THEATRE GAMES: NO MAXIMUM

Students create stories and loosen up through making sounds to set the scene of the story described.

Passing on sounds, movement, and objects as a concentration activity. Geared towards helping the students maintain focus and work together to accomplish the final goal.

A fun way for students to develop and appreciate vocal projection.

A warm-up improv game starting with gift-giving, both literally and through strong offers.

This exercise helps allow students to learn and use their vocabulary words. Also, it helps them get used to improv.

To interact while working as an ensemble by producing a 3 minute commercial.

Handholding exercise used to facilitate a solid sense of ensemble.

YES! is a deceptively simple yet effective concentration and ensemble building game.  The game can be played with new groups or groups who know each other well.

Students will demonstrate their ability to create a character background by participating in a character interview.

A great exercise for relaxation, focus, dealing with stage-fright, and breathing from the diaphram.

This is a fun and imaginative warm up for any group.  It encourages movement and a nonthreatening way to free one's imagination.

Students watch one another and imitate one another's physical actions.  The prompts for movement can be motivated or just fun improvisational.  Students can explore their physical instrument and expand the limits of their creativity.  (Also good for getting students (and directors!) to learn names of their fellow students.)

This is one of the most requested games in my acting classes.  The more times they play it, the more specific and competitive the session becomes.  Anyone can participate, but you will need a quick mind to win!

Actors identify the animal and/or song that their character represents or reminds them of.  This can be seen throughout the play and/or for curtain calls.

This game can go on for hours as groups begin to trust and enjoy the process of working as an ensemble.  In theory, it is like one large mirror activity, however, coach should encourage movement and vocal involvement in the exercise.  The purpose is not to mirror perfectly, but to move, breath and begin to think as one connected ensemble.  Best for creating a sense of unity and a wonderful physical warm-up.  I learned this one at the National Theatre of Great Britain while attending a post-graduate actor training program.  

This energetic warm-up will get your group focused, listening, limber, and "ready to roll".

Ask students to form a circle.

Ask each student to come up with a word to describe their day so far.  For example, exciting, boring, etc.   After each student says his or her word, the whole group repeats it. 

Then, ask each student to come up with one action to go along with their word.  After each student's word and action, the whole group repeats the word and action. 

After going around the circle a couple of times.  Have one student arbitrarily go to another student and, while facing them, say his/her word with the action.  The student who was chosen then repeats the word and action back to the first actor - as in mirroring him/her.  The second student then goes and chooses another student arbitrarily and says his original word with action.  At first, you have only one person at a time meeting another student.  Then, as it progresses more students are called upon to take their words and actions to other actors.  It is a game of focus and memory.

Intro pantomime activities to break the ice the first few days of class.

Develop character by discussing statements such as: If my character were a color...If my character were a food...If my character were a book...If my character were a kitchen appliance...If my character were a vacation...If my character were an animal..If my character were a magazine...etc.

I find that often, especially at an after-school rehearsal, my performers come in dragging, and just need a little exercise to "jazz them up." The following list is comprised of several of my favorites:

I find that often, especially at an after-school rehearsal, my performers come in dragging, and just need a little exercise to "jazz them up." The following list is comprised of several of my favorites:

Two actors working through a scene or improv will be given a separate motivation or goal to obtain in the scene that is unrelated to the scene itself. Works on a young actor's ability to gain something from the other actor while staying in the moment. 

To mold students into shapes and have them use their creativity to name their creations.

To complete a scene in three minutes using the standard 3 point storyline.

Helps students become more comfortable with thinking on their feet, having the confidence to be creative and staying in the moment.

Engages two students in an improvisation that contains elements found in a well-written dramatic of comic scene containing conflict.

Articulation exercises relax the mouth and is good practice for an actor's voice and characterization.

Combinging physical activity with verbal exercise to help the brain organize and focus effectively through rhythm and clapping.