint, but more often it closely resembles a rather intense workout. (I play in a venue that uses body mics, and it’s become common practice for the translating improviser to remove theirs during the game preamble just so that their movement is truly unimpeded.) Even when the speakers are working at a reasonable pace, there can be a lot of information flying around the stage, so it’s important to unapologetically and ruthlessly edit. You needn’t strive to mime an equivalent for every little word. Instead, look for the bigger ideas and phrases that get to the core of your teammates’ idea. Exploiting homonyms, or pop cultural references, or previously established choices or relationships between players, can provide great grist for the creative mill. (And if you’re in a venue with porous content parameters, you’re likely to use a heaping does of double entendre and strategic winking as well!) If you do find yourself being led back to similar words or thoughts, endeavor to breathe new life into them – this could be as simple as acknowledging as the translator that you’re getting bored making the same translation again and again and again. Also, look for a greater story arc – this may be strictly in line with the narrative created by your fellow players, or mischievously antithetical to their goals. There can also be a delightful value in maintaining a rigorously professional air even when your content becomes increasingly naughty or absurd! And finally, if you’re getting advanced in years (as I am) you’ll want to warm up to your most impressive feats of skill so that you don’t run out of steam before the proverbial improv train has even left the station!

In performance

We have a bench of particularly strong physical comedians at Sak Comedy Lab, and so, in the right translating hands, this game often hits the improv ball out of the park. While it can be dangerous to pander to an audience and its laughter, this game benefits from keeping the spectators in the greater creative bubble, so that choices can be emphasized, heightened, or repeated when they are clearly striking a pleasing nerve.

Cheers, David Charles.
www.improvdr.com
Join my Facebook group here.
© 2025 David Charles/ImprovDr

Game Library Expansion Pack I

Game Library: “Unearthly World”

Here’s an opportunity to break out of realism which can tend to be the improv assumption (at least in most commercial western companies).

The Basics

Teams are challenged to craft a scene that is set in an Unearthly World, that is, a location that extends beyond the boundaries of commonplace existence. I typically play this “Spolin-style” with teams taking a moment to brainstorm a ripe starting point of their own, but it could also certainly work with a traditional audience ask-for.

Example

Players elect to explore a world in which anthropomorphized animals roam the land.

Player A: (assuming the physicality of a lemur and calling to their children) “Dinner’s ready!”

A scramble of similar creatures rushes to the bounty set out on the floor.

Player B: (grasping at the meal with great relish) “Over-ripe cantaloupes! My favorite.”

Player A: (scolding but lovingly) “Now, what have I told you about your table manners…?”

The Focus

Similar to the related Humanless Scene, this structure encourages players to think and act outside the (realism) box.

Traps and Tips

1.) Think physicality. These scenes offer an opportunity to dispense with talking head tendencies and throw yourself into the action in new and unexpected ways. To that end, start big and brave. In the above example, the premise could be shaped so that the characters were still essentially human in their movements, but such a choice would sap the innate energy and creativity of the experiment.

2.) Think style. Whether you’re pursuing a “parallel universe” approach where the world is largely as we know it but with a seismic shift due to an important evolutionary or behavioral anomaly, or you’ve envisioned a completely different construct altogether, consider style and how movement and vocal norms can elevate and define the action in unique and interesting ways. Some good old-fashioned paralleling or mirroring (other’s choices and qualities) will go a long way in this regard.

3.) Think mapping. And while these scenes aren’t necessarily mapping games, this provides another useful approach as human bodies will invariably take on the unearthly components of your creations. Some thoughtful mapping – using the tropes of one scenario as an overlay to shape the action of another – can unlock satiric or parodic hues, which will elevate the game beyond pure fantasy.

4.) Think contrast. I’ve also had success using this frame with one human character in the mix in an “Alice through the looking glass” kind of dynamic. Here, the unearthliness of the experience can benefit from the presence of a foil who engages with the strangeness as a fish out of water, whether they’ve been pulled into a fantasy land, or a wardrobe, or a portal into another dimension. Scenes needn’t take on this approach (as it can become a little stale if overused); however, this adjustment can help if players are struggling to tap into the freedom of the construct.

In performance

While I’m less likely to issue this as a challenge per se in an evening of scenes, rehearsing the potentials of the dynamic can unlock an awareness and ability to pursue more fantastical locations and premises when the inspiration hits, which is in and of itself a great mindset to nurture and hone.

Cheers, David Charles.
www.improvdr.com
Join my Facebook group here.
Photo Credit: Olivia Skvarenina
© 2025 David Charles/ImprovDr

Game Library Expansion Pack I

Game Library: “Two Chairs”

My current home venue tends to play a lot of improv games with handles and gimmicks (and understandably so, as they tend to be audience pleasers). When Two Chairs pops up on the playlist, those more inclined to patient, unstructured improv tend to get excited as the openness of the scene encourages a different style of storytelling.

