Plan to Improvise

I’m asked what’s the best way to plan to improvise.

William:
When I get ready for an improv show, what is the best ways to prepare: plan a ‘set list’ ahead of time or just get on stage and wing it? How do you plan to improvise?
~Bob

How do I plan to be spontaneous?

Bob,
Right, the eternal paradox: How can you ‘plan’ to make stuff up?

I have seen some groups get into heated ‘discussions’ about which games will be played and who will play them. The fear of being on stage unprepared can seep out in surprising ways.

Try these ways to plan to improvise

Here are two strategies that can be used separately or together if you’re playing Theatersports(tm).

1. Just before the performance stand in a circle with your fellow players and begin going around the circle naming games (or scene starts) that you would LIKE to play. It’s brainstorming so avoid evaluation and commenting. This is the time for improvisation. See what comes up in your mind. Practice playfulness. Sometime we even ‘invent’ new games. For example someone might say, “New Choice.” The next person would say “Antarctica.” A player will look at him/her and say, “How do you play ‘Antarctica’?” Then that player will have to make it up, (I’ll make up a description for “Antarctica” now) Because it’s cold in Antarctica… whenever a player is in physical contact with another player they can speak freely… but when they are standing apart from another player they speak fewer words. The greater the distance and time from last contact the fewer the number of words they can speak until they stop talking altogether. When they get back in touch with another player they can talk freely again. (Hey, that sounds like it’s worth a try… that was fun). The Playbook can be a great reminder of games and types of games that can help spark this session.
2. Before the performance take out your playbook and make a list of the games that you enjoy, haven’t played in a while or want to take a chance on. Keep that list in your pocket (or post it on the wall back stage) and then forget it… until you find yourself searching or slightly panicked about what to do next. Then look at the list to see if it offers any insight.

You can plan to improvise by using both of these methods. They have worked well for me and combine both planning and improv. Let me know what you try and how it works. Use the contact form or comments section.