A variation on the The Actor’s Nightmare. One player improvises a scene while another, or two, uses a text chain from someone’s phone as their script.
- Category: Scene work, Justify, Performance, Audience Interactice
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- Improv Game List
We did not create the game but I love our version of it. We recently added it to our regular line uo of games Saturdays 3pm at the Broadway Comedy Club, Times Square NYC. Our audiences have been loving this one!!!
THE SET UP
Get two audience members to volunteer their phones. Ask them to preselect a text chain they feel comfortable sharing with the world. Assign each phone to a player on stage. A third player will improvised their lines completely.
Get a suggestion from the audience. I like a bad vacation spot for this one, or any scenario that will create a stress point for the 3rd actor.
GAME PLAY
Note to players “on book” (for non actors ON BOOK is a term meaning you are reading from script in rehearsal etc) be sensitive. Know the audience. Keep one eye on the owner of your phone. We are famous for our PG13 content. Edgy enough for a NYC club, but also friendly to most families, offices and college campus. We play orthodox Bar Mitzvahs and 5yo birthday parties too. The actor has full discretion which texts to use as we do when playing actor’s nightmare.
Scene usually starts with the actor without a phone to give the initial offer. Give the scene a true Improv opening. The other two actor’s take turns adding their lines from the text chains. Give the off book actor a chance to justify everything.
That’s it.
OFF BOOK ACTOR
The heavy lift is on the off book actor to tie it all together. You have to fill in the blanks. Give random its due context.
ON BOOK ACTORS
Use subtext to shape the scripted lines. HAVE FUN. Move around. This game too easily becomes talking heads.
