FREEZE IMPROVISATION

This exercise is designed to make the actor use a variety of physical levels.  Many times when students students are performing impromptu or improvisational scenes, the actors will want to just talk to one another face to face with no activity.  Scenes with no activity can become quite boring to an audience.  An audience needs motivated movement to remain interested.

Motivated movement is the key.  Note the difference (to your students) between motivated and unmotivated movement (nervous habits: swaying, twisting, pulling hair, rocking...).

When scenes begin, be sure to remind the actors to use levels.  Side coach without interrupting the scenes by simply saying, "Levels."
 

• Begin with two volunteers.  Teacher gives topic--one that will allow much movement---digging for gold, for example.  Students begin scene without preparation.
• As the scene progresses, an audience member says, "Freeze."  Actors must freeze, holding pose until audience member tags one of the actors and quickly resumes the pose of the actor he replaced.  Person tagged sits with the audience.
• The new actor must begin a completely new scene based on his pose--not the partner's pose.

As the new scene progresses, another audience member says, "Freeze." And the cycle repeats itself.

FILL IN THE BLANK

This activity enhances the learner's creativity and spontaneity.
 

• Group students in pairs.
• Partners choose to be either person A or person B.
• Partner A begins to tell a story.  When A pauses, partner B fills in pause with one word.
• Partner A must continue the story using the idea partner B gives.
• Allow students to work on stories for one/two minutes.
• After the first story, begin again.  This time partner B will tell the story and partner A will fill in the blank.
• Remind the students not to "kill the creation" or the character.

MACHINE

A player starts off with one simple repeatable movement and a sound to go with it.  This continues until the next player finds a place to add on with his movement and sound.  Countless other players add on to give the appearance of an assembly line or machine.

Variations:  Divide into groups and think of a machine such as a typewriter or washer to act out.  Have the first player freeze in a stance as an object.  The next players will add to the first making their own objects as they add to and adapt.

EMOTION PLAY

Two players will act out a simple scene.  The teacher designates the setting.  Keep it simple, such as on a bench in a park.  As the actors begin, the teacher calls out different emotions that the actors must switch to immediately without stopping the scene.  Later, the teacher can allow a group of students to sit directly in front of the actors and call out the different emotions during the performance.

NO QUESTIONS PLEASE

After receiving a scenario, two players begin the scene.  If one asks a question, the scene freezes and the student who asked the question is replaced by an audience member.  The new actor must rephrase the last statement and continue the scene.

Variation:  The new actor can create a new scene.

I NEVER
 

• All students except one sit in chairs that are set in a large circle.
• The one student stands in the center and says something he has never done, seen, eaten, or been.  For example, "I have never broken my arm."
• The seated students who HAVE done what the standing student has never must say, "I have."
• Then they have to get up and move to another chair by crossing through the middle and cannot return to the chair they just left.
• The "Never" person must try to take an empty seat.
• There will be one person left standing.
• Then the cycle repeats.
• Go HERE for a handout of expamples.

ZOO

This game is very similar to "I Never."

• One student stands in the center of a circle of chairs while the rest of the class sites in the chairs.
• "Count" of all the students as Lions, Tigers, and Bears including the student in the center.
• The center student can name 1, 2, or all 3 groups by calling out their group names.
• If you want all 3 groups to move, simply say "Zoo."
• The students CANNOT RUN to a new seat.
• The teacher gives them a type of movement to use, such as scooting, hopping, crawling, giant steps, etc.
• There will always be one student without a chair.

ACTOR NEEDS A DIRECTOR
 

• All students with the exception of one set chairs in a circle with the backs of the chairs facing the inside of the circle.
• Students stand inside the circle holding on to the backs of the chairs.
• Standing students may NOT talk unless a specific statement is said to them and they may not let go of their chairs until they are ready to exchange places with someone else.
• The center student walks to various students one at a time and says, "Actor needs a director."
• The student spoken to can only respond by saying, "Sorry,  Go see ______," and he names another student.
• Meanwhile, the students should be making eye contact with other students in the circle and exchange places with that other student.
• No sounds or talking.
• The center student must try to steal a chair while the chair is empty.
• The student left standing is IT.
• Then the cycle repeats itself.

FREEZE FRAME

The students love this assignment.

• Group students (3-5).
• Students create a story using 4 frozen pictures.
• Each person must have a completely different pose for each picture.
• Actos should be completely frozen with the lights are on---even their eyes.
• Scene changes must be silent.
• Keep scene within a 10' diameter.
• Title the scene.
• Turn the lights completely out and tell the students to freeze in their first picture.
• Turn the lights on for only 4 seconds; then out.
• During the black out, the students should move to their next picture.  It should only take 3-4 seconds.
• Then lights on again.
• Continue with lights on/lights off until all four pictures are presented.

CADENCE WALK
 

• Students create a scene using the following cadence:   8 steps forward, 3 steps backward, 4 running forward
• The student is required to develop a motivated scene:  clear character, character objective, obstacle (what stops him and causes him to back up and run).
• The student must present the scene without counting out the numbers.
• Examples:  tight rope walker, old person crossing the street, quarterback

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