Ok, folks. I need your help. Here's the deal:

I'll be ajudicating the improv games in my hometown on my spring break, which means that I'll be working with high school kids to help them improve their group dynamic, confidence, etc. during the competition.

So, I was wondering (because I know you all are drama kids like Pamie... and me) if you know of any good games to play with them that could help them in any performance area. I'd also love any input on what you think are good things to say, good ways of going about things, etc. I did this ajudicating thing last year, but this time around it's more interactive (my suggestion, yay!) so I want to do a GREAT job. Thanks so much, all of you.

-- Anonymous, February 13, 2000

Answers

Well Lindsay,

I am so far from the best person to offer anything since I couldn't even make a toast at my dad's wedding the other day without getting a paralyzing case of stage fright, but I do remember an exercise that we were given at camp to help us get ready for the end of summer play. I think the director expected a little too much out of a bunch of 8 year olds, but whatever.

Anyway, she had a bunch of index cards that each had an emotion written on it such as terror, rage, sadness, confusion, joy, etc. She fanned the cards out in pick-a-card-any-card style, and whatever you picked, you had to make up a scenario or story that fit that emotion and perform it. If you were supposed to be sad, she expected to see real tears. If you were supposed to have the giggles, then everyone was supposed to be laughing with you by the time you were done with your turn. Once everyone had a go at it, we had to exchange cards with someone else and do it again. It was terrifying at first, but by the end of it we were all loosened up and ready to start kicking some camp play ass!

Good luck to you!

-- Anonymous, February 14, 2000

Don't make them play stupid "get to know each other's names" games! I hate those! People say they create a group dynamic since we all learn each other's names, but what the freak do our names have to do with anything? I'd much rather jump right into the actual improv exercises to work on characters and scenes. Don't waste time with that stuff, just let them get to know each other on their own and through actual performance.

-- Anonymous, February 14, 2000

The first thing to do is to get them engaged, to get them over the fear of being idiots in front of their friends and with you. What a vocal coach once did was to have us talk as if we were aliens in another language. It's hard to describe, but I'll give it a shot. Say 'blah'. The feeling that your mouth makes with the bl is sorta what you're going for. Flip you're toungue back and forth over the upper lip as quick as you can. Have the class talk to each other. She used this exercise to accomplish 3 things. 1 - when the toungue is loose, speaking and especially singing is easier and freer. 2 - Illustrates that words are not essentiail to convey your meaning 3 - It's really difficult to stay closed off to people once you're laughing with them.

I don't know if this helps, but I'll ask around and see if anyone else has an idea.

Vicky

-- Anonymous, February 14, 2000

Although I'd never consider myself a professional improv actor (not like my new-found superheroine Pamie, anyway), I *do* have a couple of exercises that my theatre students seem to enjoy:

For starters, I give them a waiting scenario--ideally four people waiting at a laundromat, a bus stop, an emergency room, etc.. They're not allowed to interact for the first 5 - 10 minutes. (That gived 'em the chance to build a character.) Afterward, I let them communicate with the other people in the scene and tell them that their goal is to leave the room--but they can only leave in the company of someone else in the group (e.g. they have to seduce another person, bum a ride, etc.). You can put other limitations on the scene to tweak it.

If they handle that exercise well, I try to work in a little race/gender work. We'll set a scene with two actors, each playing characters racially and/or sexually different from themselves. After a few minutes, I'll tap someone else into the scene and I'll tap one of the first actors out, letting the scene evolve. (It helps if it's set somewhere farily public, like a grocery store.) I've found this exercise typically fosters a lot of discussion and a certain level of group intimacy.

My favorite exercise might be too intense for high schoolers, but if they've been going hard all day, they might have worked up to it. It's that classic Open Theatre exercise, where you break up into groups of about 5 - 10 people, and each group forms a circle. One person from each group goes to the middle of her/his circle and begins making an abstract, retetitive gesture and a matching abstract, repetitive sound. Once the person's got a rhythm established, s/he moves to the edge of the circle and faces another member of the group. That person must mirror the first persons actions and sounds until they're in perfect synch. Slowly, the person in the middle moves to the edge, and the person on the edge moves to the center, gradually allowing the movement/sound to mutate into something new, which s/he trades off with another member of the group. If you go at it for a half-hour or more, it can get really interesting--self-consciousness just flies out the window.....

-- Anonymous, February 15, 2000

Lindsay, there are a *ton* of improv resources you might find useful. One of which is books, especially by the mother of improv, Viola Spolin. There are also some improv pages on the 'net dedicated to improv games and explanations, such as The Improv Page. And there's also the newsgroups, alt.comedy.improvisation.

Lastly, from someone who taught improv to wide range of kids, the best advice given to me -- don't the stuff for the kids and give them as succint of an explanation you can. If you "show" them how it's done, it's likely that's the only why they'll play it, complete with the same gags, but if you let them figure it out, they'll probably show you a way of playing that never occurred to you before.

Good luck, it's a real joy.

~

-- Anonymous, February 15, 2000

I work with junior high kids doing theater stuff, and their favorite improv game by far is Stand, Sit, Kneel. Every once in a while you'll see the folks on "Whose Line" do it, but not often. Anyway, the premise is very simple: there are three players and one has to be standing, another sitting and the last one kneeling at all times. Any of them can switch at any time, but the rest have to maintain the balance. Give them an easy situation like "waiting for a bus," "doctor exam," etc., and they eat it up. Usually the kids not participating are in hysterics watching, too.

-- Anonymous, February 15, 2000

Since it sounds like these are kids that are already somewhat versed in improv, I'd say the best thing you can do are three line scenes. Get one person to start with an activity (doing something in the kitchen is a Monks' favorite). Then another person enters the scene and gives a good establishing line. The person who started the activity gives the second line, and the third line goes to the other actor. The goal here is not to create a whole scene, but to teach the actors that the scene should have somewhere to go by the first three lines. They should establish the who, where, and what makes this moment unique or special. You can even have them vote to decide if each scene is viable.

Just remember to stick to some of the basic rules of improv. -Don't ask questions -"Yes, and" - don't deny each other's assumptions, accept them and add information -Keep the action going. If you start the scene chopping wood, it doesn't mean you have to put your axe down when you talk. Activity with silence is more interesting than two talking heads. -Don't go for the joke. While it may get a laugh initially, it can also kill any chance the scene has of actually going somewhere. (This is my big problem)

Sure, some great improv can come from breaking the rules, but most folks suck until they learn the basics. Even if you've been doing it for years, 3 line scenes keep you on your toes and hone your skills. And if anyone starts to think they're hot shit, just call them Bubba. Trust me on this one. (Sorry, inside joke just in case Pamie's checking in on us)

-- Anonymous, February 18, 2000

Andy, Okay bubba. Funny.

-- Anonymous, February 24, 2000