Space Age Bachelor Pad Music

Essential additions to an Incredibly Strange Music Collection.

I thought I’d write an article this holiday season about some of my favorite albums in the “Space Age Bachelor Pad” genre.

Space Age Bachelor Pad music, also known as “space age pop” was generally instrumental, happy, and short. Some of this music was  designed to show off the power of new stereo speakers. Wikipedia tells us- “Space age pop was inspired by the zeitgeist of those times, an optimism based on the strong post-war economy and technology boom, and excitement about mankind’s early forays into space.”     Engineers and composers were pushing the limit and trying to make the home listening experience as dynamic and as exciting as they could. They were experimenting with putting microphones in cans, the difference between recording close up and far away, microphones hanging from ceilings, moving in the room while the performance was happening. Sometimes jazz standards and classical pieces would be remained in a peppy, optimisitc and playful way, generally cutting intros and solos to keep them tight and snappy.

Henri Mancini and Dick Hyman would utilize sounds and moods first explored in this thrilling genre to score film.  Some of this music resembles music from cartoons, and Carl Stalling (who worked on both Disney’s Merry Melodies and Warner Brother’s Silly Symphonies) even reused music from the Raymond Scott  catalog in his compositions for Looney Tunes.
The most familiar of these is also perhaps the most iconic space age pop tune of all, “Powerhouse.” This instantly recognizable tune was in countless cartoons at moments of confused frenzy, a confidant character strutting down the street, or scenes of construction or moving conveyor belts.
My favorite rendition appears on Space Age Pop Volume 1, recorded by Sid Bass, though a very interesting “free jazz” version is on Ted Kooshian’s Standard Orbit Quartet’s Underdog, and a cool percussion heavy xylophone rendition is on Space Capades from Ultra Lounge recorded by the Bobby Hammack trio.
Conductor  Gert Jan Blom said that the effect of having a real orchestra play Powerhouse in front of him, with over 20 horns and percussion was “better than sex.” ( Liner notes to Raymond Scott: Chesterfield Arrangements 1937-1938)
Some lump this music together with “elevator” music and lounge. I’m just one listener, but I would disagree. I think elevator music is designed to calm and be unnoticed in the background. When I think “lounge,” I think vocals, and imagine a sultry singer leaning on a piano and crooning into a old fashioned microphone. What makes Space Age Pop what it is: NO lyrics,  fun and zest in every note and element of the production, and an insistent, hummable melody that is high in the mix played on keyboards and mallet instruments.

Modern bands who are kicking ass and taking names, continuing the Space age pop tradition. Many of these discs were released in the 90s, so they aren’t exactly Modern… but I don’t care, I’m living in the past and loving it. If you like Keyboards- this is a list for you, I’m a keyboardophile and this list shows it.

Medeski, Martin and Wood
This band has fans in the Jazz world and the “jam band” scene. My favorite album is the one I consider to be the most optimistic Shack Man. “Is there Anybody who Loves my Jesus?” “Think,” “Spy Kiss,” and their iconic song, maybe what they are best known for, the bouncy, repetitive, tempo crescendo orgasm that is Bubblehouse- borrowing a formula from house music but setting it to a playful hip hop beat  and sounds almost like a DJ Shadow or RJD2 tune.

Another fantastic album from them is their most avant garde and Psychedelic: The Dropper. I usually slip the first track, which is a bit too wild for me, but I love the rest of the album, Long rambling wild Miles Davis like songs, and the middle is a lovely  lounge intermission “Note Blue” with the happiest organ riffs and gentle swinging guitar noodling. Many tracks also have Marc Ribot!

Vampiros Lesbos by Manfred Hübler and Siegfried Schwab
This isn’t a band name, sadly, but a soundtrack that became more famous than the film. This is crazy 70s european soft core Horror porn with fantastic fun music. Jammy organs, horns, noir electric guitars, and electric piano grooves. The tracks aren’t ruined with any dialogue or horny vampire moaning, the only track with vocals is “the Lion and the Cucumber.” Its some satanic chanting by an Troll. “There’s no Satisfaction” is pure Go-Go bliss! Dig it!
Other awesome tracks are “Dedicated to Love” and “Kama Sutra.”

Tipsy

The pretty cooing ladies who are swooning and saying “aaaahhh,” “hey!” or “oh yes!” in the background blend in with samples of monkeys and birdsong. Slide guitars, vibraphones, sitars and flutes make this tiki tiki album perfect for a bubble party. Uh Oh has the amazing tracks “Papaya Freeway,” Sweet Cinnamon Punch.”
Their followup, Buzzzz contains “Chop Sockey,” and “Good Little Demon.” If it were possible for this band to play live it would be a fantastic show. Perhaps they perform some semblance of the album by playing backing tracks and playing mallet instruments live along with them.

Action Figure Party.
I found that I like everything  Greg Kurstin puts his hands on, including Geggy Tah, Lily Allen and this gem of an album. This has guest appearances from many musicians known for playing rock and pop, but who like to play Jazz  when Greg Kurstin calls; such as Flea from the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Yuval Gabay from Soul Coughing. Miho Hatori, Sean Lennon, and Theremin Virtuoso Pamela Kurstin make contributions too.
“Pong Baby” is some crazy funk. “Gamera” has outrageously catchy keyboard riffs and a delightful drum riff. Wheres the moment is sheer delight. “George and Cindy” sounds like closing credits to a 60s TV show about teenagers in love, and “Flow” and “No Sleep” provide welcome respite with slower tempos and a chiller mood. Bonkers good record.

The Bad Plus 

Not so much a jazz band, as a experimental progressive band playing music in the “jazz idiom.” They are known for eclectic rock covers such as “Smells like Teen Spirit” and “Iron Man,” and when they put their own spin on the mood and timing, such as in Bowie’s Life on Mars or Blondie’s “Heart of Glass,” the results are remarkable. These are truly covers that pay loving homage to their originals.
They can push the limits of grandiosity to the extreme such as in Queen’s “We are the Champions.” It works… for a few listens. I think they shine on original compositions like “Prehensile Dream, ” Anthem for the Earnest and “The Empire Strikes Backwards” all from their amazing album Suspicious Activity. My favorite album from them is their first: Give. “Boo Wah” is some outrageous odd time signature exploration, that might make Sun Ra scratch his head. “1972 Gold Medalist” is a simple prodding two chord adventure that I will never tire of.

Kid Koala

Tracks like “Basin Street Blues” from Some of my Best Friends are Djs combine hip hop and drunken jazz. He has a rhythm section going on one LP and then a trumpet solo on another one and he scratches and mangles it to pure ear candy. Often his use of “funny vocal samples” is hackneyed, I would prefer he leave the tracks instrumental every time. I have had the opportunity to see him live twice and each time was thrilling. I think the samples are better suited to a live show setting, and when the albums final mix goes out the tracks would be improved by removing them.
“Stomping at  Le Savoi” and “Vacation Island” are two other fun tracks I recommend, but alas, also have funny samples.

Ursula 1000 is an electronica artist who makes fun dancey remixes of old songs, mixes the best from the world of “loungetronica- and samples everything, including samba, mambo and big band. I think his best tracks are definitely in the space age bachelor pad tradition. “Beatbox Cha Cha” from Kinda Kinky is one of his best, the other standouts are “Mucho Tequila,” and  “Samba 1000.”
“Funky Bikini,” “Mambo 1000,” and “The Shake” are highlights from his debut The Now Sound of Ursula 1000. He has also released “mixtape” style releases with him mixing the music of others, Ursadelica and All Systems are Go Go.

I also want to mention Magma.

Mekanïk Destruktïw Kommandöh and Kohntarkosz Anteria are the two albums I have heard from them.

This sounds nothing like space age bachelor pad music, and it was released in the 70s, but I’m going to write about it here anyway because its so incredibly wild and intense. This is French Choral Orchestral psychedelia. They sing in a made-up language that sounds Germanic. Its Crazy.

But wait there’s more. Many many more artists are exploring these fun sounds, combining them with hip hop, vocals, and acid jazz: including Stereolab, Combustible Edison, The Cardigans, Valella Valella, Belaire, Nous Non Plus, Lemon Jelly, Euphone, The Lounge Lizards, Morricone Youth, Mr. Scruff, Prefuse 73,  Max Tundra, Ulu,  The Avalanches,  Marco Benevento and the Bird and the Bee (also a Greg Kurstin project.) if you play music that is strange and instrumental, please tell me about it!

Isaac Paris

 

 

I perform stand up comedy and improv comedy. Sometimes my act involves my action comics. I turn the pages of a book and tell a story. Some of these are illustrated slam poetry, others are comedy monologues. This tradition in Japan is called Kamishibai.

In some settings, I have played piano as an accompaniment to my comedy monologues.  I write humorous original songs, sometimes these are satirical and irreverent echoing Tom Lehrer and other times they are educational recalling tunes from Animaniacs.

Here at this site, I have posted cd reviews, articles I’ve written, rules for improv games,  information about his appearances and events, and examples of his comics.

Here are some links to videos
www.youtube.com/watch?v=FCSa7f96xjY
www.youtube.com/watch?v=LugBiaq-djI&feature=related
www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIhTd8-DfP8
www.youtube.com/watch?v=cTYamWuxy5M&lr=1

If you are interested in booking or would like to see a complete resume, write me at strangecharm99@gmail.com. I currently have no representation or label support.

Punned Down in Cold Blood.

I am very excited to present to you my latest comics. I hope you enjoy them. You will need to click on them individually to read the print, and the effect of seeing me perform them live will be much funnier, I am sure.  Thanks for reading.

Feeding Frenzy, Saucy Yoda, Brandon Reid, The Fastest Bear.

Feeding Frenzy-

Positive Vandalism

Sunnyside Studio, Produced by Feeding Frenzy, recording engineer James Bartlett

Mastered by Frank Steiner Jr.

