Theater games can lead to ideas for a creative performance. In fact, theater games have been used by professional theater companies and improv troupes all over the world. The activities in this chapter (as well as the ones in chapter 7, “Improvisation”) will give you some ideas for creating comedy scenes. You can combine them to create a comedy variety show or comedy revue that your audience is sure to enjoy.
Conduct a Story brings a storytelling concert to your audience. You can let your audience participate in Dr. Know-It-All and Gripes. You can play guessing games with your audience in Three-Word Skits and Syllables. Act a Joke and Commercials are creative ways to develop original scenes for your performance.
One of the most famous stage mothers (a parent who dedicates her life to taking her child or children to rehearsals and sitting through them) was Minnie Palmer, the mother of the Marx Brothers. She went to their rehearsals and laughed at all their jokes. The musical Minnie’s Boys is based on her story.
Performing for others is exciting and fun. If you don’t have a theater, you can perform in your home or classroom. And even one person can be a good audience—especially when you make ‘em laugh.
After you have played Talking Ball (chapter 3), try this game to create a concert of creative stories.
One person is the conductor. The other players gather together so they can see the conductor; some stand in back, and some sit in front. Just like at a symphony, begin by tuning and warming up, but instead of using instruments, use your voices. When the conductor gives a signal, such as lifting her arms, everyone warms up by speaking at the same time. Players can talk about anything they like, or they just make sounds with their voices. The conductor cuts them off with another signal, perhaps quickly bringing her arms down. Now you’re ready to start the game.
The conductor points to one player, and he begins telling a story. At any time, the conductor can signal to cut him off and have a new person continue by pointing to her. Each new player must continue the story exactly where the last person ended, even if he ended in the middle of a sentence or in the middle of a word. Try to make the story flow as smoothly as possible so that it sounds like one person is telling it.
Here’s an example of how this game might work. The conductor gives the signal for the musicians to warm up. All musicians warm up by talking and making noises. The conductor gives the signal to stop warming up. The conductor starts the concert by pointing to Jill.
JILL:
Once upon a time, a little boy was playing in his yard. Suddenly he noticed—
The conductor stops pointing to Jill and points to Tess.
That a flying saucer was hovering over head. He watched as giant orange beetles flew out of the saucer and landed—
The conductor stops pointing to Tess and points to Marco.
MARCO:
In the little boy’s sandbox. The alien beetles started playing with the sand, when the little boy said, “Excuse me, but this is my sandbox.” The aliens said, “If you let us play, we’ll teach you how to make a giant dino—
The conductor stops pointing to Marco and points to Tess.
TESS:
—saur. So they all built a dinosaur out of sand and called it Sammy. The aliens went home, and the little boy got to keep Sammy for a pet. The end.
Notice how, in the last line, Tess had to finish the word “dinosaur,” the word that Marco had started.
After you have played One-Word Story (chapter 3), try this game. Classmates, friends, and parents will especially enjoy the audience participation and the chance to meet a person who knows everything.
Choose one person to be the announcer. The other three players sit next to each other, in the chairs, facing the audience. The announcer introduces the three as Dr. Know-It-All. The announcement might go something like this:
ANNOUNCER:
I am proud to present to you the worldfamous, brilliant Dr. Know-It-All! Dr. Know-It-All knows it all! Dr. Know-It-All has the answers to all your questions. Let me demonstrate how brilliant he is. Dr. Know-It-All, what is two plus two?
The three seated players who are Dr. Know-It-All answer the question one word at a time, each person in order, just like in the game One-Word Story.
ANIKA:
Two.
GARRETT:
Plus.
JEAN:
Two.
ANIKA:
Equals.
GARRETT:
Four.
The announcer then invites questions from the audience.
ANNOUNCER:
Thank you, Dr. Know-It-All! Now are there onstrate how brilliant he is. Dr. Know-It-All, any questions from the audience?
The announcer calls on someone from the audience who asks a question. The announcer repeats the question, and then Dr. Know-It-All answers it.
This is an improv game that gives you a chance to let off some steam. In this game, the conductor makes music by combining different voices and gripes—which is another word for “complaints”—into a symphony of noise.
