Urban Prompt

You've been asked to design a city. Why does it look like and what is it like to live there?

- doug smith

 

Say it

If the whole world had to listen to you talk for one hour, what would you say?

-- doug smith

 

Start Now

If you were asked to do a one-person show, how would you begin?

- doug smith

music wheel

One person spins the wheel and whatever "rule" emerges the ensemble follows. Spinner may also write the rule largely on a white board, or alternatively, hold up a large card with the choice revealed.

CHOICES:

voices only

pentatonic

no key

major key

minor key

melody

refrain

recitative

percussion

whole notes please

low as you can go

softly

classic-ish

romantic

12-tone

minimal

show biz

folk

funk

freaky

left

right

center

bulbous

zapparific

horns to the moon

marching band

polka

reggae

tough

genre bending

Scene Prompt: Slipping By

Two characters share the stage with one rule: no talking for at least one minute. 

Oh, and no pantomime! They may move actually objects. They may move each other. They may pace, stare, and show that they care, but no talking for at least one minute. 

Acting is more than words. Improv is far more than comedy. 

More Than One

I keep thinking that I have to be as good as everybody else in everything else that everybody else does, but I don't. And, neither do you. That's why -- isn't that really WHY there is more than one of us? 

-- doug smith

Poetry: Line by Line

Improv Prompt

Four characters take the stage. The first three have the task of creating a new line of poetry to add to the accumulating lines of poetry until a logical or satisfying conclusion is reached. Make no attempt to make this funny.

The fourth person, having heard the first three lines, creates a two line chorus. They will then repeat this chorus each round.

"Why not make it funny?"

"It might BE funny. The guideline though is to make no ATTEMPT to make it funny. The harder you try NOT to make it funny, the greater potential it has."

-- doug smith