THEATRE GAMES: CONCENTRATION

2 blindfolded students, or Samurai, are armed with newspaper "swords" and seek each other out.

Actors learn to commit to a private truthful moment in front of an audience.

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.

The Night at the Museum meets physical characterization! The museum has come to life but don't let the night guards see you or you'll be removed from the display and sent to storage.

Ali Baba is sort of a physical version of a song in the round.

This activity builds cooperation and trust and is a great beginning activity for new casts and/or theatre groups.

In this exercise, one student will walk across the circle, focusing on the emotional state and attitude of a character and how that might be heightened from a 1 level to a 10 level.

Handholding exercise used to facilitate a solid sense of ensemble.

To take on the persona of the last person that gets into the taxi.

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.

This is an opening for long form improvisation.  It uses audience suggestion and the imagination and physicality of the players.   Actors become inanimate objects as well as people, physically creating a setting as well as characters.

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

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.)

What are you doing?  Students start pantomiming an action and another students asks, "What are you doing?"  The first student must lie and say they are doing something different.

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!

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.  

Students must answer a question, one word at a time!

This is a fun game used to cultivate teamwork while warming up physically and vocally.

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.

Students establish a instant spirit of ensemble by clapping in unison with the person to their left or right depending on the directing of the clapping wave. 

This exercise allows students to create the characters, settings, and plots for their own improvisations. Depending on the age group, it is interesting to see how, inventive, humorous even silly, and/or dramatic the scenes can be.

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

To physicalize emotion by showing emotions and feelings through use of space objects.

A variation on the Meisner repetition exercise that allows for scene and character development.

To develop improvisational skills, use creative imagination, analyze behavior and activities of others, and make appropriate dialogue choices by exchanging presents.

The game requires both exchanging and transforming energy by blending with your fellow players as a ball of energy is thrown amoungst the group.  Its about being in the moment, keeping open, grounded and free as well as being aware of your surroundings and articulating. You must be aware of the energy sent, available to the energy - allowing it to change you, and you must be articulate in sending the energy back out.

To get students to know each other through names and stories.

Teaches improvisation, pantomime, and clear communication. It also works as an introduction to a skill of giving constructive criticism.

A great warm up, to learn names of fellow cast members/classmates or to help build cooperation and teamwork.