Just like in Conduct a Story, the conductor stands in front of the other players, who gather around so they can see the conductor. The conductor gives everyone a topic to gripe or complain about. (If you’re playing this game for a performance, you may take suggestions from the audience.)
After everyone has a gripe, the conductor begins by warming everyone up. The conductor lifts his arms, and all the players warm up their voices by making sounds and noises. When the conductor lowers his arms, everyone stops. Now you’re ready to begin the game.
The conductor begins by pointing to a player. She then begins to talk about her assigned gripe. When the conductor cuts her off, she stops griping. But when the conductor points to her again, she continues what she was saying, starting exactly where she left off, even if she was in the middle of a word.
This is a guessing game that is perfect for groups who enjoy performing for each other. This game can also spark your creative-writing instincts or help you develop a playwriting idea.
Divide into groups (or pairs). Each group must come up with three words that have nothing to do with each other, such as “frog,” “telephone,” and “basketball.” Next, each group quickly makes up and rehearses a scene that uses all three words, but they cannot say these specific words in their scene.
When all the groups are ready, take turns performing scenes for each other. See who can guess your group’s three words first.
Part of the magic of improv comes from the surprises you can create in the moment.
After you have played Three-Word Skits, try this guessing game. While usually played in groups or in front of an audience, this game can be played with as few as two players and one guesser.
With your group or partner, think of a three-syllable word, such as “tornado.” Divide your word into syllables like this: “tornado.” Your challenge is to figure out how to act out each syllable. For example, for “tor,” you can act out the word “tore”; for “na,” you can act out the sound horses make; and for “do,” act out the word “dough.”
Next, quickly rehearse three short scenes, one about each syllable. But don’t actually say the syllable or the word in the scene. Going back to the example of “tornado,” your first scene might be about your homework assignment that your brother tore up. Your second scene might take place in a horse stable. Your third scene might be about baking cookies. The scenes need to be performed in the order of the syllables. When you are ready, perform the three scenes for the other groups, the audience, or the guesser. After you have performed all three scenes, see if they can guess what your word is.
Acting tip: You don’t have to act out the syllable exactly, as long as what you’re acting out sounds enough like the syllable for the guessers to figure it out. For example, if your word is “yesterday,” you can act out “yes,” and use the word “dirt” for “ter,” and act out “day.” If the guesser can figure out “yes,” “dirt,” “day,” he can guess your word.
Play Pantomime Syllables. Perform your three scenes without using words or sounds.
Here’s an easy way to make up comedy skits that audiences are sure to enjoy. If you have access to lighting effects, a blackout (turning off all the lights in the house) is the perfect way to end these scenes. If not, ask someone to say, “Blackout,” just after the punch line.
To begin, spend some time practicing telling jokes. Think of long jokes, jokes that tell stories, and jokes that involve different characters.
Choose a joke to act out. Decide who will play each character. (You can also add on to the joke so that everyone has more lines.) Decide on the blocking for the joke (see chapter 1 for more on blocking). Rehearse your joke until you are ready to perform in front of an audience.
Here’s an example of how Act a Joke might work. The joke: Three people are driving through the desert when their car breaks down. They continue their journey on foot, traveling for days across the hot desert. Finally, they reach a palace. The sultan of the palace hears of their journey and calls them in. He says, “You three are very brave. Tell me: what did each of you bring that helped you survive in the desert?” The first person says, “I brought a large canteen filled with cold water, so we would not go thirsty.” The second says, “I brought an umbrella to shield us from the hot sun.” The sultan turns to the third person and asks, “What did you bring?” The third person replies, “I brought along the car door.” “Why?” asks the sultan. The third traveler replies, “So when it gets too hot, I can roll down the window!”
The term “slapstick comedy” comes from farces (comedies with highly unlikely plots) that had characters hitting each other with a wooden stick for humor. It means very broad (not subtle) comedy.
Here is what you would act out. Madeline, Max, and Will act like they’re driving in a car. They pretend that it suddenly jerks to a stop.
MADELINE:
Oh, no, our car broke down.
MAX:
We’ll have to continue our journey on foot.
WILL:
But it’s so hot here in the desert. We’ll never make it.
MADELINE:
We have to try.
NARRATOR:
Three days later.
