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Game Library: “Audience Sound Effects”

Give your Foley artist or sound technician a break with this highly interactive structure that places one or more audience members in the hot seat.

The Basics

Variation One: An individual audience member is selected (perhaps through a brief audition process – see below). A suitable location or premise is obtained, and the volunteer provides both solicited and unsolicited sound effects that must then be incorporated and justified by the onstage players as they construct a scene. This variant strongly benefits from the use of a microphone and suitable sound system.

Variation Two: The entire audience is invited to provide the necessary sound effects for the improvised action, responding to clear cues and offers from the stage (and also, likely, introducing some of their own mayhem along the way).

Example

Player A hails a taxi from a street corner as Player B quickly assembles four chairs for the purpose, and the lights rise.

Player A: (calling) “Taxi!”

Player B slams on their breaks and waits for the audience volunteer who makes a suitable screeching sound. As the taxi driver mimes lowering their window, another noise is offered and acknowledged.

Player B: (leaning out their window) “It’s the end of my shift. Where are you going?”

Player A: (frantically) “I just need to get downtown. I’ll give you a twenty dollar tip.”

Player A retrieves a small coin purse for which the volunteer provides a “click.” Player B reluctantly gestures to the back of their cab.

Player B: “OK. Get in.”

As Player A reaches for the rear door, the volunteer provides a loud police siren instead. Both players take a second to process the choice before Player A, now a bank robber, mimes picking up a heavy duffle bag…

Player A: “There’s plenty more where that twenty came from if you can shake the coppers…”

The Focus

Set the audience up to shine and revel in the justification frenzy and struggle that generally ensues.

Traps and Tips

1.) Model the gimmick. Regardless of which version you’re exploring, it’s beneficial to demonstrate for the audience the give and take you’d ideally like to occur in the scene proper. In version one, a quick audition of two or three audience members can quickly determine who is game and has some basic requisite skills: for some unknown reason, my home venue always asks contenders to demonstrate their best cow sound and then the rest of the crowd selects their favorite. In either version, it’s helpful to offer a few obvious scenic beats prior to the game for the Foley artists to embellish. “If I open a creaky door, it’d sound like this…,” “If my alarm clock wakes me up, it might sound something like this…” Avoid burning your best or cleverest material here, but this strategy gives you a chance to measure the temperature of your new collaborator(s) so that you can adjust your expectations and coaching accordingly. I’d recommend eliciting your ask-for after this demonstration so that you don’t inadvertently use sounds that are likely to be needed later.

2.) Ground yourself. It may be a little unavoidable for the scene to devolve into a bit of a scramble, but this will certainly become the result if the scene starts with one panicked cue for an offstage sound effect after another. A scene that doesn’t begin with calmness and clarity won’t develop these crucial qualities further down the improv road. Endeavor to establish a helpful CROW quickly and efficiently so that you have these anchors to return to as needed. Yes, you don’t want the volunteers to feel superfluous, so you’ll want to invite them to play reasonably swiftly, but this needn’t consist of providing a cartooning string of prompts devoid of any subtext or emotional weight. Pace the game, trusting that greater mischief awaits and will land more triumphantly when it’s patiently earned.

3.) Give a little. It’s a common trap to become so anxious for your offstage collaborators that you might overwhelm them with well-intended but ultimately unhelpful directions. If you’ve made a call for an element with a likely sound, provide enough space for a response, remembering that a lack of a sound is also an offer, even if it isn’t what you might have wanted or expected. It’s difficult to really justify a delightfully unique (or aptly obvious) sound effect if you haven’t given it sufficient room to gestate. Overeager volunteers might require a little judicious editing, but their timid counterparts will generally vanish into the scenery if they feel stomped on in any way. Also, strive to respond to what you actually heard as opposed to what you might have requested or imagined. Much of the justification fun derives from embracing the odd approximation of a cued effect (although be cautious of not just making the scene one long commenting fest).

4.) Give a little more. Finally, remember that you’re not exclusively playing with the Foley volunteer(s). As the predictable and unpredictable offstage noises will usually have a mind and a tempo of their own, make sure you’re sharing the work and joy with your onstage scene partners. If you’ve a more aggressive improviser, it can become a trap to feel the need to always be the character to offer and justify everything, especially if you have an idea at the ready; but, such a style of play will quickly marginalize your teammates. If you’re a less aggressive improviser, make sure you are performing with sufficient stakes and energy so that you are more likely to be reactive and affected. In both instances, it’s good to keep front of mind that justifications need not always be rambling verbal choices but can be an expression, look, or physical adjustment as well.

