Smile

A smile can stop ten sad thoughts from filling your mind. 

-- doug smith

1.  I started to type "smile" in the title and my fingers somehow typed "Smith" instead. That makes me smile...

2. Yes, this is related to improv. When we help other people smile we're building some part of a better world. What fun!

3. See how powerful improv can be? What if, in creating something new, we used that same quote but featured this picture:

That changes things, right?

Or we could get even darker:

Because improv is not all comedy, or does not NEED to be all comedy or sunny and light.

Although, sunny and light is nice so here's another nice smile for you. Now, go make someone (and yourself) happy: smile!

Scene Prompt: Status

Status is in every scene. People jockey for the top spot. Conflict spins out of the struggle to be recognized, to be in control, to win.

Improvise a scene using this prompt:

The struggle for status inevitably disappoints.

Have fun!

 

Scene Prompt: Forgiveness

Build a scene inspired by this quote:

If forgiveness was easy we would never hesitate to forgive.

Key questions include:

• What's the conflict?
• What do your characters want?
• Where are you?

No need to overcomplicate the scene. Simply supply a need for forgiveness and the obstacle that makes it hard to forgive.

-- doug smith

Scene Prompt: Defend

Improv level: Advanced

If the essence of drama is conflict, this challenge will help you build some nuance into your dramatic scene work while also helping you avoid the temptation of going for the laugh. Improv is more than comedy, and comedy is funnier when you don't play it for the laugh. Make it real.

Here's the challenge: Create a scene based on this quote --

Defend to stabilize, even neutralize, but not to destroy.

It's your theme. It's your structure. It's your turn...

-- doug smith

Scene Prompt: One Day

Improv Level: Advanced

I'm currently writing this on Google's Blogger platform and it has the interesting feature of allowing you to date a post into the past. I'll do that with this post as an example. I'm writing it on July 13, 2025 but I'm going to send it back in time -- not far, just a nudge, say perhaps June, 2025.

You've seen many examples of time travel in movies, plays, and literature so now it's your turn. Create a scene with this premise: You can go back to any one day in your life and re-live or change it. That's the scene: the decision to change it and then what happens next.

Based on what you know about time-travel, what would be the side-effects? What would be the results? What would be funny about any of that?

Now go. Your turn!

-- doug smith

Ego...

 

We make ego into a bad word but try excelling without it.

That tension between control and out-of-control? That's magic!

-- doug smith

Bold!

Get bold or get forgotten!

Who's your favorite actor?

What performer grabs your attention?

When you are on stage where is YOUR focus?

There is a place for nuance. There is a time for subtlety. And, there is a time for drama!

Get bold or get forgotten!

-- doug smith