Fairbanks, AK

This band, now two years old. released their first full length: Positive Vandalism. Daniel Firmin, primary vocalist has a tone that is tender. He sounds like an old friend giving kind advice. On track 4, Sleep, this “Wise Uncle persona” is demonstrated to great effect. With cello and toy piano making a gentle lullaby, this is the best of the slower tracks. Ryan Bateman’s voice is thrilling to hear, it creeps along lower than Daniels, less confident but compelling. “Lay your ahead down try to get some sleep.” and the tone of what he sings about is often darker as well. The lyric, “Tell all the jokes that we already know,” is an effective way of communicating cabin fever and the darkness in Alaskan winters. Rebecca File’s vibrato weaves in and out, I have often called her tone “operatic,” her own material is impressive, though here she is often a backing vocalist. On Rambler she takes the lead, and tells a story of a troubled family. This song really has a pleasant feel, with piano, twinkling banjo and a chugging guitar that manage to never get in each other’s way. Having three vocalists fills the album with variety. Take me to the River has some creepy overtones, and a set of wood blocks sound like clopping horse hooves. Cheat and Steal has a trumpet played by guest Shane Artz. This slower, New Orleansy style is a big improvement over their version on their previous EP. Now Chad File is a bonafide member and his drumming is a welcome addition on tracks like Take Me to the River. On some tracks he backs off and plays only a little percussion. Rebecca’s melodica lines bring a pleasant counterpoint to the vocals and violin. Sometimes Ephy Wheeler can chug along confidently with her cello, other times she plays the violin like a shuddering orphan weeping in the rain.

I asked Ryan for a few details about the recording process and he said, “it was really fun working with James. He’s just a really cool all-around guy.” We discussed the recording process and he gave a few insights: “The recordings are like a time capsule of how we played the songs six months ago. It was tough to lay down tracks in April and then in July get back in that mood we had been and do overdubs. ” The album has many “just right” moments, where the banjo and voices combine in a way that is quaint, familiar and charming. Feeding Frenzy succeeds at combining Appalacian folk with pop and revealing a darker edge; they deliver ten amazing songs, full of emotion and weight.

feedingfrenzy.bandcamp.com

facebook.com/feedingfrenzyak

ffo: Old Crow Medicine Show, Asylum Street Spankers, Avett Brothers, Decemberists Tom Waits, Murder By Death

Saucy Yoda

Dysfunctional Dingus Cafe

Portland, Or.

Saucy Yoda busts out of portland, playing house parties, bars, underage clubs and anywhere the masses gather. She’s there with her mp3 player in hand to crank out some party jams and elicit laughter. Her rhymes fly so fast and furious, its impossible to catch it all on one’s first listen. References to 80′s nostalgia, jokes, innuendo and unguarded observations are flung overwhelmingly at the listener: some couplets resemble yearbook scribblings, others: bathroom stall wisdom, filthy children’s hopscotch songs, and the rest, the kitchen staff’s secrets you weren’t supposed to hear. She starts the party off with a very silly rap full of puns and metaphors comparing asian food to sex. Album opener, Wanton has much less of the slick “produced sound” its got real drums and an acoustic guitar. “He’s going down to sushi town for a spicy tuna roll.”

  She performs alongside indie rock bands as opposed to other female rappers…because there are no others like her! I think she might find a welcome audience alongside comedians. She’s better (and less arrogant) than Nicki Minaj and Lil’ Kim, but the radio djs don’t know yet. She shows she’s not a one trick pony, she can rap about sex, drugs, and beer! Her first cd, “Return of the Douche” had tight radio friendly beats and samples with a fast delivery and lots of vocal overdubs. The newer cd has a more organic sound, with a live bass on many tracks and much more guitar. Both albums deliver laughs and “oh shit” moments in spades. I liked the first one more, as it seemed more personal and the tempos were faster. There are no tracks here asking the deep feminist issues/social questions like, “isn’t makeup a form of a lie?” Its just a party, backing off from the social commentary and the philosophical, but still demonstrating that Saucy is smart and ridiculous.

myspace.com/saucyyoda

www.cdbaby.com/cd/saucyyoda1Review
Brandon Reid
Stuck in the City

Kung Fu Bakery

There are some singer songwriters who write songs about being cassanovas and dandies, and they brag they haven’t worked a day in their life and you believe them. But when Brandon sings about working hard- it sounds so genuine and world weary you trust that this voice has traveled some roads and lifted some heavy things. Brandon sings with a tenderness, an authentic honesty.  There is a timelessness and an integrity so I trust that when he sings of breaking his back it has come from a genuine experience.
On this, his first album, he has some fantastic musicians helping out, and some beautiful female vocals from. He demonstrates control in the vibrato of his voice, that ads that extra touch of sympathy to his poetic observations. The last track demonstrates this as he stomps his foot on a wooden floor. This track has an interesting choice in equalization that makes the track sound like it came from a radio 80 years ago.

Somehow in his lyrics regarding relationships with women he strikes the nail on the head with lines like “golden girls can’t fall in love with anyone.” Another tear jerker is the line, “I know that many men have tried at winning you, I’ve got nothing to prove but I would lie that down and raise the stakes, cuz I ain’t got no place without you.” In his lyrics about love he sings about a man deciding he is ready to commit, and feelings of fear over being rejected. He will break your heart with lines like “take your hand in mine, (let’s) go as fast as we want it to.”

A surprisingly sweet moment comes when he voices that something important to him in a wife; one who “wouldn’t correct me whenever I had an idea in my head.” I suppose we all want that, but do we have the balls to ask for it?  He sings of his unborn children, and his love for them and his plan to “teach them to work hard so the land wouldn’t starve them.” It reminds me of Jeffrey lewis’ “Back when I was Four” as he muses about his unwritten future. Other times, Brandon reminds me of David Dondero or Bright Eyes.
Many of these songs are about God, the devil and a wandering soul trying to make sense of it all.  On first listen, you might confuse it for a gospel album.
I talked to him about why he writes songs about god. He said ” I did feel awkward about it once. I was afraid that people would judge me, but as those songs came out I saw they just couldn’t be any other way.”

The story of how he recorded this album is basically a musicians dream come true. He played a show in Portland, Oregon and a producer approached him and said “I like your songs, I’d like to record your album.” Maybe this has happened to a lot of people and its often crack pots or creepy guys hitting on girls at open mics, but this time he was legit and  his studio regularly records successful touring bands including Tegan and Sarah.
Kelli Schaefer’s vocals are a delightful frosting on the cake. Supposedly,  after she played a show, Brandon approached her  and told her “I like your voice- please sing on my record,” and she did!
Thats how we all wish it would go! But that kind of luck doesn’t happen to even 1 % of musicians.

He has toured in Australia and the states. This is his first album and it is fantastic. Listen, share it with your friends, your mom, your pastor, and everyone.

Facebook.com/Brandonreidmusic
The Fastest bear
Yes Dumping
Anchorage, AK, 2011

The Fastest Bear play spastic frenetic math rock, alternating between clumsy and precise.  Tempo changes and odd time signatures are the norm here, and an idea never drags on so long it becomes unwelcome. Most of the guitar playing is rapid tapping through a overdriven amp.
Occasionally Justin lets loose some jazz chops, other times chugs away at the double bass pedals, emulating a staccato palm muted metal bassest.  At 1:30 “Yes Dumping” even becomes melodic, if only for 15 seconds. The instruments are mixed well, the disc sounds like they are playing right in front of you.
Live, Jay puts on a show of his messiness, sometimes dropping the guitar, playing only a few notes as the minutes drag on and Justin keeps the madness going.
I have seen a few math rock bands play live, this one is among the best, even with only two members and no vocals. The delivery is fast, and there’s a certain charm to Jays lacklackluster delivery of his ironic song titles. “Interested in metal, here for friends” is a song name that stuck out for me, but I certainly can’t tell them apart.

This 2 song sampler gives an idea of their sound and introduces you to them; acts as a business card; and it is fine for what it is. I hope they will deliver a full length soon.

 

For fans of: Hella, Russian Circles

Improv Bible

Improv Games
by Isaac Paris

Introduction and Guidelines

Improv games can be organized into a show, or they can be used as ice breakers at social gatherings or in educational or business situations. Improv can be therapy, its like lucid dreaming out loud, cooperatively. It is a chance for adults to play like kids again without the structure of a board game or video game or the competitiveness of an organized sport. Improv can be achingly funny, or sometimes tender and sweet. I have seen many lovely moments in improv that greatly outdo rehearsed and scripted shows. A magical thrill occurs when an audience trusts that this moment is spontaneous, and knows that they contributed to it with their suggestion.   I firmly believe these games are valuable for stretching boundaries, thinking creatively, fighting shyness, and getting to know oneself and friends.

As kids- we were all geniuses, ever hear that quote from Picasso that he has been trying for 30 years to paint like a child? That’s what we are doing in improv- trying to play like children, but now we have the knowledge and experience to infuse our play with more vivacity and give the stories beginnings middles and ends. How can we jump into water and trust we wont drown? With the experience these games will provide.

Standard theatre/showmanship rules apply: All objects should be mimed. All you need is people. You can use chairs or platforms but you don’t need them. Voices should be projected and words should be enunciated. Use the entire space, Cheat out- and don’t clump up (as in crowd around each other in one part of the stage). Give your characters clearly defined walks and voices. Go for BIG. Try different levels. Try being animals or inanimate objects. Make references to current events, local flavor and things mentioned in previous scenes. When players are miming they should make sound effects and nonsense syllables with their voices. Always end the show strong and before people are sick of you, leave them wanting more.

When I started improv I heard a few rules, CROW
and “YES, and…” .  sometimes called “always say yes.”
another is ‘never ask why.” They do help.