The Basics

An audience member volunteers and (typically) two players walk randomly around the playing area with chairs in hand, creating an array of equally random poses and angles. When the volunteer announces, “Stop,” the chairs are immediately put down and the stage lights plummet. As the lights return, the onstage players must now use the configuration of the two chairs as the only inspiration for the following scene.

Example

The audience member is coached on their role, and music plays as Players A and B briskly move with their chairs through the space. “Stop” is called when the improvisers are at opposite edges of the stage with their backs to each other. The lights go down and up, and both players begin by sitting in their respective seats, looking into the wings.

A prolonged (but dramatic) silence.

Player A: (without looking over their shoulder) “You know what you’ve done.”

Player B huffs and doesn’t take the bait.

Player A: (tensely) “I’m happy to sit here as long as you are… until I get an apology.”

Player B contemplates not talking again, but eventually cedes a little territory.

Player B: “Well, if you know what I’ve done that demands an apology then I don’t see the need to tell you what you already know…”

A is tempted to turn around but ultimately doesn’t.

Player A: “Young man…”

Player B: (mockingly) “Old man…”

The Focus

I feel a little cheeky noting this as the focus, but it is really about building a scene, so do that!

Traps and Tips

1.) Breathe. I’m a big fan of crafting the CROW boldly and early in the vast majority of my improv work, but this scenic structure generally has a slightly different vibe. Yes, you’ll certainly want to tend to those integral ingredients but slapping them on the stage (and your partner) inelegantly as the opening line will dispel much of the game’s magic. “Son, you’ve been sent home from school again for bullying, and I’m not letting you out of that corner until you learn the error of your ways…” Instead, lean into the energy of the chairs and your partner, assess each new moment thoughtfully, and offer small pieces of the puzzle (arguably, the approach to most enthralling scenes).

2.) Share. I know this primarily as a two-hander which results in explorations that privilege one central (and pivotal) relationship. Sure, offer up some well-timed and appropriately toned endowments, but as with the CROW work above, allow sufficient space for your partner’s instincts and fingerprints to guide the journey. If you’ve intuited an important detail, avoid offering the next three related ideas. Save room for your partner’s process as this will also invariably increase the likelihood of pleasant and organic surprises. Player A might be intending “Young man” as a move that makes B their son, but a little strategic specific ambiguity leaves room for B to frame this in a way that makes sense to them.

3.) Sit. There are different wisdoms regarding exactly how (or how not to) use the two furniture pieces, and when I offer the advice to sit, I don’t necessarily mean that literally (although literally sitting is a fine first choice). I like to think of the two placed chairs as dominant energy centers for the game, each with a default occupant (the improviser who placed the chair there right before the blackout). If players immediately move away from the chairs, or rearrange them, or accidentally ignore them altogether, the initial choice provided by the audience volunteer becomes a rather impotent launch that doesn’t amount to much. I’ve seen a lot of great, grounded improv come out of this simple premise, and it may not be coincidental that these scenes tended to embrace the grounded qualities of the two placed chairs. Sure, you can relax your relationship to the furniture pieces if another intriguing door opens that’s worth your attention, but there is a value to really honoring those random positions, and if you stay seated (or connected, or adjacent) to the chairs, that’s much more likely to occur.

4.) Honor. Again, attitudes might be split on this last point, but I think something is also lost when the chairs become quickly endowed as something non-chairy. To tease out that point, sure the two chairs could become a park bench, or thrones, or beams on a high-rise construction site – all essentially chair substitutes with a decidedly “you can sit on me” function! But if they suddenly become sheep that you’re sheering, or trees that you’re cutting down, or giant snowballs that you’re forming in your backyard during a brisk winter’s day, then the peculiar challenges (and gifts) of the premise feel undermined (to me, at least). Of course, those later three ideas could all result in fantastic improv, but now the puzzle of using the two stationary furniture pieces has been diffused.

In performance

My current long-form obsession, The R&D Show at Sak Comedy Lab, takes short-form games and expands them into full one-acts for the first half of our set. Two Chairs proved delightfully malleable with multiple resets prompted by five different audience members and accompanying music. We added some little finesses to give the vignettes some unified purpose, but the bare bones of the base game were wonderfully resilient and inspiring, reminding me of the beautiful central premise: improv inspiration can come from anyway, including just the configuration of two otherwise benign set pieces.

Keep exploring the Game Library by going here. Currently approximately 270 unique entries, many with game variants and aliases too!

Cheers, David Charles.
www.improvdr.com
Join my Facebook group here.
Photo Credit: James Berkley
© 2025 David Charles/ImprovDr

Game Library Expansion Pack I

Game Library: “Two by Four”

Perhaps more of a skills-building exercise than a commonly played game in its own right, Two by Four challenges improvisers to craft multiple characters in the same scene.

The Basics

Two players perform a scene in which they each embody two distinct characters each. At some point – usually during the story’s climax – all four characters should be onstage at once, with the two improvisers leaping between their creations as deemed necessary and helpful. (It’s always struck me that this is actually a Four by Two, but I’m maintaining the title under which I encountered the game many years ago at Players Workshop in Chicago!)

