Game Library: “Sound Ball”

Embrace the moment and the give and take of improv with this high-energy warm-up.

The Basics

Players form a circle. One begins by passing a random and supported sound across the circle with a clear physical take. The receiving player then catches this spontaneous sound by repeating the offer to the best of their ability before allowing the energy to immediately change into a different sound that they then pass clearly across the circle to a new recipient. Sounds are caught, repeated, then transformed in this manner with increased attack and abandon.

Example

Player A sends a “whoosh” across the circle to Player B.

Player B receives the offer by recreating the “whoosh” (both verbally and physically), and then sends a “cha-cha-cha” to Player C.

Player C echoes the “cha-cha-cha” before transforming it into a “shazam” and directing it to Player D…

The Focus

Receive, react, respond, repeat.

Traps and Tips

1.) Seek energy. There can be a tendency to offer up the smallest or safest sound for the group, especially with newer companies or players, so challenge yourself to play the game with gusto and full commitment. If participants expend the minimum amount of energy, they will predictably receive the minimum amount of reward.

2.) Seek acceptance. Do your best when mirroring the choice of the prior player. (While there are “no wrong choices” it’s probably unhelpful to make that peculiar noise that only you can make for this reason as you want to set up your partners for joy.) The action of repeating the prior choice can feel a little alien at first, as players want to rush to their own idea, but this practice of truly seeing and hearing the offers of others provides an important lesson and tool.

3.) Seek inclusion. This is standard advice for all ensemble games that include some element of random choice, but make sure you aren’t excluding anyone from the sequence. If you’re working in a particularly large group, it’s wise to break up into multiple smaller circles of 10-16, as many more than this can cause the game to lag. Also, seek inclusion in terms of ability and limitations. While the exercise promotes spontaneity, it’s certainly in the spirit of improv to craft an offer that you know the intended recipient can use without discomfort or embarrassment.

4.) Seek speed. Again, this can be a rather inelegant measure of a game’s utility, but if the momentum falters or never quite seems to leave the starting gates, this usually indicates an unhelpful level of thinking, planning, and assessing. Sounds don’t need to be gobsmackingingly original or unique; prior choices might become recycled or serve as the inspiration for current efforts; players might (will) inadvertently pass along the selfsame noise they just received on occasion. None of these “fumbles” ultimately matters. If you’re struggling to find a fun and risky speed, the concept of “hot potatoes” can help, with players striving to hold onto the focus for the shortest amount of time as possible.

In performance

This game shares a lot of terrain with the language-based Word Ball which I’ve considered as a variant of the mainstay Word Association exercise examined here. Most of the pointers listed for these games certainly apply to the current undertaking.

And you can mine the library for the multitude of other fun improv warm-ups here.

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

Game Library Expansion Pack I

Game Library: “Song Scene”

I first came across this structure at Disney’s Comedy Warehouse where we were fortunate to improvise alongside some truly world class musicians (and technicians, for that matter). More recently, it inspired the first act of an R&D Show at Sak Comedy Lab, where we take a short-form premise and expand it to make a 40–50-minute set. It plays with devices similar to those found in Song Cue (here) but allows the players a little more wiggle room between the musical moments which invites a wider array of styles and encourages patience in story building.

The Basics

For the short-form version, three random, original song titles are elicited from the audience. Generally, these are written on large sheets of paper and placed on the lip of the stage (or on an accessible clipboard to the side) as it’s a longstanding challenge to remember the later titles once the scene is up and running (!) so it’s smart to have the prompts visibly available. (The musician will want to note the song offers so that they don’t miss the pitches from the stage either). An additional scenic location or inspiration might also be obtained, and the team then begins an impromptu scene. At opportune moments – often marking the beginning, middle, and end of the action – players work their way to an unused song title which then initiates the creation of an accompanying musical number. The scene ends when all the generated titles have been used in this fashion.

Example

The offered song titles include, “It’s never too hot for coffee,” and the scene begins at a water park. Players A and B set the stage by resting out on deck chairs before an imagined wave pool.

Player A: (wiping the perspiration from their forehead with a beach towel) “These temperatures are unbelievable. I’m regretting our choice to summer in Florida…”

Player B: (smiling while looking out at the pool) “But the kids are loving it, darling. This is a memory they won’t soon forget.”

Player A: (rolling closer) “Will you re-apply my sunscreen? I can feel myself cooking…”

Player B: (it’s the third time) “I suppose you can’t be too careful.”

Player B reaches to take one last sip from their stowed cup.

Player A: (astonished) “Coffee? On a day like this?”

The music starts playing…

Player B: “You know what I always say…”

“If the moon is out, or the sun is up,
You know what I’m gonna need in my cup!
You might laugh or get all scoff-y,
But it’s never too hot for some steaming coffee…”

The Focus

Create the need for the various songs and work to make the titles significant and meaningful to the dramatic (or comedic) arc.

Traps and Tips

1.) Build. As is often the case with these written examples, I’ve had to jump to the relevant material quickly to model the core dynamic. If you’re playing the original 4-5-minute version, you do need to establish details quickly to leave room for the songs but, nonetheless, invest in scenic and relationship details to give yourself something of note to serve as your launching pad. Your songs are less likely to pow if they are just throwaway gimmicks that don’t further the world and lives of the characters.

