Picture This: Renewable History

The course title looked so interesting that she could not resist. Renewable History. What if she COULD go back in time? What would she change? What would she fix?

Would she go right for the really big stuff (President Kennedy don't go to Dallas!) or simply fix the relationships she'd messed up. And, oh, she'd messed up a few.

Maybe it was her attention span. She'd stay interested. She get passionate. She'd be all about the all over of everything connected with her partner and then...and then her partner would do something so annoying she just couldn't believe it. A misplaced fart. A dirty toothbrush. A wet toilet seat. A scratch on the car. That was the picture. She could never picture herself staying with anyone forever, even though she always said that she would.

Isn't that what they wanted to hear?

Like that dinner at that Mexican restaurant in Louisville. She liked it really spicy. Her partner was a spice wimp. He couldn't take the tears. Wasn't that always the case? He couldn't take the tears.

She could take the tears. She could let it rip. She could tear up a relationship like it was nobody's business -- and wasn't it just HER business anyway?

Five minutes, she thought. Five more minute of this and I'm out of here.

Renewable History. Hmm. She thought. Maybe Tennis 101 is a better choice...

-- doug smith

PICTURE THIS:

1. Pick a random image
2. Write, inspired by that image, for five minutes and then stop.

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: 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: 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

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