A solid Hey Everybody example. Watch it. What do you notice? [wpvideo HrEK7Y9P] 1. Repetition is heightening. Laura didn't need to do anything more than repeat "I'm a North Carolina State Mom" to get a laugh at the start of the second pass of the game. In fact, the audience also laughs with a sense […]
A split screen game. Two worlds. Echoed roles. And leveraged language. [wpvideo 5PbgT9mH] From my 2014 District Improv Festival "Boldly Go, Boldly Follow" workshop featuring Coonoor Behal, Pete Bergen, Jamie Bingner, Christine Crocker, John Heiser, Scott Holden, Jeff Hughes, J.J. Jackson, Patricia Kostiuk, Scott Kostiuk, Colleen McKenna, Ellen Reiterman, Sara Rouhi and Kate Symes
OFFER, SET, CEMENT: THAT'S GAME! Some definitions: Pattern - a sequence that can be repeated / a structure that can be reused Game – a sequence of actions, related by rules of cause-and-effect, that heightens with repetition A rocketship, A thumb and An aardvark. That's a fine pattern. A rocketship, A thumb and An aardvark. […]
TO THE ETHER Games I like Frisbee. I like hacky sack. I like hitting this one stick I wrapped in ribbons with these other two sticks I wrapped in different ribbons. I like the Grateful Dead. I like acoustic guitar around a beach bonfire. I like blowing into this diggerydoo I crafted in the company […]
HELP DESK HELP YOU Through the progression of a Help Desk game’s dialogues, we heighten the participants’ personal games. Two players swapping opinions on a piece of art can be a pretty funny scene. But, with Help Desk game mechanics, we can heighten personal games to make the characters’ emotional perspective more important than the […]
To be most effective our patterns must heighten, either in a concentrated progression or through pure repetition. In building a progression, we focus on the relationship of Offer, Set and Cement moves to define how we heighten as a group. The Offer is anything, an initiation. From the Offer's single point in space on a blank […]
HEIGHTENING EMOTIONAL AGREEMENT CIRCLE – A player makes a Self Contained Emotional Statement. It can be as simple as “I love it here,” “I hate the arts,” or “I’m uncomfortable.” Then progressively each person to the right heightens the perspective by agreeing with it – essentially with a “Yes, and.” “I love the beach.” “Yeah, […]
Emotional Decision Making: If you are to “choose one thing” entering a scene, emotion is always a strong choice. It doesn’t matter what the choice was if you commit. And choosing to decide without deference to “sense” can make for fun unique scenes. Suggested Exercises: EMOTIONAL CHOICE CIRCLE– Player One makes a decision of what […]
Remember what you like; Repeat: We have to listen and retain so we can return to and heighten established information. Memory is a muscle to exercise. But the exercise can be fun – focus on what makes you laugh, what engages you. Suggested Exercises: STORY STEALING – Everyone in a circle. One at a time, […]
One Person Scenes: We simplify by minimizing the number of perspectives on stage through agreement. We build collaboratively through enthusiastic acceptance. Emotional reaction is most important piece of content. [wpvideo lCqNxq17] Performers are: Steve Curtis, Noel Elias, Nolan Graveley, Andy Lett-Durant, Blake Mirzayan and Emma Trachman ONE PERSON SCENES – Groups of 5 or 6, […]