The Rules of Improv
The most important rule in improv; it means you accept your partner's idea and add to it.
What is "Yes, And..."?
What a character wants in a scene.
What is an "Objective"?
An object used on stage by an actor.
What is a "Prop"?
This is the name of the exercise where we accept our partner's idea and add a new detail to build a story.
What is "Yes, And..."?
The entire group of performers working together as a team.
What is an "Ensemble"?
When a player rejects their partner's offer, either by saying "no" or by ignoring it.
What is a "Block"?
The struggle that happens when two characters have opposing objectives.
What is "Conflict"?
Using your body to tell a story or create a character without words.
What is "Physicality"?
In this game, one player is a "Sculptor" who silently molds another player, the "Clay," into a physical shape.
What is "Sculptor and Clay"?
A performance that highlights the skills an ensemble has learned.
What is a "Showcase"?
Any action or line of dialogue that helps to create the reality of the scene.
What is an "Offer"?
The reason an objective is so important to a character (the "why now?").
What are the "Stakes"?
A scene initiation that is based on an action with an object, not on dialogue.
What is a "Physical Offer"?
The name for any game where you must create an entire scene or story using only physicality, without any words or sounds.
What is a "Silent Scene"?
In Readers Theater, this person's lines describe the action and setting, so the ensemble must listen carefully to them.
Who is the "Narrator"?
The process of making sense of an offer; explaining why something is happening.
What is "Justification"?
The very first action or line of dialogue that starts a scene.
What is an "Initiation"?
A character's sense of power or importance in relation to others in the scene.
What is "Status"?
This is the skill of creating and interacting with invisible objects and environments.
What is "Pantomime"?
In Readers Theater, actors use this to show emotion and character since they are not moving around the stage.
What is "Vocal Expression" (or "Your Voice")?
A shared set of rules created by the cast to make the group feel safe to take creative risks.
What is an "Ensemble Agreement"?
The four elements (Character, Relationship, Objective, Where) that create a strong foundation for a scene.
What is "C.R.O.W."?
The unique way a character sees the world from their eyes.
What is "Point of View (POV)"?
This is any game where the main goal is to establish the Character, Relationship, Objective, and Where as quickly as possible.
What is a "C.R.O.W. Game"?
he main goal for an ensemble in Readers Theater is to use their voices together to tell this clearly to the audience.
What is the "Story"?