MADELINE:
Look up ahead. I see a castle!
MAX:
Hurray!
We’re saved!
MESSENGER (entering):
I am a messenger of the sultan. He wants to know what you are doing at his castle.
MADELINE:
Our car broke down.
MAX:
We have traveled for days across the hot desert.
WILL:
We are very tired and hungry.
MESSENGER:
Come this way.
NARRATOR:
Later that night, in the sultan’s palace …
SULTAN:
My messenger told me your tale. You three are very brave. Tell me: what did each of you bring that helped you survive the desert?
MADELINE:
I brought a large canteen filled with cold water, so we would not go thirsty.
MAX:
I brought an umbrella to shield us from the hot sun.
SULTAN (to Will):
What did you bring?
WILL:
I brought the car door.
SULTAN:
Why?
WILL:
So when it gets too hot, I can roll down the window!
NARRATOR:
Blackout.
Be the inventor, the writer, and the star in this creative activity. Use your commercials in between scenes of your play—or, if you have access to a video camera, have someone videotape your commercials so you can see how they look on television.
Begin by talking about commercials and products people sell. Many commercials feature slogans and jingles. A “slogan” is a saying that helps you remember the product, such as, “Silly rabbit, Trix are for kids.” A “jingle” is a song that does the same thing. Create your own commercial by following these steps.
The Incredible Treechine
Makes juice like a dream
You’ll never be thirsty
It’s the best thing you’ve seen.
MOM:
Oh, no, we’re out of juice again!
SON:
Why don’t we get the Incredible Treechine?
MOM:
What is that?
SON:
It’s part orange tree and part juice machine. It makes fresh orange juice whenever you want it. With the Incredible Treechine, you’ll never be thirsty again.
MOM:
Let’s buy one today!
MOM AND SON (singing):
The Incredible Treechine Makes juice like a dream You’ll never be thirsty It’s the best thing you’ve seen.
In the musical Annie, the song “Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile” pokes fun at radio commercials from the 1940s.
This is a storytelling game that highlights the beginning, middle, and end, and it lets the players make up the in-between. Choose one player to stand stage left facing the audience or other players. That player gets to say the beginning the story. One way of creating that is to take suggestions from the audience for an animal and an object to fill in the following blanks: “Once upon a time there was a … with an …”
Choose a second player and assign that player the lyric from a song or a famous quote. This line will be said in the middle of the story, so this player stands center stage.
Then choose a third player who will stand all the way stage right and say the end of the story. One way to do this is to take a suggestion from the audience for a place and to fill in the blank: “And the … was never the same.”
The players each say their lines in order:
BEGINNING PLAYER:
Once upon a time, there was a chicken with an umbrella.
MIDDLE PLAYER:
Come on, everybody, it’s the hamster dance.
END PLAYER:
And the popcorn factory was never the same.
Now other players have to think of sentences that might link these three together to create a story. One at a time, a player joins the line onstage and adds a sentence. Players can join anywhere in the line to add their parts of the story. They should remember what they say because it will be repeated. Every time a new sentence is added, the story is repeated including the new sentence. Continue the game until the story is complete; usually four to six sentences will be added.
Here’s an example of how to play. Ryan comes up with a line to be added in between the beginning and middle players. He stands between them and the story is retold, each of them saying their original line, but adding Ryan’s in order:
BEGINNING PLAYER:
Once upon a time, there was a chicken with an umbrella.
RYAN:
He didn’t use the umbrella for rain; he used it for his special dance.
MIDDLE PLAYER:
Come on, everybody, it’s the hamster dance.
END PLAYER:
And the popcorn factory was never the same.
Next, Molly adds to the story. She decides to stand between the middle and end players.
BEGINNING PLAYER:
Once upon a time, there was a chicken with an umbrella.
RYAN:
He didn’t use the umbrella for rain; he used it for his special dance.
MIDDLE PLAYER:
Come on, everybody, it’s the hamster dance.
MOLLY:
But the poor chicken didn’t know the hamster dance. He only knew the umbrella dance.
END PLAYER:
And the popcorn factory was never the same.
Ian gets an idea and stands between Ryan and the middle player.
