IMPROVISATION

IMPROVISATION

Improvisation is a style of performance in which everything that occurs is unscripted and unrehearsed; the performers are making everything up on the spot.

Name some situations in which you would have to make something up on the spot on stage.

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Before you begin improvising on stage with a group or with a partner, there are a few shoulds and should nots you should be aware of.

You Should……	You Should Not……
1. You Should quickly establish your character in your mind.  This means, you should know your age, occupation, physical build, mental ability, etc.	1. You Should Not deny anything your scene partners say about you or the situation.  If your partner (or partners) say you have marvelous purple hair, you have to accept what they say as true and use your imagination to respond.
2. You Should identify the problem in the scene and decide on your goal by figuring out what your character wants or needs.	2. You Should Not ask questions that could only have yes or no answers.  You are not conducting an interview, you are performing a scene.  Try to have conversations instead of asking questions.
3. You Should let the situation provide the plan as to how your character decides to reach their goal.	3. You Should Not use simple statements. Give descriptive information.  Inform the audience and other characters in the scene about your feelings, needs, and goals.
4. You Should see things in the eyes of your character, stay focused on your goal, take cues from your partner (or partners,)  listen and observe what others are saying.	4. You Should Not explain situations and feelings.  Show how you feel instead of trying to say it.

THE MIRROR

This is a partner improv.  It requires a bit of concentration because you will be imitating your partner’s exact movements.

1. Face a partner
2. One person will be the activator, and one will be the responder.
3. The activator will move their hands, then head, then other parts of the body as though they are looking in a mirror.
4. The responder will follow the movements of the activator as though they were the mirror reflection of the activator.
5. The responder is not to make any physical contact with the activator during the exercise.
6. The goal is to develop concentration skills and work smoothly with a partner.
7. DO NOT TRY TO TRICK YOUR PARTNER. The idea is that the two of you should try to work together.

IMPROV LIST

Use this worksheet to create a list of possible ideas we can use for group improvisations.

1.   Please List 5 Different Places:

a.   __________________________________________________

b.  __________________________________________________

c.   __________________________________________________

d.  __________________________________________________

e.   __________________________________________________

2.  Please List 5 Different Jobs or Occupations:

a.___________________________________________________

b.___________________________________________________

c.___________________________________________________

d.___________________________________________________

e.___________________________________________________

3.  Please List 5 Questions Someone Might Ask Someone Else:

a.   __________________________________________________

b.  __________________________________________________

c.   __________________________________________________

d.  __________________________________________________

e.   __________________________________________________

4.   Please List 5 Possible Relationships:

a.___________________________________________________ 
b.___________________________________________________ 
c.___________________________________________________ 
d.___________________________________________________ 
e.___________________________________________________

5.   Please List 5 Possible Conflicts:

a.___________________________________________________

b.___________________________________________________ 
c.__________________________________________________

d.___________________________________________________
 e.___________________________________________________

IMPROVISING STORYTELLING

OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM

The following list is different ways in which you can play around with Improvisation outside of our classroom

TALL TALE CONTEST

A tall tale is a humorous story that uses realistic detail and a literal, straight faced manner to tell you about extravagantly impossible happenings.  Create a tall tale to explain why you were once late for class or to explain some other event. Make it as outrageous and detailed as you can.  

AROUND THE CAMPFIRE

Have everyone sit in a circle around an imaginary campfire.  Use your pantomime lesson to really set the environment and create the scene around you.  If you can, even dim the lights to really make it feel like you are outside by a campfire.  Take turns telling parts of a scary story.  One person should start the story, and then when it gets to an especially scary part, stop speaking and then it becomes the turn of the next person to continue the story. Use different voices whenever possible and tell the story as though it is happening to you. Include vocal sound effects wherever possible to try an make your story as spooky as possible.

WHAT’S HAPPENING?

Since performance can take place anywhere, try to perform in different places.  What are some of the places where you could perform?  A classroom, school yard, cafeteria….The possibilities are endless.  In the late 1950’s and early 1960’s people would perform spontaneously without informing the people around them that they were performing.  This was called a happening. Pick any story you like and try performing at the drop of a hat.  How did it feel to perform without any of the conventions of a theater?  What did people say about your performance?

PROP-PROMPTS IMPROVISATION

This is a great way to entertain friends and family when there is nothing to do and so much more fun than parking in front of the television all night.  Gather together a bunch of everyday objects such as a hubcap, pantyhose, a scarf, a mop, a fork, a pillow.  With a partner or alone, choose an object as your prop and perform a quick improv with it for no more than thirty seconds.  Use the object in the way you are supposed to use it, or in another way entirely. The idea is to keep the scenes moving.  Keep choosing objects and changing the scenes until you run out.  Make sure each scene has a beginning, middle and end.