Example

It’s game day, and Player A begins the scene sitting on the family couch with a large bowl of potato chips in their lap.

Player A: (calling offstage, in a gruff and midwestern dialect) “Clara! You’re going to miss kick off!”

Player B: (appearing a few moments later, with a tray of goodies) “We’ve been waiting for this game all season. I wouldn’t miss it for the world, John.”

Clara sits beside John on the couch and they get comfortable.

Player A: “The perfect day, the perfect partner, and the perfect team…”

Player B: (turning to the offstage window upon hearing a sound) “Is that car pulling into our driveway?”

Player A: (distracted) “Just ignore whoever it is and they’ll go away.”

Player B moves to the window.

Player B: (with anxiousness) “It’s your parents, John. And they have a lot of luggage.”

Player A: “I can’t have got the dates wrong…”

While A’s “John” remains on the couch, improviser A dashes to the other side of the door established by B and knocks. B does not watch as A moves from the body of one character to the other.

Player B: (looking at the ghost character “John” on the couch) “That’s definitely your mother.”

Player A: (assuming a new gait and tone, from behind the door) “John, darling, don’t keep your mother waiting. That was a long drive, and I need to use the restroom…”

Player B (Clara) opens the door to welcome her mother-in-law (A)…

The Focus

Strong characters with defining and recognizable traits are the key to success, as are sharp transitions between the various personae. Moving between embodied (seen) and ghost (imagined) characters is both the gift and the curse of the enterprise, and it can take many attempts to find any finesse with this element of the format.

Traps and Tips

1.) Seek variety. If you have a cast of largely homogeneous characters – four teenagers at a party, for example – it can prove difficult to clearly craft useful distinctions which can create difficulties further down the line. When the story allows, look for a diversified cast with contrasting ages, genders, physical and vocal energies, and the like. How you distribute these roles initially can also assist. Player A taking on “John” and then John’s mother, for example, increases the likely distance between the actor’s two home personae, which in turn encourages boldly different choices.

2.) Lock in. My examples are always a little truncated for flow, but you’ll want to make sure you give each character a chance to find their voice (literally and metaphorically) before putting them in a sea of new entrances. Now that we’ve met the first couple, it might be helpful to focus on B’s Clara and A’s mother before throwing in the fourth character (probably A’s father who might be busy unpacking the car in the driveway to facilitate that choice). Strategic exits are key as any characters who remain onstage and in the scene need to be carefully tracked and kept “alive”. In this way, if Clara and the mother have a mini scene at the door, they should keep looking to “John” even if he isn’t speaking, and Player A might want to leap back into that body to give the occasional reaction or two as well. (Don’t feel the need to always offer a verbal gift as you move between your characters.)

3.) Retain focus. Be careful where you look! As the fourth player enters, in particular, there will be a lot of movement as embodied characters engage in traditional stage movement and blocking, and improvisers need to dart between their creations in order to inhabit formerly ghost personae. Strong eye contact should be maintained for the former (when a character is looking at another character whether or not they are actually there) and rigorously avoided for the latter (when an actor needs to dash from one role to the other and not have their partner’s eyes follow this technical business). Interacting with ghost characters as if they were there is a huge part of the fun and entertainment value, so work to clearly know who is sitting or standing where and refer frequently and often to these resting places and people.

4.) Move deliberately. Related to the above, make sure your movement quality is radically different when a character moves as opposed to when an actor leaps from one persona to the next. If everything feels a little sluggish or same-ish, then it’s easy to become confused. When characters have unique movement qualities, and fazing dashes feel notably different, players (and the audience) will generally have a better time discerning between the two. While a little confusion is probably unavoidable and, frankly, part of the fun, lethargic jumps between characters tend to rob the scene of its natural flow and will decrease rather than increase the overall energy.

5.) Pursue balance. This is more of a consideration in the training hall but work to give each character their due. If we only see a glimpse of A’s Dad as he spends the rest of the scene in the driveway, the audience can feel a little cheated. Part of the contract of the game as described in the (possibly backwards) title, is that we’ll see four characters crafted by two actors, and it’s exciting for this moment to feel significant and sizable.

In performance

The skills honed through this exercise enable the construction of larger pieces that may often require single improvisers to don multiple hats. This bite-sized version allows players to explore the key dynamics and techniques in a concentrated environment. In this iteration, players don’t typically take on each other’s roles, but this is certainly a tradition with ghost characters in derivative pieces, especially if the performance would be better served by that configuration (rather than have the one actor portray a lengthy scene leaping clumsily back and forth between their two creations while their scene partner watches helplessly on).

Cheers, David Charles.
www.improvdr.com
Join my Facebook group here.
Photo Credit: Tony Firriolo
© 2025 David Charles/ImprovDr

Game Library Expansion Pack I