Internet headquarter of improvisational theater. Looking up games, exercises and warm-ups. Furthermore, with calendar and group list
A collection of improv games, warm-ups and exercises. Additionally asks fors and tricks and tips.
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Improvisation theatre, improv theatre, or simply improv, is a form of theatre that is improvised: none of the presented scenes are previously rehearsed. This is the main difference from classical theatre.
Often the actors receive a suggestion from the audience, or even repeatedly receive input during a scene. These suggestions serve as a leitmotif or impulse generator for the spontaneously emerging scenes. Improv theatre is frequently accompanied by music. The music is also improvised and intimately interwoven with the stage performance.
The stories arise from the actors’ mutual inspiration. Preplanned acting gives way to the pure, spontaneous interplay of action and reaction between the actors.
There is a distinction between short and long forms in improvisational theatre. The short forms consist of scenes that only take a few minutes, stand on their own, or that are connected by an overarching thematic motif, but not connected to each other.
There are many concepts for these short forms. In "theatre sports" teams of actors encounter each other and vie for the favour of the audience. There is also the Maestro improv format, which determines the best actor of the evening. There are theatre sports teams all over the world, and theatre makers have developed similar theatrical concepts, and there are crossovers. The term “theatersport” is a non-registered trademark.
The short forms dominate the "games" most of the time, which often leads to a comical interpretation of improv theatre. While this is often the case, is does not have to be. With the improvised long forms, however, the serious scenes tend to dominate, but comic elements may also be used.
A format called "Harold" takes up a topic suggestion from the audience and the actors create a kind of closely interwoven scenic collage out of various aspects of this topic, with partially-developed characters and psychological depth.
Another long form is the Improv murder mystery, using various formats, which differ in particular due to audience participation.
There is also biography theatre. An invited guest talks about his life. This story is improvised at the same time. With Improv theatre this tends more to be entertaining, and in playback theatre to be more psychologizing.
Good and interesting Improv stories emerge if the actors bear in mind certain principles. These include the often touted "joy in failure", playing in the here and now, and acting using one’s own state.
Since this kind of acting also enables a special type of open communication, many actors see their passion for improv theatre as more than just a kind of recreation, but much more as the acting out of an inner attitude to life. This close association with one’s own philosophy of life differs perhaps from classical theatre.
Improv Games
Show all Improv Games (116) # Talking 9 # Switches 13 # Letter Games 4 # Dialogue Form 7 # Emotion Games 4 # Objects 4 # Chain Games 9 # Physical Contact 1 # Music Games 11 # Guessing Games 3 # Speech 8 # Direction Games 3 # Replay 10 # In Black and White 3 # Slapstick-Bustle-Action 3 # Other 2 # Dubbing 3 # Audience on stage 2 # Status Games 0 Animatronics Jamboree Job Center From the viewpoint of Blindline Role reversal The Conscience Drop A Line Mousetraps F.I.S.H. Potpourri Expedition Whose line Rollback Press Conference Road Trip Walking Backwards Marriage Guidance Trizophrenia Prison visitor Dubbed commercial Monkey in the Middle The hitch-hiker Multiple personalities The Voice Bring your thing Duet Questions Only Radio Mix The central theme Talking animals AlliterationHere you can find a collection of improv games. This collection consists of games that can be performed in a show in front of an audience. Each of them can be announced in advance, or they can be played unannounced ...
Improv Exercises
Show all Improv Exercises (62) # Action Reaction 2 # Accepting 11 # Breathing 0 # Expression 2 # Character 5 # Storytelling 10 # Focus 1 # Memory 1 # Emotions 0 # Group 7 # Impulse 2 # Multitasking 1 # Music and Singing 1 # Pairs 0 # Pantomime 1 # Rhyming 2 # Space 0 # Speed 7 # Other 5 # Status 2 # Dancing - Choreography 0 # Trust 1 # Perception 3 # Physicalness - Movement 2 # Speech 3 # Presence 1 # Heighten 0 # Finding Game 2 # Listening 4 # Relationship 0 # concentration 1 # Association 9 Dissociation Conducted Story Traffic light Follow the king Action emotion detail Picking gifts Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre Cut and paste What Are You Doing! Category Snap Advance and Expand Worlds worst Playback Show House - residents - flood 3 X different Step by step Character exercise (character switch) I am a treeHere you can find a collection of exercises for improv theatre. These exercises are intended to train specific aspects and skills in a targeted manner. The transition from exercises to games is fluid. What is still an exercise for one, ...
Warm-ups
Show all Warm-ups (70) Barney Four Corners Falling Category Snap Blind Stalker Kennedy Fred Schneider Triangle Zip Zap Zoop Genetically modified mouse King of Siam Simulclap Kitty wants a corner Quick Death The monster Category Die Last word - first word Truth and lie Storytelling with movements Follow the king increase Bippity Bippity Bop Hot Spot Duck, duck, goose Seven Things Sword of samurai Molecules Blinking place change Mr. Hit me Yes, let's Endless snake Living Scenery Slow-motion Rumble Hey and Ho Digits Clap Focus Alien, Tiger, Cow Hide body What is a what? Flock Dance What Are You Doing! Free Association Circle Up House - residents - flood Forming Molecules Nightingale Rebrand things Bunny Bunny Peculiar neighbor Group StopBefore doing sports, you warm up. Every child knows that. Since theatre is also a form of physical work, one should warm up a bit before starting the actual exercises. On the one hand you can prepare yourself physically and ...