BEGINNING PLAYER:
Once upon a time, there was a chicken with an umbrella.
RYAN:
He didn’t use the umbrella for rain; he used it for his special dance.
IAN:
He was very excited to show off his dance at the popcorn king’s party, where the DJ said …
MIDDLE PLAYER:
Come on, everybody, it’s the hamster dance.
MOLLY:
But the poor chicken didn’t know the hamster dance. He only knew the umbrella dance.
END PLAYER:
And the popcorn factory was never the same.
Kay then stands between Molly and the end player to add her sentence to the story.
Once upon a time, there was a chicken with an umbrella.
RYAN:
He didn’t use the umbrella for rain; he used it for his special dance.
IAN:
He was very excited to show off his dance at the popcorn king’s party, where the DJ said …
MIDDLE PLAYER:
Come on, everybody, it’s the hamster dance.
MOLLY:
But the poor chicken didn’t know the hamster dance. He only knew the umbrella dance.
KAY:
Luckily the other party animals were happy to learn the new dance, which unluckily required the chicken to open up his umbrella indoors.
END PLAYER:
And the popcorn factory was never the same.
Cora jumps up in between Kay and the end player to add one last sentence to the story.
BEGINNING PLAYER:
Once upon a time, there was a chicken with an umbrella.
RYAN:
He didn’t use the umbrella for rain; he used it for his special dance.
IAN:
He was very excited to show off his dance at the popcorn king’s party, where the DJ said …
MIDDLE PLAYER:
Come on, everybody, it’s the hamster dance.
MOLLY:
But the poor chicken didn’t know the hamster dance. He only knew the umbrella dance.
KAY:
Luckily the other party animals were happy to learn the new dance, which unluckily required the chicken to open up his umbrella in doors.
CORA:
Everyone knows opening an umbrella in doors is bad luck, and sure enough, as soon as the chicken opened his umbrella, there was a huge explosion.
END PLAYER:
And the popcorn factory was never the same.
The voice that announces movies always makes them sound so exciting and dramatic. There are no dull movie announcers, so there’s never a dull moment in this game. Everyone works together to create the craziest movie ever!
Players stand in a circle. One player begins by stepping into the middle of the circle and saying the phrase, “In a world …” She completes her sentence in a way that sets up a made-up movie. As she speaks, she walks around inside the circle and ends up in front of another player. He switches places with her and continues the movie trailer where she left off. At the end of his sentence, he gives the turn to another player in the circle. The game continues until the movie trailer is complete.
Try to remember the types of things movie trailers include, like who the stars of the movie are, who the director is, who created the music, plot details, and the line “From the people who brought you …” Make sure you name the movie and say when it’s coming to theatres.
Here’s an example of how to play:
MARK:
In a world where children are not allowed to drive cars, one child defies the rules.
ALICE:
Little Leonard will get behind the wheel, and madness will follow.
KAITLIN:
Starring Elmo as Little Leonard and Daniel Rad-cliffe as his wise friend, Amos.
ALPHONSO:
With music by Justin Bieber, this movie will have you laughing and crying at the same time.
MEREDITH:
Don’t miss Driving Mr. Crazy, coming this fall to a theater near you.
Bosses can sure get angry when employees are late for work. This humorous improv guessing game makes work a whole lot of fun. Choose actors to play these characters:
Send the late employee out of the room and decide why he is late and how he got to work. The two should be unrelated. For example, he is late because he was attacked by clowns, and he got to work on a camel.
The boss stands center stage, and the two on-time employees stand stage left. The late employee enters and stands stage right. The boss looks at the late employee and yells, “You’re late!” The late employee looks past the boss at the other two employees, who try to pantomime the reason he’s late. They silently act out being attacked by clowns until the late employee tells his boss, “I was attacked by clowns.” Then the boss asks, “How did you get here?” The on-time employees then pantomime riding a camel until the late employee figures it out and tells his boss.
To add to the fun, periodically the boss can turn around and catch the on-time employees in an interesting position. When the boss turns around, they must freeze and come up with a work-related reason why they are in the position they’re in.
When the late employee makes a guess that is close to correct, the audience can let him know by snapping. When the late employee guesses correctly, the audience lets him know by clapping.