In Performance

I like both of these variants for different reasons. Version one tends to enable a more reasonably paced and focused scene as you only have to wrangle the instincts of one guest. Version two, alternatively, often invites a little more chaos (and requires more deliberate pitches on the part of the players), but there is also something quite magical about experiencing an entire audience happily playing along.

Cheers, David Charles.
www.improvdr.com
Join my Facebook group here.
Photo Credit: Tony Firriolo
© 2023 David Charles/ImprovDr

Game Library Expansion Pack I

Game Library: “Alliteration”

This exercise provides a great starting point for enriching your language and adding a little style to your improvisational efforts. I’ve also included a more whimsical version below that offers a mind-numbing short-form crowd pleaser. And there’s a variation that can work as a decider too!

The Basics

Each player obtains a different consonant (or, possibly, consonant blend such as “fl,” “ch,” or “st”). For the duration of the scene, players should endeavor to begin as many of their words as possible with their preassigned sound.

Example

The scene takes place in a community garden with players A, B, and C being assigned “B,” “S,” and “Fr,” respectively.

Player A: (digging) “What a beautiful bounty! This is bound to be our best season yet.”

Player B: (carrying a basket to fill) “Sam, you’ve certainly outdone yourself. Such sublime sweetcorn….”

Player A: “Brilliant yellow and blue kernels!”

Player B: “Scrumptious succotash awaits.”

Player C: (entering with indignation) “Friday, friends, we clearly said Friday was when we’d harvest from this fragrant garden…”

The Focus

Don’t let the verbal handle overly stall the scene. Embrace the challenge, but be sure to contribute (physically, emotionally…) even when you’re verbally running dry.

Traps and Tips

1.) Think sounds, not letters. Many consonants produce different sounds depending on their context, so make sure you’re focusing on how they hit the audience’s ear as opposed to how they appear on the page or screen. While Player B is riffing on the “S” sound in the example above, “certainly” fits the charge even though it begins with a “C.” Similarly, although there’s often a better punch when the sound starts a word, you’ll also create the desired effect if the sound begins a syllable as is the case with “yourself.” If you acquire a letter with several possible pronunciations, it’s advisable to ask the audience for a preference to inform the scene: “corrupt city” may look like alliteration, but it won’t strike the ear as such.

2.) Work smart, not hard. Some sounds appear more robustly in the vernacular than others. If you’re fortunate enough to garner a relatively common consonant, it’ll probably serve the scene and your partners for you to take a more featured position. Player C, with the “Fr” blend, will probably struggle a little more than their scene mates, and it’s in the spirit of the game to make them a later entrance accordingly (which may give a little time to brainstorm at least a few verbal options too). The audience will relish some struggle in the game as that’s part of the contract, but if you have literally nothing to say, justify an exit just as you would in any other scene. Or embellish the environment. Or experience a passionate feeling. Just don’t sit on stage lost in your head searching for a word.

3.) Season rather than suffocate. Unlike the more overtly silly variation below, there is no obligation to start every word with your provided letter. I think it’s good form to strive to have the sound appear at least once in each significant speech act as this honors the construct while also keeping the sounds alive in the minds of the audience and fellow players. Sometimes, the brain will inadvertently circle around one or two words in a panic, but be cautious of becoming overly repetitive, especially if you’re not shifting the tone or subtext under the word in question. If in doubt, it can prove a delightful risk to occasionally just start your next sentence with your letter and discover in real-time where this will take you. (Many would argue this is the way to play the game if you want to avoid the trap of retreating into your intellect.)

4.) Remember you’re not alone. The scene won’t get far if every player spends the majority of the action in their own heads running through the alphabet looking for suitable words. Keep your eyes up and focused on the developing action, and don’t forget to listen to, and accept, and heighten the work happening around you. Calm and cognizant players can also do a lot to set teammates up for joy and success. Rather than endow yourself (or another) with a name that begins with your own sound, you could plant a seed for another: if Player A and B name each other Freda and Frank, then they’ve given Player C an easy game for later; Player B entering with the basket (or bucket, or bowl, or banana…) can pitch a helpful element that incorporates A’s designated sound. Look to offer gifts whenever you can.

5.) Or play “Jonathan” style. I’m not sure who Jonathan is or was, but in Jonathan’s Alliteration players must make every word begin with their assigned sound regardless of its original spelling. Player A’s opening line in this iteration would then become: “Bhat ba beautiful bounty! Bis bis bound bo be bour best beason bet.” This creates exactly the type of silliness you’d imagine as every line becomes some form of tongue twister and provides ample opportunities for mischief as words become accidentally (or mindfully) contorted into whimsical approximations of themselves. As opposed to the base game, which can result in rather impressive poetic pontifications when played bravely and with finesse, this variant is likely to quickly cave in on itself in a nonsensical but nonetheless joyful implosion.