2.) Risk. Again, the above example starts about 2 steps away from the known song title, and there will certainly be times when you need this kind of simple conciseness. But generally, it’s more fun for the players and the audience not to just plod from one inelegant song setup to another. Instead, let the scene go where the scene organically wants to go, and then, when the time feels ripe for a musical embellishment, look to pivot towards the next viable title. Even if you end up miles away from the intended targets, there is great fun to be had from seeing the sudden scramble to line up the next known cue that isn’t easily and obviously in front of the cast already.

3.) Contextualize. To balance the above fearlessness, also take full advantage of the fact that the three (or more) song titles are known before even the first improv choice has been made. This allows players to display greater finesse with what the lyrics might mean within the context of the scene. Above, coffee has been used to just mean the drink, but it could also become the name of the couple’s dog, or the flirty waitstaff bringing refreshments, or the vacation spot’s name… You’ll want to be careful of driving the scene mercilessly towards such a left-field choice regardless of the story needs (or just retreating into your head to plan something overly original in general), but a few earned surprises can go a long way to breathing new life into potentially mundane justifications.

4.) Strategize. Lastly, strive to set yourself and your fellow collaborators up for joy and success. It’s less fun if the same actor ends up justifying, starting, and serving as the lead singer for every title – aim to share this wealth around. If B has taken the first song as a solo, then perhaps A takes the lion’s share of the next number, and their currently unseen children might join for a rousing ensemble piece to close. Make sure you’re getting into each musical number clearly and cleanly: don’t leave your musician guessing if an oddly phrased line was intended as their cue. And if you’re mentally able, give a little thought as to the sequencing of the songs – they needn’t just appear in the order they were gathered. Sometimes there’s a clear choice for the “out” – perhaps a particularly pithy phrase, or silly word, or challenging lyric. Or if you’re stumbling a little, it can be kind to use that “impossible” title as the middle number so that the finale has a better chance of selling.

In performance

For good or evil, this musical game can tend to run a little longer as the onstage team has more control over when (and if) they want to move onto the next musical moment. (This internal calling also invites a much wider array of stylistic energies, which I love as a player.) If you’re committed to slating this in a fast-moving short-form competition, songs will need to be pithy – no longer than probably a verse and chorus. If you’re fortunate enough to have some room to let the scene grow, you might find yourself with something considerably more robust on your hands.

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: Leesa Brown
© 2025 David Charles/ImprovDr

Game Library Expansion Pack I

Game Library: “Soap Opera”

Large characters and outlandish desires form the stylistic bedrock of Soap Opera.

The Basics

One piece of furniture (such as a chair, stool, or block) is designated as the triggering device for the duration of an over-the-top scene. For the duration of the action, whenever a character makes contact with the chosen item, an off-stage player provides their deepest thoughts and secrets as a voice-over (perhaps on a microphone). When physical contact ends, so too does the accompanying narrative. Players utilize revealed thoughts as the story continues through multiple subtextual interruptions.

Example

The team receives two elements from the periodic table as character names (Carbon and Beryllium as well as a family business (funeral home) to launch the action. A chair is placed stage right and designated as the subtext trigger.

Player A: (standing with great dramatic energy at the lip of the stage while mixing their martini with a straw) “So, you finally decided to show up to work, Carbon…”

Player B: (in the doorway, while looking scoldingly at their sibling) “Why must you always mock me, brother? You know I don’t have a heart for… funerals.”

Player A: “I’ll never understand you, sister. This business has been good to us both. It has paid for everything you’re wearing. What, exactly, do you have a heart for…?”

“Player B: “And why would I tell you that, Beryllium? So you could use it against me?”

Player B approaches the subtext chair and lays a hand on it.

Player C: (voicing B’s thoughts on a microphone) “It’s not easy being the younger child, the overlooked child. All of this will go to my brother, our parents’ favorite. What will I get…?”

Player B removes her hand, causing the subtext to stop with equal abruptness.

Player A: (putting down his drink) “We have a new client coming in today. I’d like you to take the lead.”

Player B: “Is this some kind of joke…?”

The Focus

Play the text. Play the subtext. Play the scene.

Traps and Tips

1.) Embrace the style. You needn’t deploy my periodic title name gimmick above but find some way to launch yourself into the overtly dramatic world of soap operas. (Elemental names are just so deliciously ridiculous!) There are many other games that can use subtext to more nuanced ends; this offering thrives on bold moves from bold characters and bolder still plot points.

2.) Share the spotlight. Obviously, there’s a lot of fun to be had with the subtext furniture piece and the accompanying offstage narrative, so make sure you’re providing everyone with appropriate opportunities to have their thoughts revealed. It’s a good rule of thumb to make sure that everyone gets at least one strategic moment to utilize the device, even if the rhythms of the scene favor one character a little more than others. As the scene approaches the finish line, it can be a little anticlimactic if an important character hasn’t had a chance to have their subtext and secrets voiced. Also, be sure to justify your staging choices: don’t just wander to the special chair when you want your subtext to be heard.

