Pop quiz, hotshot. When do you add on to a two person scene in progress? A. When you have a funny idea B. When the scene needs to be saved C. When there are holes in the information on stage D. When you want to get in on the fun E. When you can heighten […]
Pop quiz, hotshot. What do you take as inspiration in initiating subsequent beats of a scene during a long-form show? A. This makes me think of that B. If this then what C. If first beat is "a day in the life," then second beat is "the day when X happens" D. If a character […]
EMOTIONAL REACTION CIRCLE – Around a circle, every player just has an emotional reaction. They don’t need words – they can just make an emotional sound. Have them go around and then go around pushing their emotions to 11.
Emotional Heights/Depths: Committed emotion should be an improviser’s base at all times. We need to be able to exhibit the highest highs and lowest lows on stage so we need to practice emotion at the extremes to become comfortable in that space. EMOTION TO 11 – Teacher gives students an emotion. The class gives a […]
Emotional Context: Committed emotion is all the “what” and “why” a scene needs. What’s extra fun is that, when we do have emotion, that emotion can add/change the meaning of our words and heighten the depth of our scenes. EMOTIONAL NURSERY RHYME – Around a circle, a player recites a common nursery rhyme with an […]
Emotional Character Development: We don’t need it “all figured out” the moment we step on stage. Make one choice and then build other choices on top of that choice. We can start with emotion and build the details of our character around that. Or, we can start with a detail and build an emotional character […]
Emotional Matching: If we agree, we can just be; we don’t have to explain or defend. Have fun just being emotional together, trusting that your commitment to the same emotion is all the context for your relationship that’s needed. EMOTIONAL CHAIR PASS – It’s like hitchhiker, but just two people, and the suggestion is an […]
Emotional Scenes: “How we feel about who we are, where we are and what we’re doing,” and “How we feel about who our scene is, where they are and what they’re doing” should be our focus in improv scenes. Let “How we feel” trump all else, especially plot and “sense.” Suggested Exercises: “I [FEELING] YOU.” […]
Mime: Weight, volume and tension are the key characteristics of a mimed object that help players and the audience “see” the object. If nothing else, be deliberate - your commitment to engaging the environment will enable the audience to accept any weird ass thing you do. Suggested Exercises: INVISIBLE TUG OF WAR - Everybody has […]
Relationship Stakes: Our “What” is emotional reactions to active elements. Commitment and repetition are the only “why” we need. But “Because” can elevate the emotional stakes of a scene with context. “Stakes” come in many forms – and we want to apply emotion to all of them. “I’m embarrassed to be seen in this Slayer […]