In week two we played warm-up games “Feel Yourself,” “Zip, Zap, Zop,” and introduced new warm-up games called “Bippity, Bippity Bop,” and “HotSpot. We then finished our “Improvised TED Talks,” played “The Ad Game,” discussed the significance of Who/What/Where and “A-to-Cing” a suggestion, and played “Makes Me Think Of” and “Three Line Scenes.” We ended the night by playing “One Good Thing” and “Energy Level 1-10.”
Bippity, Bippity, Bop with Hippity, Hippity, Hop; Charlie’s Angels; and Quick Draw were introduced. Students circle up with one person in the middle. The person in the middle goes around challenging the students in the circle with ‘Bippity Bippity Bop’, or “Hippity, Hippity, Hop” and the challenged student in the circle has to say “Bop” or “Hop” before the person in the middle finishes saying the corresponding phrase. If the student in the circle doesn’t say it fast enough, then they switch out with the person in the middle.
When the person in the middle points to a student in the circle and calls “Charlie’s Angels” then the student in the circle plus the two students to their left and right must strike the iconic “Charlie’s Angels” pose with guns drawn.
During “Quick Draw” the person in the middle says a student’s name as they make eye contact with them. The student whose name was said must duck down, and the players to their left and right must have a quick draw duel. Whoever is slowest must switch out with the person in the middle.
HotSpot is a great singing game to connect with your classmates and let loose. The goal is to help out the person in the middle singing and let them know that you have their back.
Notes from Improvised TED Talks continued from last week: When you get stuck “thinking” remember to make eye contact and lock in with the audience. This will help keep you and the audience engaged while you are coming up with what to say next.
The Ad Game is all about over-the-top enthusiasm. The first idea is the best idea you’ve ever heard in your entire life!!!
Who/What/Where and “A to C” Thinking – The ultimate goal is to answer who/what/where as efficiently as possible. What are some good opening lines to initiate a scene? The example used in class was “Scalpel.” It answers who the person is (doctor/surgeon), what they are doing (about to cut something or someone), and where they are more than likely (hospital/doctor’s office). Also, remember to start scenes in the middle of a situation, meaning you and your scene partner already have an established relationship and somehow know each other.
**Remember to show yourselves and your classmates some grace**
“A to C” Thinking is word association where you skip the immediate first thought, and go to the next idea. The focus of this is to get students used to straying away from the audience suggestion and show how creative the scenes can be if they follow the fun vs. do what they believe the audience wants to see. The scene is usually not about the suggestion.
Three Line Scenes – Make eye contact with your partner, and stay with them. Try not to get distracted with other things going on outside the scene.
You also want to be mindful of how you initiate a scene. Making statements instead of asking questions is a great way to support your scene partner. By starting the scene with a question, it puts a lot of pressure on our scene partner, so if you have a question come up in your head, try flipping it into a statement. “Have you seen my sweater?” vs “I lost my sweater!”
If you end up laughing or “breaking” during a scene (we’re hilarious, so it makes sense), try your best not to let the audience know. Instead, justify it as the character and try staying engaged with your scene partner.