3.) Help the narrator. The narrating position can be both daunting and exhilarating as it’s quite the task to come up with dynamic choices for everyone in the heat of the moment. To this end, don’t expect brilliant subtextual ideas to emerge from nothing. As the characters, make big choices and endowments rich with undercurrents and emotion so that the narrator can heighten, invert, or disrupt your intentions. Make sure the scene has a solid foundation before expecting your offstage scene partner to bring the comedic heat.

4.) Challenge the narrator. And once the scene is up and running, you can (and perhaps should) torture the narrator a little as well. Characters can toy with when (and if) they are going to touch the assigned piece of furniture and then play further with the duration (and interruptions) of their contact. This is perhaps a “trick” of the game, so I share it here with caution, as you shouldn’t play the stock gimmick at the expense of the uniquely discovered game, but as the offstage voice can exert a considerable amount of sway on the story arc, it evens the playing field a little if the team playfully pushes back. (It’s helpful for the cueing item to be a furniture piece for this reason, as it encourages different ways of connection.)

In performance

You’ll want to have an able and excited narrator in the mix to bring out the sharpest hues from this dramatic outing. Strive to lean into the tropes of the base genre (ideally with some loving critique or whimsy). Love triangles, hidden identities, and impassioned revelations are likely to become frequent and popular elements of the game.

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: “Smelly, Sexy, Funny”

I really enjoy the way this dynamic immediately sets up strong points of view that enliven the stage action and jumpstart energized relationships.

The Basics

Four improvisers are needed for this scene. As part of the performed setup, they form a semi-circle in front of the audience and close their eyes. Each actor is then instructed to randomly select a different one of their team mates to embody one of the three titular qualities. (Players should clearly point to the chosen actor in question as the facilitator scrolls through the three options.) For the purposes of this game, Smelly indicates that a character is boring, uninteresting, or mildly off-putting, Sexy suggests they are enticing, appealing, or captivating, and Funny describes those who are viewed as humorous, silly, or perhaps pleasantly peculiar. In the resulting scene, players must endow these pre-determined qualities to their teammates while simultaneously figuring out how their scene partners feel about them. The dynamic works well as an office party or similar but needn’t be limited to this type of premise.

Example

Four players (A, B, C, and D) complete the opening ritual (with their eyes closed) and assign one of each of the given qualities to a different teammate. An office retirement serves as the premise and Players A and B volunteer to begin the action as the lights rise.

Player A: (viewing B as boring) “Jordan should be getting here shortly. Are you going to help hang up the decorations?”

Player B: (springing into action as they see A as sexy) “I’m sorry. I got distracted. I love the color scheme you’ve chosen.”

Player A: (disinterested) “It was just the packet on sale. I’m going to check on the refreshments…”

Player B watches A leave with a sense of devotion while C quietly enters and smiles at B’s presence.

Player C: (viewing B as funny) “I wasn’t sure you were going to make it. I thought you might have been on one of your business trips.”

Player B: (their energy changes as they have assigned C as funny as well) “Oh no! I don’t think this party is going to be big enough for the two of us!!!”

The Focus

Commit to your chosen energy and point of view and then allow the relationship energy to define and deepen the character connections. If you think too much about the why of each endowment, you’ll run out of time to explore these justifications in real time.

Traps and Tips

1.) Don’t fudge your initial choices. When I first played this game, we didn’t typically reveal our endowment choices to the audience before the scene started, but I’ve grown to appreciate this ritual as it makes players publicly commit to a decision. There can be a (misplaced) temptation to adjust your endowments when you discover what energies others are sending towards you, but this type of hedging can syphon a lot of the attack and risk, and there generally isn’t enough time to ill-informedly consider the “best” option. Enjoy the randomness and trust that it will open sufficient doorways to joy.

2.) Don’t get stuck on stage. This is another of a long list of games that thrives on shuffling character combinations. If characters get sticky feet and don’t share the stage, it becomes difficult to see the full variety of relationship energies. I generally recommend an Entrances and Exits strategy in these situations (see the game entry here). In short, this game thrives on two-people vignettes, although there is certainly a value in letting the story climax with everyone present once the audience has had a chance to meet and decipher the pertinent energies. If you’ve had a chance to endow each of your teammates, in particular, giving the stage will allow others the same courtesy.

3.) Don’t name the game. While this is perhaps only loosely an endowment game (as players work to unlock hidden information), a lot of the fun resides in pursuing the nuance and subtlety of each relationship. Avoid saying the key words whenever possible, as this usually hamstrings anything complex. The audience generally savors the sub-game of trying to identify the energies at play for themselves as well, so if this information becomes spoon fed, the scene can feel wanting. And, as always, there should be a story threading the scene together, too.

4.) Don’t needlessly limit yourself. When I teach this game, I like to unpack the three core traits as much as I’m able, providing rich synonyms and variants (as I’ve done above). Yes, smelly can obviously mean odorous, but it opens up the dynamic if it can also mean dull, or unpleasant, or unappealing. Seek this level of inclusiveness as you play. It’s great fun when two characters coincidentally share the same approach, but it’s equally joyful when unexpected takes on the qualities hit the stage. You’ll just want to make sure your choices are clear and readable as you don’t want the audience spending the whole scene wondering which of the three energies was in play. It can help for the host or facilitator to define the three emotions in a more complex manner for the audience before the game begins to help in this regard.

