DAY ONE: Basic Improv Games to play at home (aka Play B.I.G.) for all ages!
Improv is a great way to “stretch imagination muscles” and stay creative, open minded and sane!
This game is called PROPS:
Take any object in your home (feel free to clean it first). This can be a fork, a hairbrush, a saucepan, a scarf, a book, etc. Pass it around (or back and forth with a partner) and see how many different things it can be OTHER than what it already is. For example, a saucepan can be a baseball cap, a bowl of cereal, an earring for an elephant…you get the idea. Act out your answer with just a sentence or two: “Here batter, batter, take a swing!”
DAY TWO: Play B.I.G. (Basic Improv Games) for all ages!
Let me know if you do any of these! Have fun!
Improv is a great way to “stretch imagination muscles” and stay creative, open minded and sane!
WALKING THROUGH…
Find an indoor or outdoor space you can walk around freely (mindful of social distancing). The Leader calls out: “Imagine that the whole room/space from floor to ceiling and wall to wall is filled with…” then take turns calling out different things like peanut butter, ice cream (brrrr), marbles, thumb tacks (ouch!), water, bricks, spaghetti, etc. Call “Freeze” between each one and look how others are experiencing it. No wrong way. Use your whole body to explore.
DAY 3: Play B.I.G. (Basic Improv Games)
“Stretch your imagination muscles!”
HEAD SHOULDERS KNEES AND TOES: Ellen’s Version
Sing and do the movements of this classic song. If you don’t know it (😱), contact me and we can arrange for me to sing it – no charge!!! Then, sing it again but change the emotion/give character and see how it changes the way you do the motions. Examples: Very sad, excited, like a robot, confused, like royalty, like a 100 year old, in slow motion, nervous, tired, CRAZY!
Have Fun! Send me videos!
Day 4: Play B.I.G. (Basic Improv Games)
“Stretch your imagination muscles” and have some fun!
QUESTION GAME: One of the “Rules of Improv” is NOT to ask questions because it forces your scene partner to come up with all the answers. However, in this fun game, YOU CAN ONLY ASK QUESTIONS! Pick a location (bar, restaurant, zoo, school, wherever. Ideally, it’s best with 2 or more people.
Person one: What are you doing here?
Person two: Why do you ask?
Person one: Are you here to see the Principal?
Person two: Did you get in trouble also?
Person one: Didn’t you see me put a spider on the teacher’s desk?
Person two: Was that you?
And so on!!!! When someone makes a mistake and says a statement instead of a question, everyone should LOUDLY make a buzzer sound (BUZZZZZ) and a new partner comes in. You can remain in the same location or pick a new location. On “Whose Line Is It Anyway” they do this game with hats! They choose a new hat and take on a new character each time they enter the scene.
You can play this game sitting at your kitchen table or acting it out in your living room or online with a friend.
DAY 5: Play B.I.G. (Basic Improv Games)
Fun at every age!
Everywhere I teach everyone always wants to play this!
BUS STOP:
Place two chairs side by side. Person One sits on a chair minding his/her/their own business. Person Two enters with the intention/objective/goal of getting the other person off the bench. Their character either needs the full bench for some very important reason or they are doing something terribly annoying! The two may engage in conversation but Person One must act very annoyed until they exit. Person Two must continue in character until Person One exits. Person Two moves over and the game starts again. The actors may not push, poke, “kill, maim or torture” their scene partner!
Bus Stop examples:
Your character has a bad virus. 😱
You just saw a zombie down the street!
You work for the park and you have to paint the bench.
Endless possibilities! Hours of fun!
DAY 6: Play B.I.G. (Basic Improv Games)
“Stretch your imagination muscles!”
3 Changes:
Face your partner and look at them very careful from head to toe for one minute. After the minute is up, both of you should turn around and change three things about your physical appearance (i.e. push a sleeve up, untie shoelaces, etc.). When you are both finished making your 3 changes, turn around and take turns guessing what your partners changed.
Have fun! Let me know how it goes!
Day 7: Play B.I.G. (Basic Improv Games) Fun for all ages!
“Stretch your imagination muscles!”
YES, and…
The concept of “Yes, and…” is the primary rule of improvisational theater. This means, say “yes” to the information given to you and then add it it.
For example:
Person One: I’m so excited for the prom tonight, Mom.
Person Two: Yes my dear daughter, and I can’t wait to be your chaperone!
What NOT to do: (didn’t ADD to the situation)
Person One: I’m so excited for the prom tonight, Mom.
Person Two: That’s nice.
What NOT to do: (negate the info given)
Person One: I’m so excited for the prom tonight, Mom.
Person Two: I’m not your mother, I’m your sister and I’m not playing this stupid improv game.
You got the picture!
So, find a partner in your home or virtually and pick a topic. I’ll give you a starter: Dogs
Person One says a sentence about dogs that provides information (i.e. Your dog looks like he could use a good grooming). Person Two responds with, “Yes, and…” then builds on what was said giving more information (who are you, where are you, what are you doing?). Go back and forth for as long as you can. Once you get good at this, get on your feet and act it out!
Have fun! Let me know how it goes.
DAY 8: Play B.I.G. (Basic Improv Games) for people of all ages!
“Stretch you imagination muscles!”
Today is the first time in 24 years that I won’t be starting my Adult Improv Spring Semester. I will especially miss playing with Neil Lavey, Jonathan A Cohen, Cindee Howard, Sheila Shadeed, Sara Rodgers Bramble, Michael Robinson, Rachel Glynn, Tina Kremenesky and so many others!
In honor of them, here’s a classic:
FREEZE FRAME:
2-3 people begin a scene (start with a location, occupation, relationship or activity). Be as active as possible. Someone from the “audience” or the designated leader calls out “Freeze!” Another actor then takes the position of someone in the scene and starts a brand new scene informed by the position they are in. This can go on until the end of the pandemic!
Have fun! Let me know how it goes.