Improv Games: The Best Way to Bond a Cast

One time, I (Claire) volunteered to teach a comedy class, but I was the last one of an hour's worth of workshop classes. As I looked out onto my audience, their faces were as vacant as a Joann Fabric store. So instead of launching into my five-point essay, I asked everyone to line up at the back of the room.

Bewildered, they shuffled in line, and I announced that when it was their turn, they had to walk to the front of the room as whatever I said they were. I motioned to the first girl, preparing to softball it to her.

"Walk to the front of the room as a pony," I said.

She looked around awkwardly, but as I chanted, "po-nee, po-nee, PO-NEE," she bent to the peer pressure and softly galloped to the front.

"Great!" I said, and the next boy in line snickered. I pointed to him, "You. You're a mermaid on the run from a shark."

His smile vanished like Batman in the middle of a conversation with Commissioner Gordon. I nodded and he meekly mimed a breaststroke to the front of the room. Everyone was laughing, but as each person took their turn, the scenarios became more and more insane. By the end, I could feel the group camaraderie. The improv game had become a core memory--an inside joke that they would all share.

That is why improv games are the best investment in creating a cohesive cast. Getting them to act out of their comfort zone (with some comedy acting) and laughing together is the quickest way to build a bond. Here are some of the wildest improv games to try:

Here's the Situation

Have your actors form two lines: one on stage left and one on stage right. Then, you will give them a situation, for instance, "Person on stage right, you are the maid of honor. Person on stage left, it's your wedding day, and you are walking to the altar. The maid of honor, however, notices there is toilet paper stuck to the bride's shoe." Then, the actors come on stage and act out the situation. Other situations could be:

• You are sailing a boat, and suddenly you see a mermaid! And she's bald.
  

• You are at a laundry mat, but as you look over, you see someone is washing grapes in the washing machine.
  

• You are backup dancers in a boy band, but you're both having an allergic reaction to the lead singer's cologne.
  

• You are giving a gift to your friend. However, Amazon mixed up the packages. Instead of truffles, the box has a tzamanian devil that is waking up from its tranquilizers.
  

• You are coming to your Chemistry teacher for help on your assignment, but you stumble upon your teacher secretly rehearsing his upcoming puppet performance.

Stunt-Double

Two of your actors set the scene, and one actor is side-stage. Throughout the scene, whenever one actor has to do something embarrassing or difficult, they yell, "Double!" and the side-stage actor has to jump in. Once the stunt double completes the action, he freezes, and the original actor replaces him and continues the scene.

Sit, Stand, Lie Down

This one requires three victims... I mean "volunteers." The rule during the scene is that there should always be one actor standing, one actor sitting, and one actor lying down. When one person makes a move, the others must scramble to maintain the pattern of sitting, standing, and lying down. Make sure actors aren’t just sitting/standing/lying down at random and that their positions make sense for the scene.

Bedtime Story

Pick one person to be the parent reading a “bedtime story” to their child. Then, to the side, you will have two to four actors who will act out the story for the audience. If you'd like, you can have the actor(s) playing the children interrupt and add to the story, or introduce another parent to help with the narrative load.

Fortunately, Unfortunately

This one is nice because the whole cast can play it together. Have all your actors stand in a circle. One actor starts making a “fortunately,” statement, such as "fortunately, I scored these Taylor Swift tickets..." Then the next person in the circle continues the thought with an “unfortunately” statement, such as, "unfortunately, they're her parking tickets." Continue until all actors have had a chance to play.

Conclusion: The Power of Improv Games

If it goes well, your cast will have a hilarious time, and all the new person awkwardness should dissipate from the group. If it goes poorly, then they can bond over the mutual theater trauma (and maybe even get a Groupon for counseling). All in all, this is one of the quickest and funnest ways to get your cast to connect. Besides a lit cast party. You're welcome.