In performance

Relationships tend to form quickly and vibrantly in this whirlwind of a scene. If you find yourself stuck in similar or repetitive dynamics, you will find this game encourages you to form quick and bold assessments of your fellow characters.

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: Leesa Brown
© 2025 David Charles/ImprovDr

Game Library Expansion Pack I

Game Library: “Show Stopping Musical”

Okay, this musical game is admittedly on the sillier side, but it enjoyed some brief glory days during my run of Gorilla Theatre at Sak Comedy Lab, and the thought of it still makes me chuckle!

The Basics

A premise or title for a musical inspired the action. The scene starts with dialogue. When a suitably “musical moment” arrives, the accompanist provides a set up-tempo vamp to inspire a quick, high-energy, four-line song that then ends as abruptly as it began. Throughout the game, the exact same lead-in and accompaniment is used for every following number, with full-on “show stopping” choreography and commitment.

Example

The scene begins with a parent and child entering the storefront of their family business that has just gone bankrupt. Player A carries a big empty box as Player B pulls the door closed behind them

Player A: “I really thought it was going to work out this time. We’ve worked so hard…”

Player B: (looking sadly around the store) “This just doesn’t seem to be the neighborhood for a dog-grooming business… Make sure you get anything of sentimental value…”

Player A: (putting down their box) “It all has sentimental value…”

The musician starts a song with a cheerful vamp as other players take the stage to serve as chorus dancers…

Player A:

“I really love my grooming store;
It got raves on all the blogs.
But now my store it is no more,
It’s all gone to the dogs.”

The actors all hold their final pose while breathing heavily, perhaps a few beats too long, before the chorus disappears and the scene continues…

Player B: (clearing some papers from the counter) “Well, there’s no point in postponing the inevitable. I’m assuming you want these records…”

Player A: “I don’t know if I can bear to look at any of it. I’m just such a failure…”

Player B struggles to find any comforting words as Player C, their landlord, enters the shop.

Player C: “I’m glad I’ve caught you both. There is the matter of your outstanding rent…”

The musician repeats the exact same play-in as the dancers return, and a song with the same structure and length is improvised…

The Focus

Enjoy the stylistic snaps between the scene and songs, and sell every number as if it was the only show stopping number in the musical.

Traps and Tips

1.) Commit… to the scene and the world of the play. Heighten the contrast of your musical by basing the scene in something grounded and real and perhaps even a little on the heavier side. As you throw in a series of songs, the tone will quickly shift to the absurd, but if you keep fighting for some whisp of reality, the dynamic will still have room to grow and deepen.

2.) Commit… to the theatrically of the songs. Similarly, exploit all the wonderful energies and traditions of larger-than-life classic musicals. We generally used every available body as chorus dancers when the music strikes up, and the soloists would assume equally elevated movement qualities and choreography. As the accompaniment should remain the same, even interludes that might more typically become ballads should have an elevated and exaggerated feel.

3.) Commit… to the silliness of the transitions. The intro to each song should consist of an identical short up-tempo vamp, which should clearly cue a dramatic shift in the staging and energy. As each song concludes, there’s still more fun to be had. I like the choice of having everyone hold their finale pose (while audibly beating heavily) as if waiting for thunderous applause. And then waiting just a little too long after this doesn’t come each time before resetting back to the scenic needs. (It can be helpful to have the featured singer be the layer to finally break the hold just be keep these moments clean.)

4.) Commit… to the repetition of the accompaniment. There are a lot of great improv games that thrive on musical variety – this more irreverent option benefits from musical consistency (although, admittedly, this also means it’s unlikely to be successful if it becomes over-featured in your venue). Think of each new song as actually one identical verse in a much larger number that spans the length of the whole scene. In this way, the music, key, tempo, and ideally rhyme scheme don’t change from appearance to appearance. As the context of each song shifts radically, the unchanging music creates a surprisingly jarring baseline when it remains doggedly the same time and time again!

In performance

This game will have limited replay value, in my opinion, as it’ll get old (and difficult to breathe new life into) if you return to it every weekend. But for those of you who have a limited set of musical games in your roster, and enjoy these types of scenes, this whimsical offering delightfully pokes fun at the conventions of musical theatre while providing a joyful energy boost to your proceedings!

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

Game Library Expansion Pack I

Game Library: “Shake GPT”

This has become a guilty pleasure at Sak Comedy Lab where we’ve been exploring and polishing the premise for the last few months. A special shout out to Jay Hopkins and Meg Wittman who brainstormed and played the first iteration with me!

The Basics

In a world of artificial intelligence apps, Shake GPT brings a new letter-writing tool to the improv stage. A difficult topic or premise is obtained, and one player (A) enters sections of their draft into a computer which then spits out a Shakespeareanized translation (provided by Player B). Several excerpts are process in this fashion until the new draft of the letter has been completed.