Crow stands for Character, Relationship, Occupation, Where
You don’t actually have to establish all those things every time, but you may find that if you establish one or two, the others will just follow from there. A scene without character, relationship, occupation or a setting will be a very boring one.

It also isn’t important to actually always say “yes.” What the phrase means is to take what is given to you and to be game and giving to your fellow players. Never call others “crazy” or put down their suggestions. It is hard to act like a crazy person and it rarely makes compelling scenes.

“My look at that big elephant”
“You’re crazy. Thats not an elephant, that’s a puppy.”

This isn’t a scene. The audience is confused and the person who saw the elephant has been shut down and has to readjust. Who is he? What is our relationship? Am I really crazy or is this guy just mean?

“My look at that big elephant!”
“Is that a Coca Cola sign on his side? They are putting up advertising everywhere these days!”

“My look at that big elephant.”
“and look at the puppy balancing a ball on his nose, standing on the elephants back!”

These are much better suggestions! See how the other actor is agreeing and building upon the statement made by the first?

“My look at that big elephant!”
“You know I can’t see, sonny. But describe it to me. Tell me what it’s doing.”

This is still good, its kind of like “no, but” instead of “Yes, and…” but I think a fine scene could emerge from that exchange.

Before you start a scene, ask for a suggestion. If it comes from someone other than the people who are playing it will be better. Its kind of a holy trinity- a word from one person, and the minds of two others create something. Some things you can ask for are: an object, a location, an adverb, something you can eat, an occupation. Occupations are fun because you can name your scene like one of those trendy novels, “the beekeeper’s husband, the time travelers wife, or the mechanic’s step daughter.” One tip I have heard is to not begin right away with the suggestion, If the suggestion is pancakes, the first line should not be, “Waitress, where are those pancakes I ordered half an hour ago?” Let it inspire something that pancakes make you think of, your grandma’s house, a truck stop, grilled cheese sandwiches. People will be entertained by the scene if you do it right, only a churl would complain at the end, “hey, pancakes weren’t in that scene at all!”
One of my friends who would host shows would say to the audience something to the degree of “we are here to please and we can do whatever you like, if you’ve always wanted to see a polo match on the moon- now is your chance. We will base our sketches off your suggestions, so please don’t be shy and let us know!”
I will refer to players and actors- they are the same thing. And I will refer to hosts- it is their job to make the game go smoothly. They may introduce the players and explain some perfunctory rules to the game.  Hosts should rotate. Don’t let one player host several games in a row. I hope you can tell the difference between my suggestions and the “rules.” Don’t explain too much to the audience, it’s better for them in some cases for them to not know there are rules.
If you can, bring audience members up and force them to play. Even if they are a weak link in the chain, it may inspire someone to become a new member! Embarrassment is always funny, and everyone in the audience will be thinking “I’m glad that wasn’t me.” (except the wierdo exhibitionists who will wish it was them and volunteer for the next game.) Be wary of audience members who are too eager to play. They may make things difficult and talk over people. Choose a game that you think is idiot proof to involve those eager beavers in.

Beginning Games

Sound Effects Toss

Players arrange themselves in a circle, one throws a sound effect to another player. Eye contact is important. make an action and a sound effect. the other player imitates that sound effect, as they catch it. They then transform it into a new sound effect and toss it to someone else.

I rather like group juggling, where players stand in a circle and toss bean bags to each other. After tossing a single one in a chain, always catching from the same person and always tossing to the same person, you can introduce more bean bags. It becomes hypnotic.

Zip zap zop

Players throw a sound effect, like above but must throw in this order “zip” “zap” “Zop.” If a player makes a mistake, they are out. To make it more challenging and add variety, ask for a suggestion to be a 4th thing. Maybe, “slpooey?”  zip zap zop splooey.”

This is a pen
Players hand each other a pen. They say these lines:
“this is a pen.”
“this is a pen?”
“yes, a pen.”
“oh, a pen!”

In this game you don’t have to come up with what you say. You just come up with inflection and tone. After awhile, change it up and have them say whatever comes to their mind, like in the next game. “This is a carrot…”

What are you Doing?

One player begins miming. another asks her “what are you doing?” She says something that she is NOT doing, “combing my hair.” Then the person who asks begins doing that. THis can go in a circle, or be an exchange between two people to warm up.

The Basics, and some Variations
Freeze

Two actors begin a scene, establishing who they are, then are interrupted by an outside player who shouts “freeze!” The two freeze where they are. She then goes up and tags someone, who is now out, and she begins a scene with that person. Ideally she will make a reference to the position the actor is in.  This can go on forever.

Offering

Just like in freeze, above, we have short vignettes, but this time a single player makes a pose. The other player joins, they do a scene. When the scene is done the original player returns to his or her pose. After a few rounds, call out ” NEW OFFERING!”

This is kind of like a game called “props” but we use ourselves as the prop. Avoid making the person frozen a statue- this gives them nothing to do. If the scene begins “I do so love these ancient greek relics, they look so handsome, even when missing arms.” Well that could be funny actually, if the other player said “I’m not a statue, I’m begging for change, but cant hold up a cup.” Do use them as a tool, can opener, lawn mower, this is great fun. it might make only a 5 second scene but still can be great. “Mowing 10 lawns a day, at 8 dollars each thats 80 dollars a day! I can buy those moon boots by the end of August if I just…” other player just says “brrrrrrrrrrrr… choke chk chk choke.” “Oh no! I hit dog doo!”

Ding

Like in freeze, two actors perform a scene, but at any moment, a third actor (or audience member)  could shout ‘ding” and the actor who just said something has to say something completely different. “My leg was amputated after it was run over by a limousine.”
ding” “my leg sprouted roots and I became permanently stuck here”
“Ding” “my leg has fallen asleep, could you help me get across the room.”

This is an exercise to keep you from being too stuck with your choices, they could change at any moment.

A variation is to bring up a couple and ask the ma few questions about how they met. hand them a buzzer and a bell. Then two players reenact the scene of the couple meeting or their first date. The couple buzzes when actors get things wrong and ring the bell when they get things right,

3 Sentence Scenes

In just two lines, tell us who you are and what is happening. Then in the 3rd line, up the stakes.
Everyone playing lines up in two uneven queues. This way you’ll have new partners each time. The two who will play stand in front; one says to the other a line that gives the other a character.

“Well Cletus, I tried vodka in the tractor’s gas tank but it just caught on fire.”
“No no Emmet, don’t you know you have to pee in it?”
“Uh oh here comes the Boss with our paychecks, don’t tell him!”

Thats it. Tells us where we are, what is going on, and its great practice. This is a game that might be tiring but its important to get these basics down or later games wont work. The two players go back to the end of the line and two new players go up. One word answers REALLY don’t work in this game.

“Do you sit on this bench every day?”
“yep”

Now what? Sure the first actor could say something and get a laugh, but they didn’t get much to work with there.

“Do you sit on this bench every day?”
“I do, I watch the ducks, feed the pigeons, read my morning paper and think.”
“Guess that leaves you too busy to notice wet paint signs, huh.”

“Sissy can I play with your barbies?
“No, you always tangle the hair” (This is an example of how a no can work, she’s really saying YES- because she is acknowledging that she is a sister to the other character, and is even talking in the language of barbies.)
“I think theres a call for you downstairs… I think it might be BRAD!”

Pop machine
A vending machine is imagined to be in the middle of the room. Players enter, walk across the stage with their characteristic, or suggestion and purchase a soda, or bag of chips- then they enjoy their refreshment and exit.

Slow Motion Olympics

Ask the audience for a suggestion of a mundane household chore. Two Announcers will announce the action on ESPN for the Dog grooming olympics, or the bed making olympics. Two competitors mime the action slowly, they do this to give the announcers time to react to things they are doing, and to exaggerate the silly actions.
The announcers should come up with a back story for the competitors, explain the struggles they have gone through and establish a favorite. Discuss their unique and controversial methods and refer to previous bouts. “Johnson learned a valuable lesson in Barcelona back in 99, when she forgot to bring a comb and was forced to compete with a rusty fork.”

Suddenly. something goes wrong, maybe one competitor accidentally gets soap in the others eyes, but she thinks it’s on purpose! Its a disaster! the competitors have forgotten about the sport and have begun to use their tools as weapons against each other! The horror! why do all our games have a mime die? I suppose its because it is funny to watch mimes die.

Slide Show

This is another which is great for kids, they get to be a part of the action but the pressure isn’t on them to come up with the jokes or plot. Kids love hearing an adult make lots of mistakes trying to explain something they know nothing about, “The Science of Pokemon.”  One great way to do this one is as an anthropologist visiting another culture.
I always have a player introduce me and come up with a silly name and what I will be lecturing about.
An expert is giving a lecture and behind him are four or five players dancing, moving in silence. When he says “Click” they freeze and he justifies why they are in the position they are in. Perhaps making one of them represent himself in his field work.
A good number of slides is 3 and then take questions. “One final slide just happens to illustrate the answer to that question…” make the last slide the most ridiculous and bring back elements from the previous three slides.

Alphabet

Two actors act our a scene but each letter they begin their sentence with must be the next one in the alphabet. Ask the audience for a suggestion of a letter. Start on that one, and when you go past z start over again at a. after you have done 21 or so letters its time to wrap it up, and end on the first one. This is nice because both actors know when the end is coming.

“Have you seen Darleen’s new haircut?”
“I have and thought it was atrocious.”
“Just last week she came in here looking all fancy, and then she went and did that.”
“Kangaroos have more dignity than that.”
“Look at yourself in the mirror and promise me you will never cut your hair that short.”
“Mother called last week, told me about Henry’s got fired.”
“NO!”
“on top of that, crashed his car into a tree”

Q , X and Z are difficult. You might frequently end up with characters named Quincy, Quinton, Xavier, and Zed and discussing Zen buddhism or Xylophones suddenly. Its almost a shame that those darn letters are in our alphabet, but the audience will forgive and laugh all the more at one’s squirming to find a word that begins with the letter.
The alphabet is just a convenient thing that we all know. Theres nothing stopping you from beginning each sentence with something else you have memorized, such as a monolog “Twas brillig and the slithy tobes did dow and gimble in the wake.”
Another strange suggestion is to ask for a letter and then actors play a scene where they avoid all words that contain that letter.

