Intro to Improv Key Takeaways
YES AND
GOT YOUR BACK
STARTING SCENES
CHARACTER
There are a few different ways to establish a strong character. One is to gift yourself with a few things just before taking the stage. Give your character a first name and a descriptive word or two (Example: selfish, uptight Suzie). Your character may end up being named something different once you are on stage by someone else, but it gives you a solid base and a different way of thinking outside of your own self.
SCENE EDITS
Once a scene is over, it is up to the rest of the troupe to edit it in order to end it and start a brand new scenes. There are a few different ways to edit a scene.
Sweep Edit or Wipe
A Sweep edit is where, once a scene is over, someone from the back line runs across the front of the stage to signify that it is done and a new scene should begin immediately. By doing this, you are the human equivalent of the line that transitions from one scene to another on a movie screen.
Wipes will happen when
- A button line is found – a funny moment that is the perfect end to the scene.
- The scene isn’t getting traction after a minute or so – go ahead and get it out of there.
- Something offensive to the audience happens. Wipe immediately to move on from it.
Other scene edits such as Walk Ons, Tag Outs, Sexy edits, etc. will be covered in more depth during the Intermediate level classes.
GAME
Extreme Heightening
SHOW OPENINGS
The show opening is used to take the word obtained from the audience and brainstorm many more ideas off of it to have a show with a lot of variety. There are an infinite different kinds of openings. The one we used most often is the “Living Room”.
The Living Room
Someone introduces the troupe to the audience and gets a word from them. Everyone in the troupe says the word together and then the group engages in two to three minutes of off the cuff, true life stories that are inspired by that word. This is very casual and informal. Other people can ask questions, go off on their own tangents, etc.
As this is going on, everyone should be listening for one thing that they might use to initiate a scene with. It can be something specific or vague. It could be a single word, or you could use something said as an entire first sentence. Put it in your back pocket to use if and when you start a scene.
Intro to Improv Exercises
Zip Zap Zop
Simple pattern game. Form a circle. First person says Zip and points to another person (or hand swipes towards them), next person says Zap, third person says Zop and repeat the pattern.
Five Things
Someone gives a Category to someone else (serious or silly). They are to list 5 things in that category as fast as they can, not worrying about whether what they say is right. Just say something. After each one, the rest of the group counts them off. ONE… TWO… etc. After the fifth one, do a song and dance: THESE ARE FIVE THINGS and then the person who just went selects another person to give a category to. Keep going until everyone has had a chance to do this.
A character variation is to do FIVE THINGS AS A… In addition to the Five Things, someone else gives an ‘as a…’ character. A type of person rather than a specific human being. They then do the five things from the perspective and with the voice and physicality of that person. Example: “Five terrible pizza toppings as a Philly toll booth operator. ”
Clap Pass
Circle up. Two people clap at the exact same time. Then they pass it to the next person and clap at the exact same time. Go around the circle at least once and then give them instructions that they can now send the energy in the other direction by staying with that same person and clapping again. You’ll likely need to remind them to try and be in sync when clapping.
Name Thumper
A great game to learn names! Each person will say their name, make a movement to go with their name, and then give a word to go along with their name – the word can start with the same letter, rhyme, be an animal, etc. it doesn’t matter – any word is good. Go around the room one by one with everyone repeating it back after the person gives the name, movement, word combo.
Once it’s gone around at least once, explain that you’re going to give your own name & symbol and then someone else’s name and symbol. When someone sees their name and symbol, they will give their own name and symbol and someone else’s, and so on. Let them know that this isn’t a competition, so anyone can stop and ask for a name, movement or symbol at any time – it’s encouraged to do so to learn names!
Squirrel Nut Tree
Circle game. Three people form a triptych together. First person out says “I’m a Squirrel” and puts their body in the shape of a squirrel. 2nd person says “I’m a Nut” and takes the shape of a nut. 3rd person says “I’m a Tree” and takes the shape of a tree. The person who was out there first (or longest) says who stays and the other two return to the circle (let’s say Tree for the example). The person remaining then says their own thing again “I’m a Tree” and two more people come out to join them doing something that goes along with a Tree that is neither a Squirrel or a Nut this time. (example “I’m a swing” and “I’m a leaf”). Person out longest says who stays and repeat again. Note: You’ll often have to remind the first person to say theirs again to get the pattern going, remind the one out there the longest to keep one, and also encourage them to keep it flowing and not leave anyone out there by themselves for long.
For the last one, find an easy one to have all of the class pile on to finish it off.
Snap Pass
Throw a snap to someone else in the circle. That person catches it with a snap and then throws it to someone else with a snap (it’s okay if people can’t make the noise of a snap – the motion is enough).
Two snaps: One to catch and the other to pass.
This continues. After a few snaps, the group usually gets very creative with it, and start treating it like a real object. When the snap comes back to the teacher, take a pause and ask people if they were seeing it? What helped with the illusion? What broke the illusion? Continue on and encourage the class to have fun with it.
Bunny Bunny/Toki Toki
Teach this one piece at a time, then combine it all together.
First part: Make a bunny motion with two fingers (both hands) towards yourself and say BUNNY BUNNY. Then make the same motion towards someone else and say BUNNY BUNNY again. Some people will get the motion backwards, but it’s not a huge deal. Let that go for a bit to solidify.
Second part: The two people to the sides of BUNNY BUNNY face that person, throw their arms out, and rock side to side saying TOKI TOKI in the same rhythm as BUNNY BUNNY. Let these play for awhile until it solidifies.
Third part: Everyone who isn’t BUNNY BUNNY or TOKI TOKI will keep the rhythm by saying OOM-CHA OOM-CHA and slapping their own thighs gently to make a clap sound. Start everyone doing this, then once the rhythm has been established, start the BUNNY BUNNY-TOKI TOKI up.
After they get good at it, you can speed it up slowly. Keep going faster until it falls apart.