 Improvisation You are to copy all notes in BLUE.

What is Improvisation?  Acting without a script  Improvisation isn’t just “making it up as you go along.” There is freedom, but within structured guidelines.

Improvisation Guidelines  You Need a Plot (beginning/middle/end)!  You can plan your basic plot before you begin.

Improvisation Guidelines  Before you begin, you should know:  who you are (and how you will portray that character to the audience)  what you want  what your relationship is to the other character(s)

Improvisation Guidelines  Stay in character  “Breaking character” occurs when you do or say something that is inconsistent with the role you are creating.  Concentrate fully to avoid laughing at yourself or others in your scene, which is one of the most common causes of breaking character.  Make sure your character’s physical and vocal characteristics remain consistent throughout your scene.

Improvisation Guidelines  It’s all about “Give and Take”  It doesn’t matter who goes first.  All actors must participate in the dialogue.  Be careful not to dominate the scene by doing all of the talking.  You also need to be careful not to be too quiet (your partner needs you to work with them)!

Improvisation Guidelines  Listen Carefully!  Listen carefully to what is being said and respond appropriately.  Do not plan ahead what you are going to say or do.  When you really listen to your scene partner(s), you will be surprised how easy it is to think of something to say in response.

Improvisation Guidelines  Keep the dialogue moving  Long periods of silence, unless filled with action, are boring to the audience.

Improvisation Guidelines  Avoid “scene killer” words or phrases.  Responses such as “No,” “OK” and “So?” stop the dialogue.  These phrases make it difficult for the other players in the scene to continue the conversation or action.  Try to give others in your scene something to build upon or even better, something that moves your scene along.

Improvisation Guidelines  Avoid yes-or-no answer questions.  If you must ask questions, it is much better to ask open-ended questions that require explanations, not just one-word answers.  “Why are you wearing my hat?” is better than “Are you wearing my hat?” It gives other players an easy opening into the conversation.

Improvisation Guidelines  ACCEPT ALL OFFERS.  Avoid negating something that your scene partner(s) have established with responses like, “That’s not right,” or “No, it’s not.”  These responses make it difficult to do much more than argue.  Arguments are only interesting when they change somehow, not when they just go back and forth.

Improvisation Guidelines  BEGIN WITH CONFIDENCE!

Whose Line Is It Anyway? In a written response using your notes from the PowerPoint, evaluate how well the actors in the chosen clips follow the rules of improvisation. You may discuss this with a partner but both are required to submit a response.