Super Heroes

The host asks the audience for a super hero name. He grabs one and asks what has happened. “I’m Kentucky Fried Chicken Man, guess I’ll go see what is the state of the world with my state of the art computer in the Chicken Cave. What is this ? All the world’s Scantrons have been stolen? This is serious, I need to summon my friend… Vibraphone Girl.”
Ask how the kids are, catch up, recollect about past capers, but not too much. After Vibraphone Girl has called for a friend, and he has called for a friend its time for the four of you to solve this case! The host should come up with how everyone will use their talent to solve the problem, you mime that for a few moments and then take your bow.
“I will give the thieves indigestion with my southern fried comfort food. Explosion Man will detonate the warehouse door. Vibraphone girl will play an entrancing melody that will summon ants to carry the scantrons back to school closets where they belong!

One obvious way to provide variation is to include a villain who did this dastardly deed. Then you can have a silly pro wrestling style battle at the end.
Another variation is to make everyone villains.

Some superheroes will be very difficult, push boundaries in practice, but in performances make your fellow actors be characters they will be comfortable with.
Here are a few suggestions that would be challenging:

Wing Man, (this might be a guy who helps other guys to score with women)
Talks backwards man, (this will be tough)
Always doing curl ups girl (ouch, well it might be funny for a bit)
The Cat in the Hat (or other characters who must speak rhyme)

Here are a few that would be easier and BORING, notice they are much closer to characters from Marvel or DC.

Tiger man
The Snake charmer
Hula Girl
The Sneak
Giant hands
Coupon Boy

Your Hamster Died.

One character enters happy with good news and the other has to deliver some very bad news.  Pet deaths are universally understood and can generate sympathy. Some people wont be able to keep a straight face. This isn’t really intended to be in a show. I include this game because its a real challenge for some people to communicate sadness or capture the awkwardness of sharing bad news. I also include this game because it was taught to me by a Drama teacher who I respect who got me started on improv. Don’t be afraid to make a scene that is touching and sad. There may not be any laughs. That is OK.
“Hey, Andrew! I brought you something back from California! (he digs in a bag)
“Look, there is something I have to tell you.”
“Here, look, Mickey Mouse ear hat! you look great in it, really!”
“Gee thanks. Its nice of you to think of me.”
“well it was nice of you to take care of Muffy while I was gone!”
“See, the thing about that is…”
“What?”
“Muffy lived a good life, a full life.”

Three Headed Expert

You can bring up a audience member to be the third member here. This game is also great for kids. I always have to remind them not to put words in each other’s mouths though. Three players stand by each other, audience members ask questions and the expert answers, with each player speaking only one word at a time.

“Expert, where do marbles come from?”

“marbles” “come” “from” “my” “bedroom.” “they” “are” “shiny” (pause) “next question.”

Three Headed Broadway Star

Just like before, but now the three headed expert must sing a song. We have called up an audience member and asked them about their first job. Then we make a song about their first day of work at their first job. Anything can work though.

Broadway

A scene between two or three actors, but when another player shouts “SING” the speaking character must break into song and dance. After three or four songs, we need a climax. The characters should all sing together and make up a song together, and if they can anticipate what words each other will say, attempt to harmonize.

Entrances and Exits

Come up with three suggestions for words, one for each player. The players should memorize their own word and that of the other players. We always review them for 20 seconds or so… “sandbox, lollipop, missile.” “Missile lollipop, sandbox.” When one of those words is mentioned the character must leave the scene or enter the scene. One should begin off. The other two begin an ordinary scene based on a suggestion, then one of them says the other character’s word, by working it into the scene.. He enters, and they talk, he says one of the other characters word, they justify their exit and leave.
“Can I have a lick of your lollipop?”
“My mother said I should be wary of germs, so I do not want to share my lollipop”
“But its so yummy looking, surely I could have a single lick of your lollipop.”
Here they may be torturing the other actor, who has to enter, leave and enter again. Great laughs.

Hitchhiker

Set out four chairs in a square, facing the same direction so as to resemble a car with three passenger seats. One person will be the driver and he will have two passengers. They establish who they are and where they are going. A fourth player stands off to the side. He is hitchhiking, and should take on a persona or character trait. The Driver pulls over to allow him in. Once he gets inside, the other three gradually become like him. He may connive them to change destinations. After driving for awhile, the driver pulls over and justifies his exit and all the players switch seats. They will then pick up another hitchhiker and the game goes on until everyone has played. My favorite moment of this game is transforming from one persona to another. Be careful not to talk over each other, but that is a challenge in most games with more than two players. Lack of eye contact may be an extra challenge with some players having their back to others.

VCR

A host watches television, which is two actors playing a scene. He asks for a suggestion, then makes that into a movie title. he announces something like “I’ve seen everything else in the cult films section, but this one “cauliflower and slavery”  He pops it in, the actors begin, he can fast forward, rewind, pause, or make slow motion the action. He should announce it loudly and firmly press the buttons on his imaginary  remote control. He can take a suggestion for an object and work that into the title of the movie.

Genres

A simple scene is played out three times in different genres, as a blacksploitation film, as a noir thriller, as a zombie movie, as a samurai movie, as a kids puppet show. Take suggestions and write them down. (Of course the crowd will suggest Porn.  I recommend you ignore it, it probably wont be funny.After you have tried it, you’ll see why.)
Here are some more to try, add your own. Preacher’s sermon, Court room drama, Campfire ghost story, children’s television show, kabuki theatre, Nature documentary, MTV awards show, Dr Suess, soap opera, B horror film, Japanese game show, mexican soap opera, coming of age drama, 50s sitcom, 90s sitcom, Edward Gorey, Silent movie, 70s cop show, CSI, X files, Stanly Kubric film, Infomercial, Grimm’s Fairy tale, Saturday morning cartoon, Western, Science fiction, spy thriller, corporate informational video (never pass up a chance to watch one of these!) cyberpunk dystopia, Quinton Tarantino film, Garrison Keilor’s Lake Wobegon, Motivational speaker, Commedia dellarte, Clown, Street performance. Come up with your own list, you’ll find your strengths. Never stop researching.

Radio

One of my favorites, but can drag on or have low energy. Three players, each will be a radio channel, and you are free to take inspiration from television of course,  This Old House, Warner Brothers cartoons, Antique Roadshow, Star Trek, 50s Dating Advice for Girls, Hunting tips, Ken Burns- The Civil War, the  trendy underground electronic music world, modern art- the skies the limit but choose something you are an expert on, because details are funny. A fourth player sits down to the “radio” and turns the channel when she wants to. Ask the audience for a suggestion, then begin. She will tune to one station until she loses interest, switch to another station, and so on. Try to eventually converge your stories, make references to things happening on the other stations. After its been gone around two or three times, start to work in the suggestion, slowly at first. Don’t mention the suggestion right away! After the plot of all three stations has bled into each other the host turns off the radio. “I’ll go outside and play now.”

Another game using these same kinds of skills, is to create a sort of “Spoon River Anthology” ask for a place, and then people give monologues about their relationship to the place. After the first person has told a three minute monolog, there will be plenty of juicy details for the others to expand on. The next person is maybe the previous one’s hair dresser, or daughter, or the mad scientist who brought him to life. It is best if they do not reveal the relationship immediately, but start somewhere else and let everyone guess and then find it. This can also be played like the Akira Kirusawa film “Rashoman” where three monologists tell a simple story from three different points of view. Eventually you’ll be so excited to get out of your seats and act out scenes that occur to you from the monolog. Mix it up, some scenes will have one actor, some will have two or three, some will have the whole group. Some scenes will be humorous, some will be serious, and bam- you just stumbled into “long form.” More on that later.

Gibberish Expert

In this game there is a translator and an expert. The translator will introduce the expert after asking the audience what it is they will hear about. “Traditional Cheese making in Sir Clobberflopp’s home village of Druck.”
The expert babbles, making many hand gestures. The translator tells the audience what he is talking about. Audience members can ask questions. Remember that the expert cannot understand English, so the translator must translate. This is fun because he or she should emulate the expert’s gibberish style.

Foreign Film Dub

Like in the above game, but now we have two characters performing a scene. Spies and/or lovers works well. After each actor speaks, the translator explains what they said.  The translators should avoid being a part of the action.

Questions

Players can only ask questions. They will soon see how difficult it is to construct a narrative in this fashion. Avoid questions that repeat the previous question. “Why are you pointing a gun?” “Why do you think i have a gun?”

Dramatic Irony Games

In this category we have a series of games where one player doesn’t know all the information that other players and the audience knows. Party Quirks is a common one, and was on Whose Line is it Anyway so I’ll skip it.

Late for Work/ School

A player leaves the room. The others come up with a thing that happened to his alarm clock, a thing that happened to his car, and a celebrity he ran into.  The boss drills him and asks what happened, he tries to explain, not knowing what it is he is explaining. meanwhile the other players are “working” but really they are miming the information to them.
“What happened Johnson! Why are you so late? You are 22 minutes late and you are holding up the assembly line. What happened?
“My alarm clock it uh…. (watching the others mime) turned into cheese. no it uh… turned into a pail of milk that was kicked over by a cow.”
“Well, that might explain why your 10 minutes late… but you were a full 22 minutes late- what happened next?”
At some point the boss can turn around and see everyone miming and not working. they freeze. He can ask “what is going on?” they can respond or not… its usually good for a laugh.
This one is SO formulaic, that it can get old fast but its great fun once or twice with kids.