In Performance

There are conflicting views as to whether or not vowels are alliterative – I was taught, perhaps erroneously, that this is considered assonance. Regardless of your stance, I find using vowels a little “chewy” as they don’t tend to pack the same punch as a good fricative or plosive. If you are inclined to include vowels in the mix, I’d advise making them an exceptional ask-for (similar to the consonant blend demonstrated above) just so that you increase the likelihood of having at least a couple of characters who can string together something resembling a useful sentence!

There is also a simple line game that goes by this name in which the emcee acquires a letter from the audience that players must use to start a new word upon the host’s signal. When players stall, falter, or are unable to offer a new word, they are eliminated and a new letter is obtained until only one player (or team) remains. This fast-paced exercise serves as a nice warm-up into the more scenic offering described above.

Cheers, David Charles.
www.improvdr.com
Join my Facebook group here.
Photo Credit: Tony Firriolo
© 2023 David Charles/ImprovDr

Game Library Expansion Pack I

Game Library: “Adjective Family”

A simple concept that sets the scene for powerful lessons and play in terms of characterization, point of view, and building and sustaining energy.

The Basics

Players obtain an adjective from the audience and then construct a scene in which they play members of a family who embody that given quality.

Example

Exploring “enthusiastic,” Player A begins by getting into a car as the lights rise…

Player A: (glowing) “Alright, family! Who’s ready for today’s adventure!”

Player B: (rushing in from offstage) “Don’t leave without me, Dad! I wouldn’t miss this for the world.”

Player A: (smiling widely) “It’s ‘Dentist Tuesday!'”

Both: “Yay!!!”

Player C: (entering a little out of breath) “Oh, thank goodness. I thought I might have missed you…”

The Focus

Don’t be afraid of starting with your obvious take on the quality but also don’t be afraid of evolving and morphing that immediate impression so that the scene can do the same. As this format invites players to explore an energy, be wary of naming or just stating the quality as this will do little to enrich the experience – “Why is everyone so enthusiastic…?”

Traps and Tips

1.) Variety is the spice of life. By definition, the scene invites the trap of becoming “one note” if every player simply explores the same facet of the given emotion or quality in the exact same manner. There can be a charming value in hitting the ask-for resolutely at 100% for the top of the scene, but such an approach tends to burn brightly and quickly if players do not transition into more nuanced and varied treatments of the given energy. (If you immediately play the quality at its largest level, this also gives you nowhere to build towards.) This game invites a healthy dose of mirroring; however, this tactic tends to generate lackluster results when characters are unable to find their own unique doorways into the adjective. So, with this in mind…

2.) Leap to a strong objective. As is the case with most improv “games,” additional joy awaits when you manage to explore the prompt in your own justified way. It’s a given that everyone in the family will exude a related energy, but they need not demonstrate or embody this dynamic in an identical manner. Perhaps the father in the above example is an overtly enthusiastic parent: the teenage child, on the other hand, could exude a more pessimistic or “too cool for school” vibe that is, nonetheless, enthusiastic about dental hygiene but remains wary of giving their parent the satisfaction of showing this passion. Character C might play enthusiasm in a more extroverted way, but their excitement is focused on the fact that they’re about to enjoy some quality family time. Character D, the dentist, could glow under the appreciation of these loyal customers. These helpful contrasts in focus or point of view become even more dynamic when you…

3.) Pursue different combinations. When you adopt a soft Entrances and Exits approach to the game (see here), shuffling through various relationships, the scene also has a chance to more patiently develop. It certainly can work to have the whole team onstage for the duration of the action, all feeling the emotion at a fevered pitch, but such scenes – delightful as they may be – tend to exhaust their fuel rapidly and may understandably fizzle out after a minute or so. If you’re inclined towards a lengthier exploration, carefully pacing entrances, adjusting the character combinations, and mining the unique dynamics unlocked by different takes on the base adjective will usually provide you with helpful options (and reduces the likelihood of overtalking). Another tactic that can assist in this regard is to…

4.) Creatively frame your game. It’s standard comedy fare to seek contrast and juxtaposition. While a scene about an enthusiastic family attending their favorite theme park will undoubtedly provide fertile improv soil, shifting this frame to an event or occasion that most would view as inherently more fraught or unpleasant immediately offers a fun and unexpectedly twist. A depressed family at a wedding, a germophobic family at a picnic, or a neat freak family visiting a hoarder relative all offer rich templates worthy of investigation. A scene needn’t start with such an explicitly contradictory choice; in fact, it can prove delightful to allow this dynamic to organically emerge or serve as your climax. But in general, keeping an eye peeled for this type of opportunity will serve you well.

