Vocab
a theatrical performance where the actors create the story, dialogue, characters, and action in the moment, without a written script
Improvisation
to acknowledge an offer and then if possible advance it.
Accepting
the rejection or refusal of an offer.
Block
to take an offer and then make it the central aspect of the scene. If somebody initially talks about cooking, the scene can then be all about cooking with characters, setting and problems all related to it.
Extend
Someone is keeps saying "no", when their scene partner is attepting to advance the scene.
Blocking
is a form of blocking where one player negates the action of another player, making it irrelevant. An example: Player one walks out on stage. Player two enters on all fours, barking, wagging and generally acting like a puppy. Player one cancels the action by saying: “Cut out the puppy dog act. It’s time to bake cookies.”
Canceling
any action or dialogue that creates or advances a scene. They create a direction for the scene.
Offering
when an offer is made that pushes the scene forward to the next logical stage of the story.
Advancing
postponed by lack of ideas; you just keep on babbling in the hope you'll have an idea.
Waffeling
Someone picks up a chicken in a scene and uses it as a grill brush
Endowing
the act of turning intent into action and movement. Commit to any actions that your scene involves and act it out in a physical way. Using objects in an environment is often a great way to illustrate setting.
Physicalizing
acting fully in the moment and being as true to the character as possible. One needs to be honest and truthful and show their character as a real human being and not a stereotype.
Sincerity
is when a player makes a sort of “wink” to the audience to show them that they know what is happening in a scene is funny, silly or stupid. It pulls the audience out of the world of the scene. Many players do this out of a sense of self-consciousness
Commenting
means not clinging to your own ideas, your own status, or even your own life (as a character). Daring to give up control.
Chivalry
Justification
Improvisers who drive scenes control all of the actions and advances of the scene, rarely allowing others to speak or make offers.
Driving or Bulldogging
is the act of assigning attributes to another performer’s character.
Endowing
is the act of creating an opportunity for action, characteristics, or stakes to be created.
Feeding
Finding an explanation or rationale for every offer and every element introduced in the scene regardless of how ridiculous or out of left field it may be.
Justification
Character A uses his friend who is an audience members name.
Winking
To take two or more disparate ideas and make them work together within the context of the scene. This can be used with suggestions or with offers.
Marrying
Making the scene personally important or of greater consequence to your
characters. This is also a technique for advancing the scene.
Raising the Stakes
Recycling or reusing ideas or situations from earlier in the scene, or from
previous scenes. While it's always interesting to use elements that were introduced earlier and were neglected or forgotten, you don’t want to overdo this, and turn things into running gags.
Reincorporating
Acknowledging the crowd/ Breaking the 4th wall
Winking
A: Lets go get ice cream
B: We are going to the fair
A: Yes! and at the fair we will get ice cream
Marrying