Say a Sentence

Come up with some absurd sentence while one player is outside the room. When she comes back, the other player must get him to say it without saying any of the words in the sentence. Sounds impossible but its not. A scene is much better than a paraphrase.  You just have to coax it from her, give her the clues around it. Sometimes players become desperate and resort to rhyming words to get the players to say it.

Press Conference

A player leaves the room and the others come up with who he is. This is a variation on expert. They decide he is… oh, Frodo from Lord of the Rings. He enters and wraps up a speech. “Thank you for your interest in carrier pigeons. Any questions”
Players should ask questions that are vague at first. The should introduce themselves and tell what publication they represent.
“Moxie Golightly, Magicians Monthly- Your companion, he seemed untrustworthy. What was your opinion of him.”
Not having any clue what this is about he might say. “Oh he was an all right chap when you got to know him. He told great knock knock jokes… to pass the time.”
“Millifred Dor, Gathering Moss Magazine- Do you ever get the feeling like you are invisible?”
Floundering, grasping at straws, taking a risk and judging on audience reaction to see if he is right: “Yes. Being a foreigner in America, you sometimes feel left out of a crowd.”
“Edgar Malarky, Scientific Brazilian, How heavy was your burden?”
“Oh, incredibly burdensome. It was immense, massive and quite heavy, yes.
Try not to give it away in the first few questions, after you get the person flabbergasted and confused you can give it away.
“Horatio Horsecoller, Wino Weekly, tell, me, what is Gandalf really like.”
“Oh he’s an all right chap, smokes much too much hobbit weed if you ask me, but we never would have made it through the Mines of Moiria without him. “
Then explain who you are as you say goodnight.
“Again, my name is Frodo. Its been wonderful being here, buy my book,  thank you very much.”

On Whose Line they had descriptions that were more like those in “party quirks,” “first astronaut to make love on the moon.” Either way works.

Eulogy

This variation has the player who leaves act as a preacher who is giving a eulogy for someone.
The audience and a player determine who it is who died, where they died and how they died. Explain to the audience that they will help her know by their response. if she says something blatantly wrong, everyone must hem ad haw… shift uncomfortably in their seats and continue to cry. When he gets close applaud, and encourage and and when she hits the nail on the head, cheer! and say “Amen!”
Then they bring in the host, and she should refer to everyone as “sister, and brother” and make a big how de do about how sad it is that this person perished. The host should have a an assistant on stage who knows to encourage.
“This was a great leader”
hmmm, no hmmm nuh uh…
“I mean. this person was a poor role model”
hmmm, no… no…
“This person was a crazy person on the sidelines of society.”
audience- “amen… “
Hosts assistant- “He was an american legend, as famous as Paul Bunyan and Pecos Bill. but very real and very singularly obsessed with a certain fruit.”
(now he gets it,) “Brothers and sisters, join us in mourning for that kooky fruit junkie, Johnny Appleseed!”
“Halleluhah!”
“its such a shame he was brutally murdered…
no no…
“uh…ahem, sorry, what a shame he died in a common household accident.”
hmmm, hmm, no..
“he died of poison”
“no no”
At this point the host’s assistant chips in because after a few tries it is clear he is floundering. “No no sister, it was a common thing, an untreated medical condition”

“of the foot?”
“no… more of the mouth area.”
“uh, an infected tooth?”
amen
“Sister, take a drink of this  ginger tea and be refreshed. the flavor is righteous. its ginger- righteous!”
“He died of Gingevitus?”
“Halleluhah!”
Then the host should tie it all together and everyone cheers.

Court Jester (Great for kids, and prep for being a clown)

A player leaves the room and the others come up with three physical activities for him to do. Such as, jump on one leg, pick nose, stick out tongue. He comes back having no clue what is he is supposed to do other than that they are three physical actions. He begins to try things, the audience boos and says “eh” if he is off, claps if he gets closer and cheers, whoops, gives a standing ovation if he gets it.

One way to drive them crazy, is to tell the player that those are the rules, and then not agree on any three things, but still call them back. Oh, we can be cruel to each other.

Murder the Mime

Two or three mimes leave the room, ask the audience for a location, an occupation and a murder weapon. One mime enters, someone who heard the information then mimes for them. When the mime understands a detail he says “beep beep” and touches his nose to indicate he is ready for the next clue. On the murder weapon, the mime should not beep beep, but once he knows what the item is, he should take it from the other mime and kill him with it. continue until all mimes are done. At the end you can say “what did you think you were?” to everyone in line. This can be an energy killer in a performance, so be willing to let it go.

Le Jou (thanks Stephany Jeffers)

Two players go outside. Ask the audience for something old, something large and something that would fit in a bread box. We have had moderate success with dreams or incorporating suggestions from the audience into a “dream-like” story.   The player should tell a 2 or 3 minute monologue incorporating those elements to the first player who went outside. This player will be a mime and he can ask a few questions to make sure he has all the details. Then the third player enters and the mime tells the story  with only sound effects and gestures. Once the Mime has finished, the third player tells the story, trying to determine the three items. They never will, don’t sweat it.

Dating Game
One Bachelorrette leaves the room. The other three players receive their characters. I love the dynamic that results from choosing one person who is living, one who is dead and one who is fictional.
She returns, introduces herself and then asks questions of her dates. One obvious question is “What would you do with me on your ideal date.” You can ask that, but please not first, answers will be obvious.

Try to ask ridiculous questions that really make  people scratch their heads. “If you were a tool or kitchen utensil, what utensil would you be?”

Tom Cruise: My assistants cook for me. I’m too busy ruining movies, practicing scientology, and trying to convince the media that I am straight.
Edgar Allen Poe: A CROWbar… I mean a ravenbar. sorry. never mind I mean nevermore.
Hagrid: I tell you I could really use some chain for my dragons that would be heat and magic resistant.

At the end she gives a reason why she doesn’t want to date the two she doesn’t choose, and then explains why she likes the one she does.

“Edgar Allen Poe, I am young and I love life… and I don’t really think i’d be happy with some one obsessed with death and infected with syphilis. And Sorry Hagrid, but I am afraid of gigantic magical animals. But I have always been interested in Raelians, Samurai and Risky Business so I choose Tom Cruise.”
This game could also be done with  two Bachelorettes, or with a Bachelor. Or come up with your own crazy variation, A Super hero searching for an assistant.

Jeopardy

I ripped this off of Saturday Night Live. The humor comes from the guests being incompetent to answer the questions, or so self interested that they think the universe revolves around them.  The player playing as Alex Trebec has to be quick. He asks the audience for suggestions for topics and writes them down. He should choose things he knows something about, modifying them a bit to be more “Jeopardy-like.”  20th century automobiles,  history of chemical warfare, Green things, desserts, socks and “M words.” (it is good to have a few VERY broad categories in case you temporarily can’t think of anything to say) Then the host explains he needs suggestions from the audience for a living person, a dead person and an imaginary person.  For this example we will choose Tom Waits, Abraham Lincoln and the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man (Choosing characters who can’t talk gets old quick. If you are the Stay Puft marshmallow man, make choices that give information, “My hands are sticky, I wear a cute sailor suit. I love to see people screaming as they run away from me.” is a lot funnier than “raaaaaah.”

When he comes back into the room he should introduce himself and explain that this is “Celebrity Edition” and this is our winner from last week, up against the winner of our undead version, and… someone who just walked in off the street. I like to ask the celebrities what charity they will donate their winnings to.

Tom Waits: I’ll just dole out my earnings to hobos on the streets for whiskey and beans.
Abraham Lincoln: I’ll donate my earnings to my own museum.
Marshmellow Man: I’ll donate to the displaced Ghosts and figments of imagination who have run away from their dreamers.

These three responses are a good mix because they are jokes to people who are familiar with the characters but they don’t give things away too fast. Its always a yo yo, give too much and it becomes unraveled and you’ve lost the fun. Even if the host does immediately know who you are, he can try to hide it and feign ignorance to make the scene go- “the way its supposed to.”

When asking questions, its better to ask questions that the audience will know the answer to, but be careful: “This American President gave the emancipation Proclamation and was assassinated” is a question, but how will your guests answer it in a funny way? its too focused, try to be more open ended.

Trebec: “This deadly gas was used in the battle of Antitum in 1945.”
Tom Waits: What is fart from a hobos stew.
Abraham Lincoln: What is… I died before that happened?
Marshmellow man: What is Marsh gas?

Trebec: “I’m sorry, the answer is mustard Gas. These are hung at the chimney for Santa Claus to put toys and candy in. This is the daily double! So everyone must answer.”

Tom Waits: What is a burlesque dancer’s garter?
Abraham Lincoln: What are top hats?
Marshmellow man: What is an inter-dimensional portal?

“I’m sorry the answer is stockings.”

Like in the dating game ask questions that give a wide variety of things for the other players to talk about. Answering in the form of a question, and calling “History of chemical warfare for 300″ isn’t as essential as being true to your character.The game is more than just answers to questions, they’re should be some banter. Players can choose to be frustrated they aren’t winning or not care too much. Captain Kirk would insist his answers were right. Vlad the Impaler would give some gruesome threats to the host. Marilyn Monroe would flirt with the other characters, especially if they were powerful men.
If you are playing this game well, your wheels should really be spinning. How would my character answer this question wrong? I say this game is an example of “round peg through square hole thinking.”  I hope there is a job out there that needs this kind of thinking because Its quite fun. Sometimes your character might actually know the answer, I suggest you fight the temptation to answer correctly. A wrong answer will always be funnier.
After a few rounds it should be clear who everybody is. If the host is confused about someone, he can direct questions towards them. The goal of the game is for each character to answer questions that reveal something about them.
The host needs to be strong, but also understand that the scene isn’t about him.