In Performance

Define family broadly and inclusively – the scene could certainly follow a group of close friends, for example. Supporting characters can also enter the fray: they can similarly take on some element of the adjective or serve more independently as foils with their own unique deals. If you opt for the second technique, it will probably feel a little odd if these secondary characters become too featured. If you’re struggling to find a button and have already maxed out the given attribute, a quick tilt into a radical new energy can do the trick.

Cheers, David Charles.
www.improvdr.com
Join my Facebook group here.
Photo Credit: James Berkley
© 2023 David Charles/ImprovDr

Game Library Expansion Pack I

Game Library: “Actor’s Nightmare”

This short-form game explores the terror-inducing scenario that haunts the dreams of most script-based performers: namely, showing up to opening night without any of your lines memorized!

The Basics

There are many variants of this scenic conceit that tweak where the primary tortuous focus resides. In this iteration, one player volunteers to assume the nightmarish position, and a teammate is then provided with a suitable play script or curated excerpt. The scene plays out as if the actor with text in hand has actually learned their lines and simply reads their dialogue in the order it appears. Their scriptless counterpart, however, must now gracefully make their way through the scene while generating responses and offers that fully embrace the established given circumstances.

Example

For copyright purposes, I’m using a public domain text here to create my example, but generally, more contemporary plays work best.

Player A: (reading, as Juliet) “What man art thou that, thus bescreened in night,
So stumblest on my counsel?”

Player B: (improvising) “I did not mean to disturb your slumber or cause offense. I thought my presence would be welcome.”

Player A: (reading) “My ears have yet not drunk a hundred words
Of thy tongue’s uttering, yet I know the sound.
Art thou not Romeo, and a Montague?”

Player B: (improvising, but now with at least a sense of the base material) “I am glad I left so memorable an impression…”

Player A: (reading) “How cam’st thou hither, tell me, and wherefore?
The orchard walls are high and hard to climb,
And the place death, considering who thou art,
If any of my kinsmen find thee here.”

Player B: “I thank you for your warning. You are right – this is no place for me…”

The Focus

Hold onto the premise that it’s an opening night so that the clueless player must boldly forge ahead, enabling the show to go on. Commenting on the craziness or the actor’s glaring lack of preparation will “name the game” and lower the otherwise delightfully high stakes.

Traps and Tips

1.) For the setup. You can certainly add an additional modest ask-for to provide further difficulty, but the specifics of the script itself usually offer ample joyful obstacles, especially if the unmemorized player is not provided the play title or any framing information beforehand. (It can add delight to give the audience some of this information while the hotseat improviser is out of the auditorium, especially if you’re playing to a crowd that isn’t particularly versed in the scripted canon). If you play in a venue committed to always using audience launching points, providing a spectator the opportunity to select one of a number of plays from a fanned deck and perhaps asking them for a page to start on can have a similar inclusive effect. If you opt for the latter option, I suggest avoiding large cast works as the scene will struggle if the onbook improviser isn’t a significant character or only has sporadic dialogue amongst a sea of other voices.

2.) For the “regular” actor. When starting the scene, choose and voice dialogue (at least primarily) from one character. This is more likely to give you a strong objective, perspective, and thread to hold onto as your teammate squirms to join the scenic ride. It’s helpful to appear as if you’re relentlessly following the exact beats of the written scene – this playfully holds your scene partner’s toes to the fire a little. That being said, it’s also in the spirit of the game to gently edit on the fly, omitting unhelpful pronouns, non sequiturs, or missing characters. Be wary of rushing through the scene – it’s important that you leave enough room for the nightmare actor to make significant choices. Also, don’t forget that the scene would likely have lovely, polished staging as well and that your metatheatrical goal is to fool the paying audience into believing nothing is wrong!

3.) For the “nightmare” actor. There are competing wisdoms on this point, but I prefer allowing the onbook character to make the first verbatim choice. They have no ability to sway the scene to a different premise, and the designed torture should flow towards the actor experiencing the nightmare (even though, in reality, everyone should be working to set them up for success). Measured but bold choices are the order of the day. Scour your partner’s lines for clues and context, and bravely play in and heighten this world. Yes, make your own big choices as well (both verbal and physical), but be aware that bulldozing, overloading, and needless originality might puncture the dramatic arc. Again, I’d return to the central conceit that the unmemorized actor’s real goal is to stealthily hide their ineptitude and get the scene safely back to harbor rather than explode the play wide open with fanciful but disconnected flights of fancy. In the example above, Juliet’s use of “Romeo” will hopefully provide their partner with a huge clue as to the premise. It’s fun for Player B to then playfully exploit their recollections of the base material, imperfect as they might be.

