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Killer Bunny

This is an energetic warm-up game where players stand in a circle. One player starts as the “bunny” by making a large rabbit ear gesture over their head and saying “bunny.” The players to their immediate left and right then make a “carrots” gesture (hands in front, wiggling fingers). If a mistake is made or someone is too slow, they become the “killer bunny,” and the pace speeds up. This game enhances focus and presence and fosters a lighthearted atmosphere.

King Lizard

A game played in a circle where one player is designated the “King Lizard.” The King Lizard leads a series of exaggerated, slow-motion, and sometimes absurd movements, and all other players in the circle must mirror these movements precisely. This emphasizes physical awareness and group synchronization.

Kitty in the Corner

This is a quick and active warm-up. Players gather in the center of the room. When the facilitator calls “Kitty in the Corner!” everyone scatters to occupy one of the four corners of the room. The challenge is that there will always be one less corner than players, forcing quick decisions and physical negotiation.

Knife Baby Angry Cat

This is a physical and vocal warm-up. Players stand in a circle and quickly pass around an imaginary “sound and motion.” The first player starts by making a distinct sound and accompanying gesture (e.g., “knife” with a chopping motion). The next player repeats the previous sound and gesture, then adds their own (e.g., “knife, baby” with a rocking motion). This continues, building a chain of sounds and movements, requiring strong memory and quick execution.

Ksss

A rhythmic sound and movement game. Players stand in a circle. One player starts by making a “ksss” sound and a sweeping arm gesture to the person next to them. The next person repeats the “ksss” and gesture, passing it on. The challenge comes when a player makes a different sound or gesture, changing the pattern, and everyone must adapt quickly. This game enhances focus and presence and boosts communication and connection.

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La Ronde

A long-form format with multiple locations where improvisers stay in one character for the entire performance.

Late for Work

One person leaves the room. The audience suggests why they were late, how they got there, and their job. When the person returns, they apologize to their boss for being late while trying to guess the reasons, helped by four friendly colleagues miming actions behind the boss.

Last Letter

Players engage in a scene where each line of dialogue must begin with the last letter of the previous speaker’s last word. This game significantly enhances focus and presence and encourages quick thinking.

Last Letter, First Letter

In pairs or small groups, players have a conversation where the last letter of the last word said by one player is the first letter of the first word of the next player’s response. This game highlights the value of listening to the end of another person’s thought.

Last Letter Scene

Similar to Last Letter Circle, but played as a full scene where the dialogue constraint is maintained. Each line must start with the last letter of the previous line’s last word, pushing players to be creative with their vocabulary and plot development.

Last Line

The facilitator receives a “last line” of dialogue from the audience. Players then improvise a scene leading up to that exact line, which must be spoken as the final words of the scene. This game encourages collaborative storytelling and working backward from a conclusion.

Last Word, First Word

Players engage in a scene where each line of dialogue must begin with the last word of the previous speaker’s line. This creates a strong verbal link between players and enhances listening skills and communication.

Laugh and Go

This is a warm-up game where players pass a laugh around a circle. One player starts by genuinely laughing. The next player then “catches” the laugh and extends it, and so on. The goal is to build a contagious wave of laughter, often fostering a lighthearted atmosphere and loosening up the group.

LCD

This stands for “Least Common Denominator.” Players perform a scene, and the challenge is to make every line of dialogue or action as generic and unspecific as possible, avoiding any unique details or bold choices. It’s an exercise in exploring how much information can be conveyed with the absolute minimum.

Let What You See, See You

This is a guiding principle or exercise in improv that encourages players to be fully present and responsive to everything happening in the scene, both physically and verbally. It means letting what you observe or what is offered by your scene partner truly affect you and inform your reactions, leading to deeper connection and more authentic play.

Letter Number Name

A rapid-fire warm-up game for a group. Players stand in a circle, and one person points to another and quickly calls out either “letter,” “number,” or “name.” The person pointed to must then immediately respond with a letter, a number, or a name, respectively. If they hesitate or make a mistake, they’re out, increasing the pace and challenge. This game strongly enhances focus and presence.

Levels

Players perform a scene where they must continually adjust their physical or emotional “levels.” This could mean changing their height (sitting, standing, lying down) or the intensity of their emotions (calm, agitated, ecstatic). The shifts in levels should be justified by the scene, adding dynamic visual and emotional interest.

Lighting Booth

The lighting operator makes unusual choices (e.g., a spotlight appears, someone moves into it to give a speech), which players must justify.

Line!

At intervals, players shout “Line!” as if they’ve forgotten their dialogue. An offstage player then provides a compelling line, which the onstage players must justify.

Line Mirror

Two players perform a scene. One player initiates a line of dialogue, and the second player immediately mirrors or repeats that line, often with a slight variation in tone or intention. The scene then proceeds with this mirroring dynamic, forcing players to listen precisely and respond in kind.

Lines From Texts

The audience is asked for a cellphone with a long text conversation. One actor uses the text stream as their lines in a scene. This game is similar to “Actor’s Nightmare.”

Lip-Reading

Similar to “Pillars,” but an audience member mouths words, and the player tries to lip-read and justify them.

Liquid Change

A physical game where players move through the space as if they are a fluid, constantly changing their form and interacting with each other as if they are part of a larger, flowing mass. The “liquid” can change properties (e.g., thick mud, flowing water, sticky syrup), influencing the players’ movements.

Liquid Freeze

Similar to a traditional “Freeze Tag” game, but when a player is “frozen,” they are not completely rigid. Instead, they become a slowly melting or flowing “liquid” until another player “unfreezes” them by tapping them and initiating a new scene or movement.

Loser Ball

Players stand in a circle and pass an imaginary ball around. The goal is to avoid being the one who “drops” the ball or makes a mistake, but the twist is that the last person to handle the ball before a mistake is made is declared the “loser,” creating a humorous anti-goal. This game fosters a lighthearted atmosphere.

Lost Musical

The audience provides the title of a “lost” or never-before-seen musical. Players then improvise the entire musical, including dialogue, songs, and choreography, making up the plot and character arcs on the spot. This game strongly boosts communication and connection and encourages grand, collaborative storytelling.

Lotus Monologues

Inspired by the structure of a lotus flower, this involves multiple monologues that are seemingly separate but are subtly connected by shared themes, recurring phrases, or overlapping ideas. Each monologue is performed by a different player, with the overall effect being a cohesive yet abstract narrative, enhancing focus and presence on the connections.

Lounge Singer

Players ask the audience for an unlikely place to find a lounge singer (e.g., a mechanic, dentist office, funeral home). Then, a player improvises a solo song in the style of a lounge singer, welcoming people to that place.

Lounge Lizards

Similar to “Lounge Singer,” but involving multiple players who embody the smooth, often slightly cheesy persona of lounge entertainers. They might perform short scenes, witty banter, or group songs in this style, emphasizing sophisticated yet accessible entertainment.

Lugares

This game, Spanish for “places,” involves players quickly establishing and jumping between multiple distinct locations within a scene without using props or set pieces. Players must use strong physicality and verbal descriptions to make the location clear, requiring keen focus and presence and clear communication.

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