improvarama

  A business call that takes too long. A meeting that's rambling. Waiting for the copy machine. There must have been times when an odd doodle showed up and grew into something collecting, something expressing. Here's an idea -- the next time you reach for your device to idly scroll, instead pick up a pen and some paper and doodle. It does not need to be anything at all. Doodle. Poke it. Prod it. Dress it up in your favorite doll house.  You will not have wasted your time. Think Tank Leakage - collage/mixed media/sketch by douglas brent smith, 1997.

  out of order all awry start to laugh ache to cry waves of drama surrounding us broken dreams rusted trust. DEBRIEF: What scene occurs to you? Does this spark drama? Do you feel comedy? Is it a musical? Give it time. Give your creativity time. Commit.

Topic: Improv  Goal: Create a new and amusing scene. Prompt: Use this quote to prompt your improvisation:  What you see in the mirror is not what the world sees. Coaching: What do you hope to see? Why would anyone see anything else? What are you afraid others might see? How do people decide what they see about you? What does one character in the scene want that they cannot have?

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!

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!  

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

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