4.) For the “supporting” players. I’ve deliberately framed this exercise as essentially a duo scene as I’ve found this tighter dynamic tends to serve the game and story building well. If there are too many “scripted” players populating the stage, it’s easy for the featured player to willingly or accidentally become lost in the fray. Multiple players improvising original dialogue against the foundational text can also muddy the focus and challenge. However, it’s helpful to gently provide side support and environmental choices that frame the given circumstances, and offstage players should always be at the ready to assume that unexpectedly named or needed character just as you would in any other improv scene. Just remain vigilant that the dialogue doesn’t stray too far from the reader’s trajectory (as the nightmare actor will already be creating this tension). Similarly, asking the onbook character questions or making specific demands of them won’t likely maintain the scenic flow as they must remain anchored to their script. But, to use the example above, a nurse loitering in the wings reacting to the improvising Romeo’s dialogue could certainly add to the fun.

In Performance

Any time you spend sorting or preparing a handful of helpfully balanced scenes will reap dividends when you bring this game to the stage. Many plays just aren’t designed for this level of disruptive interactivity. Also be aware that some authors will suit some venues better than others – Mamet, for example, with his proclivity for profanity (and unexamined misogyny) won’t set you up for success at your sponsored middle school gig.

If you’re looking to flip the dynamic, you can have the onbook character in the hotseat, flipping through a script to find suitable offers and responses to their teammates who are viewed as being in the right in terms of dramatic action. This orientation serves as the basis of the related game, Lines From Texts, which offers pertinent pointers here. For those who care about such things, I’ve heard both script-based approaches also go by the name, Page of Play.

New to the InprovDr Game Library? You can find the ever-expanding index here.

Cheers, David Charles.
www.improvdr.com
Join my Facebook group here.
Photo Credit: Leesa Brown
© 2023 David Charles/ImprovDr

Game Library Expansion Pack I

Game Library: “Camera, Narrator, Actor, Actor”

The narrative quality of this game adapts particularly well to an online or Zoomprov setting. As a screenwriting brainstorming session, Camera, Narrator, Actor, Actor also explores a compelling style of storytelling in an accessible and riveting manner.

The Basics

Four players are each assigned one of the titular functions: the camera (visual elements), narrator (expositional and subtextual ingredients), and the two actors (voicing the dialogue for all the needed characters). When played live, players tend to stand in this order from stage right to left. In a virtual situation, all four improvisers can be featured on the screen at once, or their presence can be sculpted by an able technician. In both situations, a caller nominates which of the three functions currently takes focus to develop the story arc – the actors are considered one dynamic and work together when they are cued. The caller moves between these various storytelling devices as the team constructs a detailed and original screenplay.

Example

The proffered title is “The Painful Lie.” Players line up as the camera (A), narrator (B), and actors (C and D). The caller discreetly positions themselves downstage of the action. If played in a virtual setting and your technological parameters allow, the caller or their surrogate can turn on or off the pertinent players’ screens when they have been activated. The caller’s voice begins the narrative...

Caller: “Camera.”

Player A: “An establishing shot of a rustic high country farmhouse. The morning sun can be seen reaching over the distant horizon as fields of wheat slowly pulse in the gentle breeze. Close up on a calloused hand slowly passing through the crops. The lens slowly opens to reveal a sun-bleached farmer assessing their crop.”

Caller: “Actors.”

Player C: (booming as the farmer) “Gerard! Get out of that bed!”

Caller: “Camera.”

Player A: “Cut to the interior of the farmhouse and Gerard’s shuttered bedroom. The camera pans over an assortment of noticeably non-rural posters and postcards on the wall: images of big cities, crowded beaches, and exotic destinations. Slowly, the camera focuses on the occupant of the bed…”

Caller: “Narrator.”

Player B: “Gerard’s wary hand reaches out into the darkness, searching for some imagined alarm clock. But then the reality sets in – he’s not in his college dorm room anymore. With a belabored effort, he swings one leg after the other out of his childhood bed. His bare feet, repulsed by the cool wooden floorboards, slowly approach his window.”

Caller: “Actors.”

Player D lets out a guttural cry. It’s much too early for this.

Caller: “Camera.”

Player A: “The camera looks over Gerard’s shoulder as he opens the bedroom curtains, and the morning light invades the room. We see what he sees as the camera sweeps through the window, onto the farmhouse lawn, and then over the fields of wheat where we can see the farmer impatiently waiting…”

The Focus

Enjoy the varied ways each contributor can shape and forward the action.

