SCENE BASED GAMES
Ding!
A normal two-person scene except that any line, action, or sound effect can be "ding!ed" (changed) at the whim of an off-stage performer.
Time Warp
A two-person scene that can be moved backwards or forwards in time--to past or future events--by a Signal off-stage.
First Line, Last Line
The audience provides the first and last lines of a scene; the performers have to do the rest.
Five-Letter Word
Each line of this otherwise ordinary scene must start with the next letter of an audience-provided five-letter word.
Example: WEEDS
-We are in big trouble this time.
-Even though we put the cap back on?
-Evan, it wasn't screwed on all the way. You know how mom hates when her toothpaste dries out.
-Do I ever! Last time we did that, she killed the cat!
-Shame it was the neighbors cat.
Example: WEEDS
-We are in big trouble this time.
-Even though we put the cap back on?
-Evan, it wasn't screwed on all the way. You know how mom hates when her toothpaste dries out.
-Do I ever! Last time we did that, she killed the cat!
-Shame it was the neighbors cat.
Waiting For Charlie
Two Signals stage start a scene and begin to describe "Charlie" (an offstage character that the audience hasn't seen yet), giving them strange physical, emotional, and personality characteristics (ex: has one arm, screams whenever someone says their name, and always makes terrible jokes). Eventually, "Charlie" joins the scene and it progresses from there.
Soap Opera
This game is a scene within a scene. The audience gives a "first world problem" (for instance, when you run out of paper clips), and the scene is either played super-dramatically, or the problem serves as a euphemism for a more serious issue. Drama abounds.
Example One: Running out of paper clips, but as dramatic as if the paper clips kept the Earth spinning.
Example Two: Performing a scene about a deflated balloon AS IF performing a scene about impotence.
Example One: Running out of paper clips, but as dramatic as if the paper clips kept the Earth spinning.
Example Two: Performing a scene about a deflated balloon AS IF performing a scene about impotence.
Oscar Winning Moment
Two Signals act out a scene, while a third serves as a "DJ" and pre-selects three instrumentals (usually) of any genre. At any point in the scene, a Signal will ding, and the DJ plays one of the songs, with the acting Signals changing the mood of the scene to match. When the song ends--determined by the DJ--the Signals snap back to the mood before the song was played.
2-3-4-5
In this game, the audience suggests a word that can be used in multiple ways (such as "space" or "bat"). Two performers start the scene using that word. At some point in that scene, the next performer will freeze the scene, and the two on stage will return to a neutral position as the new performer creates a new, three-person scene based off that word. This continues until a five-person scene is performed. Then, in reverse order, performers will leave the scene. The scenes progress backwards through the scenes already performed until it gets back to the original two-person scene, which ends the game.
Hollywood Director
In this game, one Signal is the eponymous "director," and the other three are their actors. With an audience suggestion, the director comes up with a scene for the performers to act out. At some point in this scene, the Director will "cut' the scene, and add a twist--for example, "Do the same scene, but act like you're on fire." Usually, three twists will be added, cumulatively or otherwise, before the scene is "perfect."
Continuation
This game involves two pairs of performers. The first pair starts the scene and when a Signal off-stage rings the bell, the second pair takes their place and continues the scene as the same characters where it left off. They continue to switch back and forth, often with greater frequency as the action in the scene heightens.
La Ronde
The namesake of L'Swipe, this is a game for four Signals. Two Signals start a normal scene from a word, but at some point, one leaves. From there, the third Signal enters the scene, and has a scene with the second Signal, who keeps the same character and location. Then the second Signal leaves, the fourth enters, and so on, until the fourth Signal and the first (still playing the same character from the beginning) have a short "button" to end the game.
L'Swipe
This is a long-form game in which an audience member gives a word that then inspires a montage of scenes. A scene can be "swiped" (stopped) and a new scene can be started in its place or it can be "frozen" (another person can enter the scene). One of our longer games.
Crazy-Prov
This is a game that involves any and every improv game there is (mostly). Starting with L'Swipe, a scene is performed. At any time, a Signal can ding to make a performer change their line (a la Ding!), to change their emotion (a la emotion game), to change the genre (a la FATS), to change the "that time" (a la Time Warp), and a host of other wacky twists. And it continues to change until we (hopefully) have a fully-developed scene with lots of sudden changes. It's CRAZY IMPROV!!
No Minor Characters
A scene goes on as usual, but if a character leaves the scene, the scene follows that character. Another longer game.
Ex: There is a party going on. The host leaves the living room to get more punch. Then, the scene moved to the kitchen, with the host getting punch (no longer at the party).
Ex: There is a party going on. The host leaves the living room to get more punch. Then, the scene moved to the kitchen, with the host getting punch (no longer at the party).