Easy/Openers

1. Disk
• As a team you jointly lift a big disk, shifting the weight accordingly.
2. Zip, Zap, Zop
• One player starts by passing a "zip" to another player.
• This is done with a motion, eye contact, or a hand gesture.
• The next player does the same, except he says "zap", the next player says "zop"
  
• You then go back to the beginning until someone makes a mistake.
3. Scream
• Everyone stands in a circle.
  
• Look down.
• On the count of three, look up to the right, left, or straight across.
• If you make eye contact with another player, you scream and fall down unconscious.
4. Disassociation
   
• Players rattle off words that intentionally have nothing to do with each other.
• When a pattern is detected, the leader yells, "Disassociate" and a new player takes his turn.
5. Two Words that Don't Go Together
• Say two words that have no connection.
• Point to the next player and he/she has to do the same.
  
6. Three Series
• Three categories of objects, people or things are chosen.
  
• As the focus is passed around the room, each person recites an item from each category.
• When all the categories have been covered, then reverse. 
7. Sit, Stand, Lean
• There are one or two pieces of furniture on stage
• There are three players.
• One player must stand, one lean, and one sit.
• After a few moments one changes position and the others must move to compensate.
• Great for learning to work with others.
8. Sit, Stand, Kneel, Lie
• Like Sit, Stand, Lean, only with one more element.
  
9. Three Some
• One player offers something, e.g. I am a slice of cheese.
  
• 2nd player jumps in and adds something to the offer, e.g. I am a slice of bread. The two items should go together.
• 3rd player jumps in and again adds to the setup, e.g. I am a pickle.
  
• First player leaves, taking one of the others with him.
  
• Restart from the remaining player, who restarts by saying what/who she is.
• Might be something new, might be what he was previously.
10. Alphabet Game
• This scene has 26 lines.
  
• Each line of dialogue must begin with the next sequential letter of the alphabet.
  
• There is no real need to start with ‘A’. Ask for the starting letter from the audience.
  
• You are trying to tell a story with this game.
  

Medium Difficulty

1. He said, She said
• First player talks/acts.
• Second player steps forward to narrate first player's actions.
• Second player acts.
• First player steps forward to narrate, etc.
2. Invisible Tug of War
• Just what it sounds like.
  
3. Asides
• When a character yells freeze, that character reveals some secret information to the audience that the other characters don't know.
4. Griggle Scrump
• The players stand in a circle and player (we'll call him Player A) gives a nonsense word, e.g. griggle.
  
• Then the person next to him/her in the circle (Player B) gives another nonsense word, e.g. scrump.
  
• Then the next person (Player C) has to combine the two words and give the definition of that word, e.g. Grigglescrump is a noun, it is the sound a turkey makes before leaping over a fence.
  
• Then Player B will suggest a nonsense word, player C will give the next half of the nonsense word and Player D will combine them and give a definition.
  
• Sometimes it is fun to create an action that goes along with the definition and the whole team must do the action before the next word is started.
  
• This game helps listening and creative thinking.
5. Boris
• A criminal is grilled by a real police officer and an imaginary.
• When the criminal becomes difficult, the imaginary "Boris" is left to deal with him.
6. Scene Replay
• The same scene is replayed with different emotions.
7. And Then
• One player in the middle, the others sit aside.
  
• Any player can give the middle player a task, which she performs, and then she asks `What happens next` ?
  
• Any player may suggest what needs to happen next, but the idea is for the group to construct a coherent story.
• The player in the middle only does what he/she is told. The other players construct the story.
8. He Said, She Said (2)
   
• The first player speaks a line of dialogue.
  
• Each player will state the action the other player must perform, followed by his/her own line. For example:
  
• Player 1. “I want a divorce”
  
• Player 2: “She said, while grabbing a knife from the kitchen table.”
  
• At this point player 1 needs to take a knife.
  
• Player 2 continues with his own line. “Sure Honey”
  
• Player 1: “He said, while turning to the sports page of the paper”.
  
9. And Then/What Happened Then
• The idea is for the group to construct a coherent story.
• One player is in the middle, the others sit aside.
•  Any person can give the middle player a task, which she performs, and then she asks `What happens next`?
  
• Any other player may suggest what needs to happen next but it should fit in with the first idea.
• The player in the middle should only be doing what they’re told.
10. It's a Snap
• A topic for a skit is offered.
• As the players start, a singing style is offered, such as opera.
• All players then sing their lines opera style.
• When the scene starter snaps his fingers, he calls out another musical style such and all players must sing their lines in that style.
11. Who am I?
• Characters are a party each have a secret identity.
• They act in a manner appropriate to that identity.
• An additional character interacts with the others and attempts to discover their secret identities.
• As the identities are discovered, those players leave the sketch.
12. Yes, and...
13. World's Worst...
• one minute acting as the world's worst
• motivational speaker
• doctor
• bus driver
• etc

Tricky

1. Objects
• Talk about a randomly assigned object for one minute.
  
2. Rituals
• Turn a mundane situation into an elaborate ritual.
3. Three Rules
   
• Players have to play under the constraints of 3 audience imposed rules such as:
• no use of a particular letter
• no use of one arm
• sneezing every third line
4. Backwards Interview
• An interview is conducted starting at the end of it and working back towards the beginning.
5. Distance Improv
• A simple, four line scene is replayed.
• When it is done, the characters have picked a distance to be apart from each (or to act as if they are that distance apart) and play the scene accordingly.
6. Superhero Game
• A player is assigned a superhero's powers by the audience, and the audience also comes up with a conflict.
• As new players enter, the most recent entrant assigns the new player super powers.
7. Cab Driver
• A player is driving the cab (chairs), possibly with witty cabby chatter.
• As he picks up a quirky fare (secret agent, chatty old woman, beluga whale) he and any cab passengers adopt that character's personality.
8. Foreign Film/Film Dub
•  Two players ask the audience for a location.
  
• Once a setting has been selected, the scene can begin.
  
• Players speak in the language of the place they are.
• Off screen players translate the dialogue after it is said.
9. American Idol
• One player is the host
• another is the bad judge,
  
• and 2 others are candidates.
  
• Both candidates introduce themselves (or are introduced by the host) and then sing their song based on an audience suggestion.
  
• Afterwards the judge tears them apart.
10. Fairy Tale Perspective
• A famous fairy tale and the secondary character whose perspective we will see it from are solicited from the audience.
  
• The Secondary character begins a monologue which introduces them as the narrator and describes the environment and characters.
  
• As these elements of the story are described by the narrator, the other players create them on stage in preparation for the first scene.
  
• The narrator then breaks from the narration and enters the scene.
  
• Narrator moves from scene to narration to forward the story and to provide the audience with background information or to explain their inner feelings.
11. In a...With a...
• Improvisors get audience suggestions to fill in the blanks IN A _____ WITH A _____ (WHILE_____). Scene does not necessarily begin with the suggestions,but may move toward that moment.Or it may begin at the suggestion and proceed wherever it might.
12. Who, When, Where
• Audience suggestions are solicited to decide the location, time, and identity of the lead player.
  
• Other players jump in as the opportunity presents itself.
13. Freeze
• Two players start the sketch.
  
• When a third player yells "freeze" that player replaces one of the two existing players.
• The new player must take the exact position of the removed player.
• He will continue the sketch from that position but will change the nature and characters.
• The remaining player continues the sketch from there following the new player's direction.
14. Fairy Tale in 60 Seconds
• A well known fairy tale is retold in 60 seconds or less
  
15. Interrogation
• a criminal is interrogated by two officers who know about the crime. The criminal guesses it
• the crime must be guessed, the location, and the celebrity accomplice as well