Traps and Tips

1.) For the camera… Use what you know. If you have some film making jargon at your disposal, it adds finesse to sprinkle it through your offers (although always be mindful that it doesn’t alienate your audience). This function largely serves as an exemplar scene painter providing the details of the physical world. The more descriptive your images, the better. This format provides a rare opportunity to lavishly develop nuanced locations and characterizations. Take full advantage of this reality and don’t rush over shots that can richly establish mood and style.

Camera: “Cut to a panning shot that follows the disheveled son clumsily running into the field…”

2.) For the narrator… While the camera concentrates on what can be seen and the actors on what can be heard, the narrator assumes the responsibility of filing in all the other gaps. In a screenplay or script, this artist’s contribution would typically occur in the unvoiced parentheticals or italics. Consider adding expositional and background information: what do we need to know about this character, prop, or setting? This can also take the form of articulating character subtext and motivations.

Narrator: “The farmer had never fully understood their son…”

3.) For the actors… A lot of contextualizing material should be flowing from the other narrative positions, so make sure you are particularly diligent when it comes to listening and accepting. Make your character voices and energies distinct and memorable as the actors may need to take on multiple roles as the story progresses (although you should “keep” any role you originate). Dialogue usually has to carry the majority of a scene, which is no longer the case here, so seek well-performed conciseness. Player D’s grunt serves as an example of a simple but emotionally supported choice that probably adds more than a lengthier and clumsier verbal meandering.

Actor: “I was starting to think that bed ate you…!”

4.) For the caller… Follow the story. As the camera (and to a lesser degree, the narrator) provides the unique voice, I tend to favor this element, at least initially. It’s also helpful to start with the camera just so you’re setting the mood and rules of the game clearly. Once the characters are well-established, it’s likely that the calls will start to lean into this component, although strive not to leave any facet unfeatured for too long. While all positions can serve the story in multiple ways, balance advancing and extending needs by endeavoring to pitch the focus accordingly. Lastly, although shivving often infuses most called games, you’ll get much more gripping stories if you primarily function as an ally and dramaturgical “first listener” actively asking yourself “what would best help their story now?”

Caller: “Camera…”

In Performance

I’ve also played this format without the caller, which necessitates more organic and generous give and take between the players. I prefer the game as described, however, as it generally benefits from a kind outside eye serving as the screenplay’s editor (or hands-on producer, perhaps!)

Cheers, David Charles.
www.improvdr.com
Join my Facebook group here.
© 2023 David Charles/ImprovDr

Connected Concept: Zoomprov

“Z” is for “Zoomprov”

When improv moved online, Zoomprov created new challenges (and reminders) for the importance of clear and deliberate focus exchanges on our virtual and embodied stages.

Zip, Zap, Zoom: Focus and Online Improv…

This is just a taste of this entry/concept. Go here for more information.

Related Entries: Focus, Give, Sharing Focus, Stage Picture, Take, Talking Heads Antonyms: Split Focus, Waffling Synonyms: Online Improv

Cheers, David Charles.
www.improvdr.com
Join my Facebook group here.
© 2023 David Charles/ImprovDr

Connected Game: Camera, Narrator, Actor, Actor

Game Library: “You Look…”

Improvisation can imply inventiveness, but while this performed mode of creativity facilitates discovery, players shouldn’t overlook what they naturally bring to the event. Great work and characterization can begin by simply being You and recognizing the truths that others are embodying as well. If you’ve done any Meisner work, You Look… evokes some of his practices.

The Basics

I like the feel of mulling through the space between each round. This keeps everyone’s energy up and helps maintain a sense of presence.

Round One

As players are randomly walking through the space, they strive to make strong and sincere eye contact with others in their immediate orbit. At a caller or instructor’s signal, improvisers quickly pair up with their closest neighbor. Players are given twenty or thirty seconds to more deeply observe and assess each other’s energy or mood. When the caller announces, “Share,” one player then the other offers a simple reflection on the emotional truth they are receiving. Let this sit for a moment and then repeat the process several times so that players work with different random partners.

Player A: “You look… like you have the weight of the world on your shoulders. ‘

Player B: “You look… well-rested and alert, and a little mischievous.”

Round Two

The mulling continues with players actively seeking a greater awareness of the energies present in the space. On the caller’s request, players form new pairs and take another moment to read each other. One participant from each group raises their hand and becomes Player A with the other serving as Player B. Based on their observation, Player A now assigns a relationship or role to their partner. Player B then provides the first line of a scene that accepts this character endowment and reflects the current emotional state of Player A. A series of one-line scenes follows with players wandering and shuffling scene partners between each new exchange. (Consider repeating the dynamic until everyone has been an A and a B at least once.)

Player A: “You look… like you’re my over-protective older sibling.”