Seance

Much more fun than drab and boring party quirks is Seance.
The host will leave the room, and we will determine three people for the players to be. May I suggest “living, dead, imaginary” again. There should be 2 other people who are not  going to channel ghosts, but who will provide commentary and clues.
The host comes in, not knowing who they will be channeling. The Characters introduce themselves and give some small talk, but don’t give any clue as to who their secret characters are. The host should speak about the afterlife and the other realms and make a huge Madam Blavotsky show of it all.
After the lights have gone out and the Host gathers the guests around her crystal ball, making everyone hold hands and perhaps chant a silly thing (suggested by the audience… why not?), a player begins to become possessed… he gives clues as to who he is while the host asks him to describe, “Where are you, what do you see? what are you doing?” It is great fun for the possessed spirits to begin to talk to each other. We can hear conversations Elvis would have with Bob Dylan. And how fun for the host to say “I think I can conclude that you were Bob Dylan in a previous life, and isn’t that strange because Dylan isn’t dead yet. The afterlife certainly is mysterious.”

20 questions

In our variation of 20 questions we ask the audience to come up with a who, what where when and why. one player leaves the room and then comes back and supposed to figure it out using yes or no questions. The person who went out should be forced to wait while you explain to your audience the secret. “Hi folks, we are going to play a little prank on him, we aren’t actually going to come up with any who what where why or when! we will just say yes if his questions last word ends with a vowel. we will say no if his question ends with a consonant and give a vague response if it ends with a y- say “maybe- kinda?” then call them back in.

“so, is it have to do with someone here?

“Yes!”
“does it have to do with her?”
“no”
“does it have to do with him?”
“no”
“does it have to do with me?”
“YES!”

“uh, did I sleep in today? “
“maybe”
“uh… did my body stay in bed while my soul got up and went to work?”
“no”
“did i have an out of body experience? “
“yes!”
“did I meditate?”
“yes!!!”
“oh cool. uh, about an elephant?”
“no”
“about an orange?”
“yes!”
“ok why now… uh… because it was tasty?”
“kinda? maybe…”
Once he has figured it all out, or alternatively if you think he has suffered enough, (the host should end it before anyone gets bored)  everybody should applaud!

SINGING GAMES

To warm up for singing, we have people jump in the middle and sing a song, First have people go up one at a time and sing a song, then as soon as that song reminds someone of another they tag that person out and jump in. After everyone has had a few chances, try making everyone sing something different at the same time! Get everyone’s voices going. and take turns stopping singing and listening to the others, you could pass a ball around, and the one holding the ball must listen.  Then try singing in unison, make up chants, take single words and say them over and over again until they lose their meaning and their ending blurs into their beginning, like “Spatula spatula spatula”, becomes eventually “ulaspat ulaspat.” this is actually a form of meditation.

Try singing one song with a melody of another. “We all live in a Yellow submarine” to the tune of “twinkle twinkle little star”  You get the idea. This wont be interesting for an audience but its a fun mind game for yourself if you find yourself waiting for a train.

Folk Song

I ask for 2 separate phrases from the audience, sometimes I ask “What did you want to be when you grew up?”  or “give me a suggestion for a television catch phrase of tomorrow,” “what is something you hear said to children?”
Take two suggestions, they shouldn’t rhyme, smash them together- you’ve got your absurd chorus for your improvised Bob Dylan/Joan Baez style song. You can play just 2 or 3 chords on a guitar, piano, banjo, ukulele, whatever along with this and it sounds great.
“I always wanted to be a firemaaaaaan,
go sit on a pie.”
Then you pass the song from player to player, each player singing a chorus. Rhyming is fun but a real challenge, its more important to make a narrative, and if you can DON’T mention firemen or Pie anywhere in your song. It will drive everyone crazy at first but you’ll see why its a better choice not to. At the end, sing the chorus twice, or three times, and go nuts with it. Encourage everyone to sing along, clap hands on beat, shout words from chorus at odd times, and ham it up like at the end of a soul song or the last minute of “Hey Jude”  “always wanted to be a… always wanted to be a… Sit on a pie! a pie a PIE PIE PIE YEAAH!!”

Da Doo Ron Ron (Thanks Melissa Buchta)

In this song, the players invent an “oldie but a goodie” they can ask for a suggestion from the audience and then work that into their song, maybe singing about things like soda shops and old cars. The structure gives everyone something to groove to, the moments of scheduled repetition give you a moment to think up something to say, and we end up making up a rhyming limerick. Pass the song along, and use your eye contact to let the next singer know its their turn. Everyone sings the da doo ron ron parts. This might come from the suggestion “basket” or “suzy.”

“She took me for a ride and her name was suzy
Da doo ron ron ron da do ron ron
her heavy eye liner let me know she was a floozy
Da doo ron ron ron da do ron ron
da doodalie do… yeah!
she smelled of baskets
da doodalie do… yeah!
we shared a strawberry shasta
da doodalie do… yeah!
she was truly a master,
Da doo ron ron ron da do ron ron”

You can also do a “remix! and shout: “Da doo rap rap rap da doo rap rap.” One player can provide beat boxing, and then deliver the lines as a rap song. Failing utterly to rhyme can get a joke as well if pulled off with a little charm.

Greatest Hits

The players are recreating a long television ad of a compilation cd, we like to ask for a profession. “plumber,” and the host announces, “Now for a limited time you can get 200 songs on 5 cds- with this limited edition compilation “songs of the plumber.”
Here you sing only the catchiest part, usually the song’s title, and then it’s over as quickly as it began, and with any luck everyone is laughing. Two hosts seems to be the best number with any number of singers.

Accompanying music can help but isn’t necessary. It is fun to challenge the players with genres, insisting this song is a bluegrass number, this one is a “stoner metal” jam, etc. Another fun thing can be to mix this with “pick up lines” and make the names of the songs be suggestions from the audience. This can really work when the hosts themselves don’t know the titles of the songs- and seem surprised as they open a note. “Ronnie, remember this song from the 70s?” “Oh yes, Lola, a great many young women were seduced with this track on the hi fi… ” (opens the note) “Baby thats my spatula.”
Then the singers sing- it can even be just the song title, or play with it for awhile- “Baby, hand me that device, give me the business I need to flip you over… Baby,  I’m as thirsty as dracula, in that suit you look immaculate, oh… baby thats my spatula.”

A variation could be a pledge week, where NPR hosts are trying to convince people they should send in money, and are playing some highlights from the previous seasons show. “remember in that heart wrenching fourth episode when Juliette revealed to Harold that she was pregnant and he was high on LSD?”  “Let’s roll the clip.”

Stagolee

I noticed that a great many blues artists play a rendition of Stagolee, in which they condemn a selfish man. They are probably projecting the qualities they dislike in themselves, but I digress. Here it’s best to get really absurdly sad and pathetic, acting as if everybody will relate. Ask for a phrase from the audience that expresses sadness, something with a word at the end that is easy to rhyme with. “All out of mustard again” is better than “everywhere I look I see aircraft carriers.” You can condemn Stagolee, blaming him for all your problems, or just bemoan to the universe your horrible fate.
Like in “folk song” players sing one verse each, but there is no chorus, rather we always end each verse with the same phrase- the one suggested by the audience. The line before that should be something that rhymes with it. and then the familiar phrase will release the tension and make everyone laugh.
If you can play guitar, a simple blues progression is best I V I V I IV V. (or whatever, banjo , piano, ukulele)

Again, avoid the obvious, if the phrase is “all out of mustard again” make it about anything BUT making a sandwich. I always find the priorities funny in those old songs, so sometimes I make fun of that,

“Stagolee got my little sister pregnant,
and he stole my best egg laying hen too!
He unplugged my freezer, my popsicles melted in vain
and i’m all out of mustard again. “

“My soldier boy was scheduled to come home today
the radio said they were sending him back to the war zone
and its hard as hell to get out this wine stain
i’m all out of mustard again.”

“I ran out of nails while I was building my house
the hawk came and stole my baby boy
this potato salad has me dying with shame
I’m all out of mustard again. “

The horrible things can be unrelated, or lead into each other. It can be funny if most of the players are brief, and the last player lists seemingly hundreds of things that went wrong. The longer it goes without rhyming the sweeter it will sound to the ear when that darn ham finally says something that rhymes with “again.”

“I got a speeding ticket,  trying to save my grandpa
he had a heart attack when I told him a joke
and the ticket was written on acidic paper,
that paper burned my hands.
I cant afford the fee, I need my insulin
and the aliens took all but one cow
and her milk comes out sour
so my suitor’s tea had no milk and he didn’t ask me to marry him.
I missed the bus, and the ticket is non refundable
I slept in through my alarm because
my rooster crows all day and night .
I am rotting in a jail cell
because I offended a dignitary
and it turned out my diplomatic immunity was invalid as it was a thursday…
(wow we almost want to kill her by now huh?)
My evening dress was ruined in the rain
and I’m all out of mustard again”

More Suggestion Games

Worlds Worst

A member of the troupe shouts out a profession, and then everyone takes turns acting a one man scene where they are the worst at it.

“Animal Trainer”
“Good dog! always poop inside! good dog!”
“After you jump through the hoop, spray water at the kids in the front row, then give them a look of disdain, that will hopefully inspire them to ask their parents for money to donate”

“Judge!”
“I don’t really care if your guilty or not I just want my lunch break.”
“Can I get a new croquet mallet? Mine is too short. “
“Do you smoke? Then your guilty. My ex wife smokes and she got the Camero.”

Good Bad Worst

This game has a tendency to go off the deep end into utter sick horror. It can be fun for adults who are not easily offended. You can play it at a resteraunt while waiting for your pizza if you don’t mind being kicked out.
It’s a lineup of three advice columnists. Think, “Dear Abby.”
Romantic relationship and social etiquette questions work best. A player can ask the first question, then audience members will get the hang of it and give it a try.

“My  girlfriend doesn’t want to say we are boyfriend and girlfriend to her friends. What should I do?