Example

The team receives a breakup letter as the initiation and Player A (the author) places themselves on a chair stage left, while Player B (the Shakespearean GPT translator) stands neutrally stage right awaiting the first text input.

Player A: (by way of a preamble) “This is going to be rough. I really thought this was going to work out, but I just have to pull the cord. Maybe this Shake GPT can help.” (Writing on an imaginary keyboard) “Dear Lisa, I hope you’re having a nice day…”

Player A sits back in their chair as Player B comes to life with a dynamic light change and suitable Shakespearean music…

Player B:

“Oh, fairest Lisa, who makes my heart swell,
“I pray to the gods in your world all is well…”

Player A: (reacting a little nervously) “That’s an okay start, although I don’t want to build her up too much just to let her down.” (Writing again) “I have enjoyed our time together, but I’m realizing we may want different things…”

Player B: (springing back to life)

“When it comes to sweetness, you’re beyond compare,
In times of great need, I find that you’re there.
But though you are perfect, fit for my dreams,
Each river eventually splits into streams…”


Player A: (a bit taken by the language, and faltering) “Lisa really is rather special… But, no, I’ve made up my mind…”

The Focus

Enjoy the language games and surprises. Really take on intended and unintended gifts and discoveries. For example, while a breakup letter was the inspiration for the letter above, the translation might keep reminding the author how special their beloved is and thus cause a change of heart by the end of the correspondence.

Traps and Tips

1.) Exploit context. As we’ve tweaked this game further, I’ve quickly discovered that gathering some choice details from the audience can make all the difference as it gives specifics to weave into the resulting scene. I go out of my way not to use the same premise as prior outings which, in turn, has provided us with some wildly fun prompts – a bank loan denial due to fraud, a Homeowners’ Association response to a complaint, quitting an awful job… Getting names and a little backstory can help both the author and translator snap into clear points of view, and inspire delightful twists and turns. To this end, if you’re taking on the author role, take a little time to set up the device and need for the letter as this can also provide the translator with a little advance warning as to what kind of expectations you might have for the first few salvos.

2.) Author pointers. While I’ve described this dynamic as a letter, it can be helpful to think of each speech act as an instant message or tweet as this prevents the original author from adjusting any translations which, subsequently, raises the stakes of the whole affair. It’s certainly helpful to react and comment if things are going awry but feeling tied to the current trajectory keeps the scene racing forward. (If you have additional players at your disposal, one or more can also serve as a hype man or ally, helping as a sounding board and launching pad – just be careful that you don’t spend too much time between each re-write.) While reactions and preamble can be robust, strive to enter bite-sized pieces of text into the GPT program, especially as the game starts up. This will give the translator a manageable number of targets and hoops for their response, rather than sending them scrambling to try to incorporate a dozen competing elements. Reflecting back accidental or deliberate tonal shifts can also encourage the development of unique found games.

3.) Translator pointers. This game is somewhat reliant upon having someone in your stable who has comfort with and enjoys improvising elevated poetry. I like the feel and convention of iambic pentameter couplets (loosely modeled above) but only as this tends to open up the whimsy and risk for me as a player. If this isn’t the case for you, exploring Shakespeareanesque prose or similar will also land well, especially if you throw in some poetic devices – a little rhyming, alliteration, or word play, for example. As best you’re able, try to use each fragment offering as a roadmap for your response, hitting key specifics and elements in rough sequential order. (Hence the importance of not having huge chunks of text right of the bat, so you have a little space to warm up). I’ll generally have each response become a little longer than its predecessor just so that I can gain some depth and momentum. While it’s more than fine for the translation to honor the general wishes of the writer, don’t be afraid of pushing back a little or getting them into trouble. If you’re inclined to couplets, it’s also helpful to use your quiet scenic time to strategize a few target rhymes, especially so you’ve something in your pocket to provide an out.

In performance

I love language games so perhaps it isn’t surprising that this format has quickly become a favorite. I’m particularly enamored by its flexibility when you take the time to find a truly original launching point. If you know Foreign Poet (coming soonish to the library), the mechanics are loosely similar.

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

Game Library Expansion Pack I

Game Library: “Shadows”

Explore the dynamic relationship between what we say and how we say it with the game Shadows.

The Basics

Two players (typically members of the cast) serve as the actors, while two volunteers (typically folks drawn from the audience) serve as playwriting “shadows” who lurk one behind each assigned actor. During the scene, shadows audibly “whisper” each improvised line of dialogue for their partner, who must then repeat it verbatim while imbuing the provided words with subtext, emotion, and meaning. This dynamic continues with a series of freshly interpreted sentences until the scene draws to a close.

Example

After the game has been explained and the audience members coached, volunteers A and B take their positions behind players C and D respectively to begin a scene about working at a pet store. Player D mimes kenneling a frisky dog while C supervises.

Volunteer A: (audibly stage whispering) “I think you’ve done really well today.”

Player C: (with an unsure and slightly judging demeanor as they review their notes) “I think you’ve done really well today.”

