"Who do you tag out?" I've asked improvisers. "Keep the Crazy," some reply. Have more fun with a fun character. It's a fine thought. "Change the catalyst," I say. The audience loves watching improvisers affected by imagined reality. When we heighten the reality we force the affected character into a heightened reaction. So when choosing […]
Yes, when approaching Tag-Outs it can be helpful for the sake of focused heightening to only tag-out one side of the scene - keeping one character consistent and heightening his/her Personal Game. And yes, when choosing between two players to tag-out it is often advantageous if you replace the catalyst and keep the character reacting […]
Check out this great heightening of a character with a series of Tag-outs. [wpvideo KtSpiLmj ] It's a simple game played the "right" way. The set-up is clear: Nicole establishes that they're at the Grand Canyon and Lauren hates it. She hates that there are no video games and that there are "donkey smells."
Here's an annoying song my baby likes: Herman The Worm Here's the thing... It makes for one fun group warm-up with echos of One Person, To The Ether, Help Desk and Hey Everybody game patterns. Give it a try!
The first time it's random. The second time it's purposeful. The third time it's expected. This progression informs how we build collaboratively in improv, be it in service of a pattern of emotional behavior, a relationship dynamic, a group game, or forging an organic format. What is necessary to elevate a random occurence into a shared […]
Ask your troupe what they want to work on. A comment by Alan Volmer during a Johnsons rehearsal led to this move being added to the group's bag of tricks. THE BODY SNATCHER: A third player takes over either Player One's or Player Two's character. If Player Three chooses to take on Player Two's character, […]
Player One stands rigidly on stage, stroking an imagined object on his right wrist and says, "I love my shield." Player Two enters stage, stares agog at the imagined shield and says, "Wow-wie! That is one awesome shield." The question for you is: If you were told to enter the scene as the third player […]
The Johnsons have been working on building a more collective world in their long form performances. One tool they've practiced is using their scene edits to establish and heighten an organic pattern progression. And on January 16th, 2016 they did it on stage for the first time. Watch. Enjoy. [wpvideo TajAtDB3] First time is random. […]
Hey Everybody game mechanics allow a group to build a focused direction out of disparate parts. They are so named because, though they have wider applications, they are useful to a player in navigating a scene initiated with a rush of players to the stage. When Townsend Hart starts The Johnsons' group game with "Emergency […]
"A Massage Convention's an HR hotbed." --> "If OSHA says this is wrong, I don't want to be right." With Hey Everybody mechanics in our back pocket we can confidently jump into chaos knowing that all we need to do is each stick and heighten our individual perspectives while collectively sticking to the order of […]