Emotional Carpool – How to play Improv Games, Times Square NYC

This is a fun game in any show and easy to play in level 1 classes and workshops.

Staging:

• Start with one player onstage, sitting in a chair (or two chairs side-by-side).
• Other players wait offstage.

Sample MC Set Up:

“Welcome to Emotional Carpool, a game where feelings take the wheel!

(For the carpool variation) To get started, I need a few things from you:

1. The Car: What kind of car is it? (Get a suggestion from the audience.)
2. The Destination: Where is the driver headed?

Now, let’s set the mood. Our driver is feeling… (Get an emotion from the audience.)

(For other variations, adjust the setup accordingly)

• Emotional Meeting: “Our boss is leading a meeting about… (Get a topic from the audience.) And they’re feeling…”
• Emotional Classroom: “Our teacher is giving a lesson on… (Get a subject from the audience.) And they’re feeling…”
• School Bus/Bus Stop: “Our passengers/people waiting at the bus stop are all feeling…”
• Pirates: “Ahoy, mateys! Our pirate crew is sailing towards… (Get a destination.) And they’re feeling…” As a nod to former member Christopher Leidenfrost, creator of “The Greatest Pirate Story Never Told,” we include the “Pirates” variation. This allows for a fun and dramatic twist on the Emotional Carpool concept.

Game Play:

1. Driver Sets the Tone: The driver (or leader in other variations) starts by expressing their assigned emotion and explaining why they feel that way.
2. Passengers Enter: Other players enter the scene one at a time, each with their own assigned emotion. As they enter, their emotion “infects” the rest of the car/group, causing everyone to adopt that new emotion.
3. Emotional Shifts: The scene continues, with each new passenger bringing a fresh emotional wave that washes over the others.
4. Departures: Once all players are in the car (or group), they start to leave in reverse order. Each player makes an excuse to exit, and the remaining players revert to the emotional state of the most recent passenger.
5. Back to the Start: The game ends when the driver (or leader) is alone again, having returned to their original emotion.

Tips:

• Don’t Just Use Emotions: The MC can prompt for any state of being, such as “hungry,” “tired,” “confused,” or even “possessed by a demon!”
• Clear Transitions: Make the emotional shifts obvious through facial expressions, body language, and tone of voice.
• Justification: When players leave the scene, encourage them to give a brief, humorous explanation for their departure.
• Embrace the Absurdity: The more outlandish the emotions and justifications, the funnier the scene will be.

Why This Game Works:

• Emotional Exploration: Challenges players to portray a wide range of emotions convincingly.
• Group Dynamics: Highlights how emotions can be contagious and influence group behavior.
• Quick Adaptation: Requires players to think on their feet and adjust their emotions quickly.
• Humor and Surprise: The unexpected emotional shifts and silly justifications create laughter.