Volunteer B: (audibly stage whispering from over D’s shoulder) “I really love working with animals. “

Player D: (standing up nervously after locking the kennel and with an air of desperation) “I really love working with animals. “

Volunteer A: (whispering) “I can see that.”

Player C: (mentally preparing to share the bad news) “I can… see that.”

The Focus

Enjoy the division of labor and exploit the rare opportunity to really consider each provided line before you act it.

Traps and Tips

1.) Speak up. There can be a tendency for audience volunteers to genuinely whisper their ideas so quietly that only the receiving players can hear them, but these scenes thrive from each line also being heard by the audience before they become fully embodied and performed.  It’s worth modeling this preferred dynamic before launching into the game (or sidecoaching volunteers to increase their volume within the scene itself) to avoid this trap. The guest playwrights should also aim to give bite-sized and rather bland readings of their text offerings to show the actors sufficient room to make the dialogue their own as well.

2.) Polish dialogue. In the actor roles, make sure you are earning each speech act and not just parroting lines as soon as they’re offered. These contributors are responsible for selling the scene and making each phrase fully their own. Pay particular attention to inflection, subtext, and operatives (or the most important or juicy word in each line). Every effort should be made to honor the improvised text in terms of the language, but that doesn’t mean phrases shouldn’t be pulled apart and reassembled in interesting or unexpected ways. Don’t just rattle through each offering in the hopes that the next line might be better.

3.) Savor silences. And don’t neglect or underestimate the power and playfulness of your staging, movement, and silences between and within the provided dialogue. Just because a shadow has created the next line, this doesn’t mean that the line must be uttered immediately or quickly. Taking a breath or creating unexpected blocking or stage pictures that reframe your words or intentions can become a delightful way to surprise your partners, shadows, and audience. If your shadows are particularly aggressive, this is also a great way to show down and deepen your scene as well – new lines, after all,  shouldn’t be offered until the prior line has been fully utilized.

4.) Dig deep. There are a lot of surface-y and likely gaggy games that can easily take over the scene, such as making every suggested line sarcastic or an inversion of the audience volunteer’s intention. A little of this can be fun but be cautious of making the shadows the butt of the joke rather than the heroes who have enabled a spellbinding story. When the actors really work to find the weight of the scene, rather than skip carelessly in the shallows, the game will start to feel notably different than other trivial chuckle fests and that can be quite exhilarating. Erring on the side of a more complex relationship or fraught scenario can go a long way to help in this regard.

In performance

I stumbled back into this format as I searched for a new audience game for my R&D Show at Sak Comedy Lab and was struck by its simple elegance and ability to house a host of different energies, genres, and discovered games. I hope you’ll have similar luck if you add it to your performance repertoire.

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: “Sensory Dinner”

I know this game primarily as a skills exercise, although it has immediate helpful applications for all your scenic work as well.

The Basics

Teams preselect a reason for a “family” meal as well as a type of cuisine. For the duration of the scene, players must engage in heated conversation while paying particular attention to the physical and tactile aspects of the meal being shared and consumed. Scenes may be played concurrently or shared before the greater class or ensemble.

Example

Players select a pizza party gathering amongst co-workers celebrating the completion of a rather daunting sales pitch.

Player A: (entering with a heavy and visibly hot stack of pizza in boxes) “I really can’t thank you all enough for putting your noses to the grindstone for the company this last week.”

Player B: (clearing a spot on the communal table for their boss while others happily take a seat and start distributing imaginary plastic cups) “I’m hoping this isn’t the sum total of your appreciation, Joce. We are getting close to bonus season!”

The group laughs somewhat awkwardly as Player C twists off the top to a large bottle of soda and starts filling cups.

Player A: (prying open the first box of pizza to determine its contents) “Let’s just say this is my first act of appreciation…”

Player D: (sliding behind A and grabbing a sticky slice of cheese pizza that doesn’t quite want to let go of the box it came in. After taking a large bite, and with a partially full mouth…) “I’d happily take all my paychecks in pizza if that was an option!”

D tries to bend their slice to prevent the cheese from all sliding off. C raises a cup as others start to descend on the open box.)

Player C: “Here’s to the best quarter yet and charming the socks off those Icelandic investors…”

The Focus

Eat the meal. Explore your senses. Tell a story.

Traps and Tips

1.) Consider touch. How heavy are the various components of the meal – the dinnerware, cutlery, serving dishes and the like – and do these objects change weight as food and beverages are consumed? Is the food particularly sticky, grimy, flaky, or dry? Does the greasy pizza have everyone reaching for napkin after napkin, or did it get here too late and so is now as hard and cold as a board? To assist in the exploration, it’s helpful to select a type of cuisine that everyone has some firsthand experience eating so that these types of details can be discovered and then mirrored and supported by the team.

2.) Consider taste. What are the specific qualities of the various items that you can discover and heighten? Does one character find the food too salty while another keeps adding more to suit their preference? What is the temperature of the foodstuffs – too hot, too cold, just right? Is it an appropriate level of spiciness, or too overwhelming for the less adventurous, sending some participants back time and time again to their water glasses for relief? What changes to the meal are you inclined to make in order to increase your overall enjoyment? Are you inclined to mask your character’s true experience so as not to cause offense?