One player says “Good answer.” and gives a typical response- this role is quite difficult and important if boring because it sets up the humor of the other two answers. “You should tell her you need to have a serious talk and find out the real reason she doesn’t want to call her your boyfriend. Is it because her parents or friends would disapprove? Does she want to consider herself single, and keeping her options open? If she actually doesn’t think your “worthy of her” you would be better off out of this relationship. It may hurt but you should stand up for yourself and don’t let yourself be taken advantage of. If you want commitment, let her know. If she’s the one, she will change her tune and introduce you to her friends as her boyfriend.

“Bad answer. Who cares what she says in real life. Social media sites are much more important. You should hack her Facebook account and change her relationship status. While you are there, change everything you don’t like about her too and delete pictures of her with ex boyfriends and unfriend any rival suitors. Post on her friends walls brags that she slept with you and that you have a large member.”

“Worst answer.   She doesn’t want to say she’s in a relationship with you because she doesn’t care about you. You are unloveable. You should run away, cut off all ties, and drink yourself to oblivion in a Mexican brothel.”

When you are with some foul mouthed people this game can get really sick and depraved. I have seen actors and audiences walk out in disgust before. One actor I worked with would say “cut off your penis.” as an answer over and over again. It was a “running gag,” sure… but a pretty weak one, and she was missing out on opportunities to challenge herself. This game can be very creative and funny, and you can see a side of your friends you have never seen before. It can be great to trade roles and act against type.

Car Games

These games can work great in a show, or can be played in long car trips to keep the mind sharp! If you are in airports  or long bus rides you might drive pedestrians within earshot crazy.

Old Gypsy Woman

This is a variation on the simpler, “expert.” One player asks the other a question that could be science based.
The other players response is a long and rambling absurd answer, in the lines of a Rudyard Kipling, “Just So Story.” The longer and stupider the better. Throw in lots of old timey idioms and color. What makes it a game is this rule: you don’t actually answer the question asked. You skirt AROUND answering the question but you just go on right past it and arrive somewhere else and wrap it up with a “And that’s why….” and say something that does make sense with your story but doesn’t answer the question. If people don’t find this funny, they have no soul.

“Old gypsy woman, why are there red ants and black ants, and what is the cause of their feud.”
“Well sonny,  there were once purple ants and blue ants, green ants as well if I can recall, they had abdomens the color of emeralds… There was an old Russian circus master who trained the ants to do tricks and form elaborate obstacle courses, while people payed a penny to see the show… (this goes on for eight minutes or so) when the smoke cleared there were nothing but red ants and black ants left, and both were hopping mad that they hadn’t been chosen for the space expedition. The circus master promised to make it up to them with new shoes for every ant, the good kind too with real leather, but the black ants would have none of it and drilled down underground. And that’s why Green ants live on the moon and purple ants live on Venus.”

Ad Campaigns for Mundane objects.

Someone shouts out a thing “toothpaste!” “cardboard boxes”
then whenever it occurs to you, suggest a campaign based on that object.
“Cardboard boxes, mine’s a transmogrophier. What’s yours? “
“Cardboard boxes, more fun than the things inside them.”
“Cardboard boxes, where you go when mommy and daddy fight.”
Go ahead and pun it up.
“You’ll never be bored again”

Party Games

`    Really any of these games can be played at a party or at a corporate retreat or whatever but I have noticed that some party games rely on improv and test improv skills- charades, balderdash, Scattergories, cranium, taboo. Its because these concepts of play with words, presentations, dramatic irony, the unexpected, juxtapositions are fun and funny. Next time your friends and you are playing a “table top game” think of how it is like improv, think of how its different, could you incorporate elements of it into a scene or make up a new game or variation of one of the above games? Or could you convince them to put away the box and the pencils and physicalize play, move the couch and coffee table out of the room- lets tumble and laugh!

Triple Threat (thanks Sarah Mitchell)

This is a party game combining Charades, Taboo and password into one fun game.
players write on pieces of paper words, objects, nouns, whatever. They put them into a hat and players are divided into two teams. You will need a timer. For the first round a team gets 3 minutes to play “taboo” with the words. They cannot say “rhymes with” or say any part of the word. When their three minutes are up they count their score, maybe penalizing one point for each one they skipped, and pass the hat to the other players. They take turns until all the words are out.
Tally the score. Now put the words all back in. Now each team plays again, only they will mime the words and they only have two minutes.
then put all the words back in. Now that we are all familiar with the words, play one final time but there is to be only 1 word clues, and you only have a one minute turn.

Movies

Each person brings a 3-5 minute segment of a movie. VHS is great because you can cue it right up, but Youtube and DVDs will suffice. Play the movie, then have actors act out the scene that immediately preceded it, or came a moment later.

You can also play a game like this with a radio. Pay attention to the music, then a player turns it off suddenly and its your job to write the next line!

I have heard of an improv troupe that had video editing skills and access to a video camera. At the beginning of a show they shared with another troupe they asked an audience for suggestions, then ran out and began working on a movie! they completed their movie in the 50 minutes that it took to have the other group do a show. They return with a 10 minute movie that utilizes the suggestions.

Apples to Apples

Apples to apples is a fascinatingly simple game and it can be of great use for an improv actor. Feeling alone, uninspired? Play with the box and a mirror. Use it for your suggestions. All the box is is a collection of adjectives and subjects. Pull one of each and you can challenge yourself with a mirror and play a “lonely buffalo” Or a “sexy,” “Martin Luther king.”
Beginning players could start with this box, and have it around at your practices in case you are feeling exhausted for suggestions. Better yet, if some are having an off day, they can contribute suggestions for games next time, have a box labeled “Genres,” a box labeled “Locations.”  If you are a teacher or club leader and you’re having  a difficult time getting the jaded kids to come back or commit to being a part of the team, Pull out suggestions and announce “next week we will be visiting the grand canyon, observing some Robots in their natural habitat and… “

Then there is the tried and true method of pulling a random book from the shelf, flipping to a random page and bringing your finger down to a word. They say Tristan Tzara did that to find the word “dada” meaning “hobbyhorse” in a children’s french dictionary.

Drawing Games

I have heard of improv being used in film, and puppet theatre, where shadow puppets were designed on the fly based on audience suggestions. If people are more shy and really prefer to get their creativity out through drawing and comic illustration I have some games for you! These are still improv games, but they leave behind something physical to share. These could be published on the web, or in zines, or could inspire you to make books or could be ideas for flyers for rock bands or for your improv troupe’s shows!
If your improv troupe always plays physical games in a rehearsal space and one week you don’t have access to that space but you wind up in a coffee shop- bring pens and paper and you’ll be glad you learned these games. Kids love these games too. When I was a kid, a favorite pastime was drawing with others and a large can of colored pencils, comparing and discussing our creations was always the best part. These slower pace drawing games may be just what is needed to show people they can be silly and creative and fantastic. After a few sessions with paper and pencils, have those introverts get up and start acting things out!

Exquisite Corpse
People have played this game for years, maybe Francis Picabia, Marcel Duchamp , Man Ray and Salvador Dali played it one night in Paris. Take a piece of paper and fold it into thirds, then draw a head, a torso or legs in the appropriate place. Pass it around and have others fill in the other pieces. Then name it.  could also be played with “exquisite mansion” or “exquisite machine.”

POKEMON VS ROBOTS! (thanks Chris Green)
Players design their own character card.  Super heroes, made up animals, aliens, librarians, sports heroes, anything. They pass the card to another. This player makes up statistics, maybe lists that characters resistance to magic, its talents and powers and brainstorms a history for them. Put their batting average; put their weakness, put whatever you want on the back of the card. Give players 5 minutes or so to brainstorm.
This is the fun part, players take a card that they didn’t draw, and they now put it down in the middle of the table. Another player plays a card and they discuss what would happen if these two characters were to fight.
Maybe the winners go on to the next round and the losers get torn up, dunked in water or burned.

52 Cards  (thanks Quinton Harris)
Players take 52 blank cards and write and draw on them, then shuffle them together and try to agree on rules on the fly with whatever the cards end up being. This game might infuriate people who are sticklers for rules that make sense! YES AND! Whenever a person or card says a rule, you must follow it! The goal of the game will change several times, and some cards should be left blank when you start so that players can react to rules and make new cards to fit the situation they are in.

10 Second Impression (thanks Jaimie Smith)
Players draw an image or bring one from home. They pass it to another in the circle. that player looks at the drawing for 10 seconds (use a timer) and then has 1 minute to recreate the drawing. Then they pass their new drawing on to another player who has 10 seconds to look at it and make a 1 minute drawing of what they saw. as you go on, you can subtly shorten the length people get to draw and observe. This uses a lot of paper but can have fun results.

20 Jokes on one Subject
This is much like “ad campaign” or “worlds worst,” but has less pressure to come up something immediately. Write a word in the center of the page, pass it around the room. Everyone puts a joke or comic illustration about it. This proves an interesting point, almost any Improv game can be re-imagined as a comic drawing game.

Pestilince

Chris Green named this, maybe it has to do with the corpse from above, now the disease is spreading and its unstoppable!

Have players write a sentence at the TOP of a piece of paper then pass it to the left in a circle of four or more. When you receive a paper with a sentence at the top draw an illustration using all the elements. Try to be specific, avoid using words. Try to use only 1/5 of the paper, but if your illustration has to be big- let it be the  size it wants to be. Then fold the paper so that the sentence at the top cannot be seen. You pass to another player who writes a sentence explaining what she sees in the drawing. The paper goes around, alternating illustration, sentence, illustration, sentence.
Papers can be taped together and the collective consciousness can be followed. This game can have some amazing results. They may inspire comedy sketches, they could be used to decorate the lobby for people to look at before and during the intermission of your show.

