IMPROVISATION
STARTERS
The situations in these starters should be fairly easy for beginning improvisers to put themselves into. Each character has a motivation, what that person wants in the scene. The actors should decide the "why" behind their desire before they start the scene. This will help them to keep focused during the improvisation. The specifics of the scenes can either be determined ahead of time, or they could be made up during the improv.
For Younger Actors
(8-12):
1. A girl brings a dog (not another actor-imagine it is there) into her house who "followed her home". She tries to convince her mother to let her keep the dog.
2. Two siblings play a board game. One accuses the other of cheating. An argument ensues.
3. A grandparent and grandchild have a talk about what they did during their day. The child expresses a desire to be older, and the grandparent wishes to be younger.
4. A teacher tries to teach the multiplication table to a student who only wants to talk about TV shows.
5. One friend tries to convince another friend that she has seen a UFO. The friend is disbelieving.
6. A child tries to convince parent to stay home from work and let her stay home from school.
7. You are on an airplane when the stewardess quietly asks the passengers one by one if anyone knows how to fly a plane. Your reactions should be interesting.
For Older Actors(10+)
1. A teacher tells a student that she is going to fail science class. The student tries to convince the teacher that she will improve, and asks her not to put an F on the report card which comes out next week.
2. A mother and son/daughter are shopping for school clothes. The Mother does not think her child’s attire choices are appropriate for his/her age/weight/personality.
3. One friend tries to convince another that he has seen a UFO. (Is he lying or not?)
4. A young child is at the doctor’s office with his/her mother to get a shot. The child is very frightened and the doctor has to use tactics in order to give the shot. The mother is very nervous.
5. Two friends are deciding which clubs/classes to sign up for. One wants to take/join something (i.e. cheerleading, ROTC, Feminist Theory) that the other thinks is an awful choice.
6. One sibling tries to convince another who is shy to come to a party.
7. A boy has been told (falsely) that a girl likes him. Actually, the girl’s best friend likes the boy. He runs into the girl at the library, and she tries to get him to go over to the section of the library where the best friend is.
8. A young person has to do a paper on (pick an historical character), but does not want to have to read a lot. He tries to get a salesperson in a children’s bookstore to show him books on the subject that will provide enough information for the report.
9. A teacher is trying to teach the
multiplication table in a one-on-one situation. The student only wants to talk
about TV shows.
10. Three friends are in a restaurant. They try to order from the menu, but each has some dietary restriction that requires them to change the preparation of each dish. The waiter is new on the job.
11. Two friends are on a talk show. Their problem is that one keeps changing her interests and attire to match the other friend. The talk show host is on the imitator’s side.
12. Two people are at an amusement park. One wants to ride the newest roller coaster in the park (choose specifics), and the other one is terrified to do so. He/she tries to convince the other not to ride without letting on that he/she is scared.
13. Girl/boy talks to male/female (opposite gender) friend about new boy/girl she/he is dating. The person is a JERK and the friend doesn’t think she/he should see him/her.
14. Babysitter tries to get a child to go to bed. The child will not fall asleep, because he/she is afraid of a monster (pick a kind).
15. Four people are going to the movies, but two want to see one movie (choose a type) and the other two want to see a different one (choose something radically different from first).
16. A schoolmate tries to convince another to convert to his new religion, which is based on the idea that computers are omnipotent.
17. Two strangers are stuck in a room that has a security door. The one is overly concerned with getting out, the other wants to become friends, and so is in no hurry.
Some individual, pair
and group PANTOMIME IDEAS are suggested below.
1...Struggling to pull-down a bed.
2...Try to open a window to a fire escape.
3...Attempt to open a stuck door.
4...Opening a birthday present that they've always wanted.
5...Eating a bowl full of something really disgusting.
6...A monkey eating a banana.
7...Imitate the actions involved in everyday activities: mowing the lawn, making a bed, moving the trash can, sweeping the floor, digging the garden, etc.
8...Buying shoes, hats, food or a car.
9...Putting on a pair of shoes (ballerina-fireman, then acting out the character.
10...Going on a bus journey.
11...Making a telephone call.
12...Watching TV.
13...Felling trees.
14...Spending a day at the beach. Contrast a hot day with a cold or wet day.
15...Going camping and setting up a camp (put up a tent, chop wood, build fire, etc.)
16...Having a nightmare.
17...Turning into robots.
18...Share the Work! Pairs of children working at something-with an imaginary object between them. (Spreading a sheet; pulling taffy, etc.)
PRIMITIVE SOCIETY
(Story Improv)
Have a group (maximum of 6) fabricate a primitive society. The actors will become the religious leader, political leader, society leader, poor people, rich people, workers, beggars, etc. The ensuing scene will show the interaction between the members of the society.
SOUP
KITCHEN (Story Improv)
Have a group (maximum of 6) make up a scene at a soup kitchen (may or may
not be during the depression). Have a couple workers and a few customers. Why
are they all there? What jobs did the customers hold before their bad times?
What are the attitudes of the workers?
TRAIN
ROBBERY (Story Improv)
Have a group (maximum of 6) re-create a train robbery. Have a couple of robbers, a conductor, and passengers. The scene can be funny or serious. Where is the train heading? What do the passengers do for a living? Why are the robbers holding up this particular train? Keep physical violence to a minimum.
ARCHEOLOGICAL
DIG (Story Improv)
Have the group (maximum of 6) become members of an archeological dig somewhere. Actors become archaeologists, government officials, local inspectors, student helpers, news media, thieves, etc. What are they digging for? What do they find? How does the find affect those present?
TALK
SHOW
Have one of the actors play a host of a talk/interview show. Have another actor (or actors) play a guest. Give the host and guest specific personality types (or have them come up with them themselves)--and give the guests occupations, hobbies, raison d'etre, etc. Have the audience ask questions.
WHAT'S
NEXT?
Have a small group story improv (2-4 actors) begin as usual, having the
audience suggest the characters, setting, and conflict. At various times during
the scene, have the host stop the scene and ask for suggestions from the
audience for plot twists which the actors will take.
FOREIGN
FILM
Have 2-4 actors do the acting and 2-4 other actors do the voices. The
audience gives the actors a scene--the actors doing the acting will supply the
actions and the others will provide the over-dubbed voices.
One actor works at the Customer Service desk at Sears. Another actor is a
customer who purchased a stereo the previous day and is returning it for a
refund. The last thing the Sears employee wants to do is give a refund. The
customer wants the refund to get a similar stereo from JC Penney's.
SIBLING
RIVALRY
Two siblings are left alone while the parents go on a trip for the day. The siblings must stay together. One wants to attend the Rolling Stones concert (the only time it'll ever be in town), the other wants to stay home and watch World Championship Wrestling on Pay Per View (Championship match)
CHARACTER
WALK
Have the group sit in a circle while you demonstrate the metamorphosis of a character through the development of his/her walk (ie: Scrooge, crippled--not accepted--bitter--decrepit). Next have them walk in a circle using different walking styles. Old person, baby, cocky, sad, etc.