3.) Consider smell. How does smell influence the whole dining affair and connect you to past experiences that might be pleasant or not so pleasant to recall? What does that first whiff of pizza do to you (and your character) as A carries the boxes through the door? Is cheese one of your favorite smells, or it is mildly triggering? Does something on your plate smell funky, or enticing, or unexpected? Does your nose tell you the contents of one of the serving dishes before your eyes can even perceive the arrival?

4.) Consider sight. In addition to the appearance of the food items themselves, what is the greater geography of the meal? Where are things positioned in relation to each other? What details can you create, maintain, and support as the meal progresses? Is there a keeper of the soda bottle, or a place where the salt and pepper shakers are always stowed, or a corner trash can where each empty pizza box eventually becomes discarded? What visual peculiarities endowed on the meal itself can add nuance, interest, and perhaps even story elements? Is someone picking off all the pepperoni slices before you can even get to the pizza box to claim an unadulterated slice for yourself?

5.) Consider sound. This may be the trickiest of the senses to conjure without an improvising Foley artist embellishing the action, but don’t neglect the soundscape of the whole affair as well. What sounds are you perceiving, and perhaps of even greater value, what sounds are you adding to the scene as you consume, and chew, and sip, and cut, and scrape, and nibble, and belch? While some of these sounds may be imagined – such as a pretend knife clinking against a pretend plate – they are nonetheless fodder for the scene and shouldn’t be ignored. Played with care and abandon, the meal might even take on an orchestrated feel with sounds rhythmically dueling and combining.

In performance

Usually, an emphasis is placed on experiencing the food rather than talking about it incessantly, so avoid having a scene where everyone exclusively announces how they’re eating the available fare! (I don’t think it’s helpful, however, to needlessly police brief references to the activity, as sometimes you just need to ask your neighbor to pass the potatoes…) It can prove quite challenging to develop interesting conversation while also paying extreme attention to the food-related choices and endowments of your scene partners, but n ability to achieve this honed level of multi-tasking will ultimately serve your improv well.

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

Game Library Expansion Pack I

Game Library: “Secret Cross Endowments”

Two characters sit across the table from each other. Their secrets are known, only not to themselves, and yet they must strive to understand their own foibles before the meal is over. This is Secret Cross Endowments.

The Basics

This format generally features two characters. Each actor takes a turn leaving the space (or covering their ears and humming) so that they cannot hear the audience ask-fors which consist of one secret or peculiar mannerism for each persona. When the scene begins, the players meet for a meal, and through careful endowments and clues, must determine what secret they are hiding from the world (perhaps with other team members assisting through strategic side support moments). Ideally, the scene climaxes with both characters revealing and reveling in their formerly unknown behavior.

Example

Player A’s secret is that they are a kleptomaniac, while Player B’s secret is that they are the victim of identity theft. (Note that each secret is privately given to the other player, so A knows B’s deal and vice versa.) The lights rise on the couple arriving at a restaurant with the assistance of C, the waiter.

Player C: (providing fresh waters before exiting) “And just let me know if I can be of any further assistance…”

Player B: (very carefully putting their purse over the back of their chair and out of reach of A) “It’s really been much too long since we’ve done this!”

Player A: (taking a seat) “I know! I was just talking to Kay about that yesterday. This used to be a weekly occurrence. But then again, you’ve had a difficult few months.”

Player B: (sitting down as well) “I’d rather not talk about all of that…”

Player B carefully positions their cutlery in front of them.

Player A: “Understood. I imagine you don’t even really know who you are anymore…”

The Focus

This is an endowment frenzy with characters needing to give and receive clues almost simultaneously.

Traps and Tips

1.) Saunter don’t race. Endowment games can tend to make players prioritize “winning” above all else, but keep in mind that this is a scene and it shouldn’t feel like every choice is a move designed to push your partner closer to success. Invest in the small details, behaviors, and acceptances, trusting that these might unlock new pathways further down the road (or just add interest to the mix in general).

2.) Show don’t tell. While you’re adopting a gentle pace, also explore subtlety in your offers. The audience will pick up and enjoy a much wider array of references – especially earlier in the scene – than your scene partner, and this is, in fact, where much of the fun lies. If B doesn’t want their purse to be stolen, this should begin with a sideways glance rather than an accusatory stare. Take the audience on the journey with you by exploring embodied behaviors rather than overt spoken clues.

3.) Invite don’t overwhelm. Remember that while you’re giving information, you are also receiving information (unless you’re in an assisting role). If you are inclined to monologuing, in addition to probably confusing your scene partner, you’re also preventing them from providing you with any meaningful information regarding your own predicament. The typically important give and take of improv is even more crucial in this simple but challenging dynamic.

4.) Apply don’t guess. And the standard endowment etiquette applies, specifically that the scene degrades if every line of dialogue starts to feel like a thinly veiled (if veiled at all) guess: “Am I a thief?” “Are you afraid of me?” “Why are you hiding your purse like that?” If you experience something suspicious, utilize this knowledge in a scenic way. Reach for the salt and pepper shakers and slide them closer to your side of the table if you believe you might be inclined to thievery and then see what your partner does in response to that choice. Yes, by the end of the scene, both characters will need to offer up rather explicit moves to confirm their ask-fors, but don’t start with that level of transparency.