Player B: (beginning a scene) “I can tell you’re still a little mad with me. I had to tell Dad – I was worried about you…”

Round Three

More mulling, observing, and partnering with players self-assigning themselves as A and B. While players should still carefully assess each other prior to the launch, the exercise now becomes more scenic. Player A delivers a first line of dialogue that endows the relationship based on B’s climate; B completes the process by providing dialogue that provides a “what” determined by A’s perceived energy. Players needn’t explicitly say “You look…,” but this tone should continue. Scenes can then be given room to develop, or the process can be become public with random pairs exploring this grounded form of initiating in front of the whole group.

Player A: “Okay, roomie, I know you’re frustrated that I didn’t get to the dishes last night. I’m sorry…”

Player B: “You say you’re sorry and yet you can’t even get through your own apology with a straight face.”

The Focus

In a nutshell, the focus is your partner and what they are truly feeling.

Traps and Tips

1.) Seek a truth. Take a second to really soak up what your partner is feeling in this particular moment. There’s no substitution for an honest moment of connection that is a full-bodied version of active listening. Concentrate on what’s lurking – probably subconsciously – under the surface. Don’t worry about being “right” – often our emotions are complex and may resist a simple summary. It is crucial, however, that you are earnest in your assessment. You’ll also want to avoid commenting on someone’s appearance rather than their demeanor. “You look… beautiful,” for example is less helpful than “You look… ready to take on the world.” The former choice is also a little creepy.

2.) Empty your pockets. As the exercise takes on a more scenic quality it can prove tempting to enter the experience with a loosely formed idea already in your pocket: “I’d really like my next scene to be about a dating couple…” I’m an advocate for generally hitting the stage with the seed of something ready to go, especially if it’s a simple energizing choice such as an activity, point of view, or physical essence. In this situation, however, planting such seeds will invariably prevent you from being receptive to the choice that is already organically growing. So, empty your pockets as best you can. The same holds true when you are being observed: don’t try to mask your present state of mind with something “more interesting.”

3.) Keep checking in. As described, this exercise might feel purely like a grounded way to launch a relationship and scene. It certainly is this, but it’s also a great strategy to deploy throughout the dramatic arc too. You’ll want to pay extra attention to your partner in that first exchange: both A and B should resolutely make their first choice a statement about their scene partner’s aura. But as the resulting narratives develop, it’s good form to maintain this heightened awareness. If you find yourself inadvertently disconnecting, by all means utilize another “You look…” This exercise can also promote a more vulnerable style of play that might feel unsettling to some less accustomed to working in this way, so also be sure to allow time to check in with your ensemble afterwards.

In Performance

I’m hard pressed to imagine a performance situation where acknowledging the actual feelings on stage – your own, your partners’, and perhaps even the audience’s – won’t elevate the honesty, connection, and depth of the work.

Cheers, David Charles.
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Photo Credit: Tony Firriolo
© 2023 David Charles/ImprovDr

Connected Concept: You

“Y” is for “You”

If you see yourself finding joy or increasing your creativity through the tools of improv, it is highly likely that there can be a place for You (you just might have to make the first move in making it happen).

There is a You in Improv…

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Related Entries: Commandment #1, Commandment #9, Consent, Ensemble, Groupmind, Inclusiveness, Looking Good Antonyms: Over-Originality Synonyms: Obvious

Connected Game: You Look…

Game Library: “Pick-Up Lines”

Certainly a bawdier option that may not be in keeping with your performance parameters (I don’t play this with my campus troupe, for example), Pick Up Lines provides an opportunity to stretch your punchline and wordplay skills in a tongue-in-check line game with X-rated tendencies.

The Basics

I’ve experienced this format as an all-play, warm-up, or team game in competitive formats such as Gorilla Theatre. Typically, an audience volunteer is brought to the stage and seated as the recipient of the cascade of pick-up lines. A facilitator (often the host or director in the case of Gorilla Theatre) elicits a series of different ask-fors such as occupations or objects. One at a time, players enter the field and approach the seated audience member, providing an original pun or flirtatious quip inspired by the audience prompt. The audience member then gives the attempt a thumbs up to indicate success or a thumbs down for efforts deemed less than enticing. If the game is being used as a decider, these results are then tallied by the host. The dynamic continues until a winner is announced, a particular well-crafted pun lands with finesse, or a time limit is reached. We’ll usually accompany the whole affair with a suitably raucous song from the booth such as “Shots” with the levels pulled down as each player gives their pick-up line. (We use a carefully edited version that primarily features the chorus to avoid the rather explicit language, so be warned!)