5.) Support don’t smother. Finally, if you’re playing in the often-pivotal role of side support, make sure you’re closely observing and reflecting back the rhythms of the scene. It can prove quite frustrating for everyone involved if the secret holders are elegantly exploring a fruitful but opaque path only to have a teammate steamroll over that subtlety with some “fill in the blank” prompts. Yes, if the scene is stagnating, the waiter should probably notice something missing from the table in support of A’s kleptomania, but tread carefully when doing so as this could easily erase any prior grace.

In performance

I suppose there’s no reason the scene has to take place in a restaurant or similar, but this tight staging will often allow more subtle clues to flow helpfully back and forth.

Check out the growing array of endowment games in the ImprovDr Game Library by using the search tool here.

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: “Scene From Music”

Get the party (scene) started with this jamming game.

The Basics

A team of improvisers scatters across the stage to begin. When the booth begins to play a suitably energetic song, the players dance with abandon. The music then stops abruptly (perhaps on the signal of a host), and the actors must freeze in their current random positions. An unrelated premise or location is then obtained from the audience. During the scene that follows, the team members must all eventually unfreeze and justify their poses in the spirit of the current circumstances and story.

Example

The music blasts, and four players take the stage to dance wildly, only to be stopped by an emcee’s whistle. They are caught in four truly varied poses scattered across the space. Player A is hunched over with their hands resting on their head…

Host: “What’s an outdoor location that you wouldn’t expect to see these positions?”

The audience provides a mountain trail as the starting point. A brief countdown ensues as the lights transition. 

Player A: (swiping at their head) “Someone get these bees off of me. I’m terribly allergic!”

Player D considers how their peculiar pose might assist and eventually unfreezes as their teammates remain at the ready in their dancing stances…

Player D: (wagging their finger with disapproval) “I told you, son, not to mess with that nest…”

The Focus

Find inspiration from the unexpected tableau.

Traps and Tips

1.) Dance. When attacked fearlessly, the dancing preamble to the game can nearly be as entertaining as the scene itself. So, dance joyfully and to the top of your ability. Explore different physical levels, movement styles, rhythms, and partner combinations. If the opening movements feel safe or apathetic, the risk of the game will plummet. When the music stops, the audience should feel that the players have been caught off guard in truly challenging poses (as this should, in fact, be the case).

2.) Prioritize. When I host this game, I’ll always take a moment before the scene starts to instruct the team to have a quick look at each other. This adds a little playful heat to the event as they see the impossible positions they need to utilize – just watching them really see each other can add greatly to the fun! However, there’s also a pragmatic reason for this coaching moment: it’s useful for the players to recognize if a fellow teammate is in a particularly extreme or challenging pose so that this player can be given an opportunity to begin the scene if necessary. To avoid a cluttered start with multiple players talking over each other, default to the most uncomfortable position and/or those who are downstage of you as they’ll be less likely to be able to see you initiate if you’re out of their line of sight.

3.) Incorporate. Standard Freeze Tag techniques and strategies apply. (See here.) Be particularly careful that fun physicalities don’t become instantly dropped, needlessly fudged, or unhelpfully thrown away with blasé quips – “Well, I’m glad my stretching is over…” I like donning an attitude of making these starting positions important for the whole duration of the scene, so actors may take on elements of the opening tableau as parts of their characterization or keep returning to key activities or orientations. This strikes me as a more rewarding approach than just seeing a series of panicked justifications and a resultingly under-energized talking heads scene.

4.) Pace. In my current campus troupe, we tend to play this game as a quick hit that lasts approximately a minute or so. Even (or perhaps, especially) under these tightened parameters, it’s crucial to patiently and generously time the unfreezes. (The accepted concept is that players who have remained frozen aren’t in the world of the scene until they elect to come to life.) Avoid a mass blob of indistinguishable characters all trying to justify their existence in one chaotic improv avalanche. If you’re playing on a four-person team – which works well for this game – it’s helpful to assume that at least one player will remain frozen until the last twenty seconds or so of the action. Often, the first player will need a responsive partner reasonably quickly, but this shouldn’t necessitate remaining team members carelessly jumping on board the improv train as well.

5.) Share. And a last cautionary tale. Oftentimes, a well-intentioned improviser will inelegantly assign a list of roles or functions to their frozen teammates in an effort to quickly define everyone. Unfortunately, this type of move typically deflates the game and robs the audience of seeing the escalating difficulty of one player after another having to weave themselves into the emerging story. Instead, assume that each player will accept the responsibility of defining their own deal when they see the best moment to do so. Sure, there will be occasions when you might be able to see what another improviser can’t and therefore offer a much-needed helping justifying hand. But don’t make this your default setting.

In performance

If the thought of dancing doesn’t inspire confidence or your cast includes members who might not be served by such an energetic opening ritual, consider exploring the similar upcoming game, Statues, as an alternative.

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

Game Library Expansion Pack I