Example

With an audience member in place, the music starts after the facilitator acquires a “high school janitor” as the suggestion. One at a time, players dance in from the wings…

Player A: “So… do you come to this hallway often?”

Player B: “I’ve been watching you from over there and you’ve just swept me off my feet!”

Player C: “My life is just a complete mess without you!”

Player D: “I know you might be out of my league, but for you I’d clean up my act.”

The audience volunteer gives a thumbs up or thumbs down accordingly, and the process continues...

The Focus

I would offer that this game is as much about charm and delivery as it is about crafting and executing clever or naughty puns. I’ve seen rather pedestrian dialogue land with thunderous reactions because it was thoughtfully and playfully delivered, and amazingly dexterous word play fumble into an abyss of silence because it was hurriedly or clumsily executed. Of course, the ideal is to achieve both expert performance and content, but if puns aren’t your thing, joyful success can still await.

Traps and Tips

1.) Select your audience member carefully. This is a mistake that companies generally only make once, but the game immediately takes on an “ick” factor if your audience volunteer is too young (or appears too young). This discomfort is amplified further if you have a cast of primarily more senior performers or if a young woman audience volunteer is surrounded by a sea of improvising men. The audience involvement is rather minimal with the thumbs up or thumbs down, but if they are at all uncomfortable, it will quickly deflate the playfulness and likely make the rest of the audience uncomfortable as well. As is always the case when you bring a volunteer onstage, you’ll want to prioritize their comfort and joy above all else, so exercise mindfulness when selecting someone to serve as the focus of the game.

2.) Double entendre generally sells. This is likely a personal stylistic preference, but I’ve found that explicit vulgarity tends to puncture the game and poisons the well for the improvisers to follow. Even if you’re operating in venues with very tolerant language and content parameters, I think the game is generally lessened when players resort to overt crassness or obscenity, especially as the first line of attack. There is a lot to be said for leaning into what isn’t literally said and skirting on the margins of ribald play. Subtle hues tend to become eclipsed and ineffective when they have to immediately share the stage with more overt language. Again, your venue might enjoy these raucous tones, but there is also an important value in working out other improvisational muscles and gently building to more obvious and colorful offers.

3.) Active facilitation helps. It’s extremely helpful if you have a host or director available to deploy them robustly in this game. It can feel overwhelming as a player if you can’t quickly formulate an angle for the proffered idea while you’re waiting in the wings: having an ally looking for these signals who can quickly pause the action and elicit a new inspiration can make all the difference. In addition to keeping track of the score if you’re using the game as a decider, a facilitator can also cajole the seated audience volunteer and keep them safe, as well as sort through the ask-fors to find suitable inspirations: mundane occupations and objects tend to open up more fun than offers that are already a little salacious or spicy. It’s often a bad sign when the ask-for itself is met with boisterous laughter…

4.) Throw yourself into the fray. When we played this in Gorilla Theatre, we only tended to have three improvisers available in the actor bank. This creates quite the challenge as there isn’t really anywhere to hide, and you need to be ready to enter at a moment’s notice. It’s helpful to remember that it’s a given that not all punchlines will be winners; in some cases, your effort’s major contribution is actually buying time for a fellow teammate to construct their stronger idea. Don’t under-estimate the value of charm and playfulness, look for the greater recurring games and gimmicks, and celebrate the glorious disasters along with the sublime successes. There is also an innate performance value in the simple staging of the game – dancing to the music, approaching the volunteer, physically interacting with them… (I particularly enjoy giving my characters different mimed drinks to hold!) Yes, the game is unavoidably about the “jokes” to some degree, but it’s also a palpable reminder that great performers do much more than just tell good jokes. There are some shows where I can’t seem to muster a clever witticism to save my life, but I can still add value to the game as a whole and facilitate or frame the success of my teammates.

In Performance

Again, this game won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, especially if you’re improvising in a more sincere or service-oriented modality, but in late night entertainment-based venues Pick-Up Lines undeniably has an appeal and provides a helpful opportunity to develop and polish joke-telling techniques in a form that thrives on these energies. It also is a great offering to break up more scene-based games or to give a boost of energy to take you to intermission or the curtain.

With special thanks to fellow Gorilla company members Jenni McIntire and Charlie Downs for helping me craft the “fit for publication” examples!

Connected Concept: X-Rated

“X” is for “X-Rated”

Improv is obviously a tool that can be used in countless ways. As material moves into more “adult” terrain, however, quality can quickly become a causality to careless content.

X-amining Your X-Rated Tendencies…

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Related Entries: Consent, Gagging, Material, Postmortem, Punching Up, Speaking Your Truth Antonyms: Family-Friendly Synonyms: Boundaries, Content, Mature

Connected Game: Pick-Up Lines