4 Scene Stories
The most challenging and rewarding of the drawing games- this will improve your improv scenes giving you the ability to fill in what is needed for a story on the fly- a beginning, middle and end. Fold the paper into fourths, hamburger and hotdog style. label each square 1,2 ,3,4. Then each player draws an illustration for a beginning of a story in panel 1. Fold it so that your drawing cannot be seen and the empty square marked 4 is on the top. Players draw a panel representing the ending of a story- a resolution, or a revelation. Pass the paper again and have players reveal the 1st and second panel. Now a player must draw a panel continuing the story in panel one. Try to include the same elements and imitate their drawing style.  pass the page to a fourth player and open it up, the last player needs to come up with a way to make the beginning tie into the ending!
Now, as you are an improv troupe, take the best ones and act them out! Or a group of teens you are teaching could act out the scenes written by the younger children. Wouldn’t they get a kick out of that?

More Challenging Games

Pick Up Lines

Have audience or troupe members write down phrases on pieces of paper, and scatter them around the room. Two actors perform a scene, and occasionally reach down and grab a piece of paper and read it aloud. Better to try to make it relevant such as ” I only remember one thing from college and that is…” picks up paper, reads it. “Oscar the grouch had a hard life.”
Scene continues, its times like these I always remember what my grandfather told me as I sat on his lap.” Picks up paper, “Don’t touch me you vile thing.” This game is very silly and doesn’t often make sense. Try to incorporate the phrase, and not just say the silly thing, then ignore it.

Another variation is to have one actor read only lines from a play script, comic book, or instruction manual? and the other actor has to try to make a scene out of it. This can be fun when some are familiar with a classic play, like a Checkhov, and the actor opposite doesn’t know the play. This has been called “Actor’s Nightmare.”

Six Deaths (in five minutes)

Take suggestions for ways to die. Here is a few: choking on a necktie, being stepped on by a rhino, embarrassment, parachute malfunction. Write them down. Actors come on and begin dying from the causes that the audience suggested. A source of humor can be when one player is setting himself up to die of one thing, like parachute malfunction, and then someone else dies of it unexpectantly. This player may end up with “all the good deaths” being stolen from him, the repetition will be funny. However everyone dies, the floor is always strewn with corpses, and the last remaining player must come up with a  way to die all on her own.

Growing and Shrinking Machine

Freeze becomes downright crazy!
A single actor begins a monolog. This is one of the only times an improv actor will be alone, enjoy it. Another actor calls “freeze” and joins. Then another and another until all are on stage , and you have made six or seven different scenes. The later scenes tend to be chaotic, try to avoid everyone talking at once. these might be sports, malls, dance troupes, camps, somewhere where it makes sense to have a crowd. Then the last person who enters “justifies their exit” and walks off. When he or she does, the scene reverts to the 6 person scene, except now the players are all in new positions and some amount of time has passed. Then the person who entered and made that a scene exits and it reverts to the 5 person scene.
Eventually we are back to the long monologist, who wraps it all up with a little bow.

Spelling

Two actors perform a scene, but every word between them is spelled out.  This has to be slowed down to molasses in order to be followed. This is a trip, it isn’t actually very funny for anyone but the performers. People arriving late will think the actors have gone mad. This usually leaves audiences stupefied and confused; actors too. I LOVE it however, there may be something wrong with me. I remember in one scene trying to throw a party for “The Norah Jones Appreciation Society” but having a very difficult time spelling appreciation. Another time I was a jaded french artist who couldn’t paint a thing and kept repeating “A L L A R T I S S H I T Exclamation point.” Keep it simple, again, follow CROW, and tell a basic story, Raise the stakes, wrap it up.

Long Form
I have seen long form based on the Herald in New York by the Upright Citizens Brigade. One person gives a monolog from their life. At UCB they have writers, comedians, celebrities or just interesting people play this role. Then the players perform skits based on ideas and nuggets gleamed from that monolog. Actors can send each other away and grab each other with silent gestures. They can make announcements such as “the next day!” or “three hours later!” Actors play the same character again and again in multiple scenes. This is kind of the ultimate challenge and elements from all the above games will come into play and the skills you learned will be invaluable.

I have also seen a form based on an interview with an audience member. They called them up and quizzed them about their “fucked up family.” Asking who slept with who, and getting as much personal information as they can. Then they perform the story of their life, as full of cliches and assumptions as possible. Another technique is just to ask them about their first job, school experience, childhood. Pieces of games mentioned before can end up in a long form presentation. There might be a slideshow, a person who speaks a foreign language, or a song.  Crow and “Yes, and…” are still very important here.

One show I attended asked for an audience member who was willing to have their purse or wallet dug through. The players dug in the purse and asked for details about every business card and object in this persons purse. She was dying of embarrassment sometimes but it was quite funny. The players then performed 50 minutes of scenes based on her life, from the information in her wallet. They called it “The Deborah channel!”

Shakespeare

This can be a long game, the idea is to reenact a Shakespeare show, emulating dialog, making up an obscure incomprehensible plot about lords and ladies, witches, servants, maids, twin brothers separated at birth, kings, princes, lovers and hooligans, with murder and sword fights, suicides, cross dressing, disguises and monologs. Brush up your shakespeare and listen to Lisa Simione explain opera plots on NPR for material. If you end up playing multiple characters make sure and make your movements and voices different. The game will end up being like a simpler scene only there are more of them and many loose plot threads to resolve. Some may not end up resolved in the end, but don’t fret too much. The climax should have everyone on stage, getting married or dying. Variations could be Soap Opera, Opera, Dickens novel, Sci Fi story, you name it. I saw a troupe in New York called “Star Trekkin” that performed a 50 minute show in emulation of Star Trek: the Original Series. They had costumes and music, it was awesome.

These two games are mine. I have adjusted the above games to fit my troupe as they have come in from many various players and books

The Great BRAIN
This is inspired by “The Great Brain” series of books by John D. Fitzgerald. I’m not sure it will fit in a show alongside other improv games in a show, but it is great fun. I have seen clever 6th graders master this game but it requires a huge vocabulary. One player is a host and the other is The Great Brain. The Brain leaves the room and the host asks an audience member to volunteer, this audience member must sit on stage and take verbal abuse so pick someone who looks fun and eager. Ask them for a suggestion, it could be a place, a feeling, an object, any word. Then bring in the great Brain. The Host must do everything he can to divert attention away from himself and towards the Brain but he is really the one doing the work. He will say some ridiculous high falutin chit chat to introduce the brain. “He gets paid much more by the military industrial complex to devise weapons and play war games with worse case scenarios, but he’s willing to play a parlor game with us and demonstrate that telepathy is real. Tell me Great Brain, how are your wives?”
“Oh doing quiet well.”
“And how are your seventy two simultaneous chess games going.”
“Oh I am winning all of them. Two of them are Fisher Random.”
“Very good. This young lady is thinking of an object, we ask that you take a few moments of your busy schedule and demonstrate that you can read her mind.”
“Of course, it will be a piece of cake. I need only for her to concentrate”
“You heard the Great Brain, you will think of that object, visualize it in your mind, and the Great Brain will tell us what it is. Are you ready Great Brain?” Or some other verbal cue could indicate that the clues will now begin. The host will now leave the brain and the volunteer to speak directly to the audience, presumably to give the audience something to listen to while he concentrates.
“Having such a gigantic Intellect the great brain finds mundane tasks like tying his shoe laces to be quite difficult.
Although the great brain is magnificent and infallible he has been known to forget to pay his taxes sometimes.
In Far away India, the great brain studied under the maharishi Vugarash to harness his great powers and meditate.
Rinsing off vegetables is one of the tips the great brain would give you, because toxic pesticides can build up in your body and block your chi, hampering intellectual efficiency.
Sometimes the great brain puts on normal clothes and hangs about in shopping malls, to hear what regular people talk about.
Please don’t whisper to your friends, the Great Brain needs absolute concentration.
Radical Islamists wish they had someone as brilliant fighting on their side.
After a long day of thinking and meditating, the Great Brain likes to relax with a strawberry milkshake.
Yesterday the Great Brain developed a cure for cancer while he was in the shower, but forgot it before he had a chance to write it down because…”
Great brain: “Silence, I cannot concentrate with all your yammering, it was easy to read the mind of such a simpleton. She was thinking of Hairspray.”
Yes, of course! But how did he do it? By listening carefully to the first letter of each word the host began his sentences with.  If the Great Brain is confident he can interrupt the host prematurely… or if the Great Brain is lost and needs to start over, have some verbal clue. I suggest taking out abuse on the volunteer, because this gets a laugh from the audience. “I would have had it before but I am afraid this simpleton has too thick a skull for the brain waves to exit. I will need to sit closer and she will need to concentrate harder.”
The host now needs to give clues all over again, choosing new things to talk about. I like to talk about the Great Brain’s history, his personal habits, his brilliance. Be careful NOT to talk about things involving Hairspray. If you are fast and clever, the audience won’t suspect a thing. Practice beginning sentences with throw away words such as “When, although, if, some”… the audience is less likely to guess the secret if your letter is N for instance you say “never has the great brain been less more busy in his schedule, so its especially important that…”
“Noodles are the food that the great brain enjoys on tuesdays.” Ok thats a big red flag, huh? You hardly ever begin a sentence with its subject. It sounds awkward.

Will this fit in an improv show? I’m not sure, thats up for you to decide. If you can teach a precocious cute child to play go ahead and tour and make a million bucks with it. My kid cant be bothered to try. You now have a secret way of sending messages to people at dinner or in boring meetings. Maybe spies are taught this game at spy training camp.

Shit in a Hat

This game is outrageous, atrocious, insane and is always a riot to perform in front of a crowd. For each actor there must be a hat. For each hat there must be something to put inside- may I suggest- gak, cottage cheese, raw egg, pudding, ice cream. (Yeah this is a messy game.) THe host arranges the hats on the floor, or on tables, or being held by volunteer audience members, and they will cheer as he reveals what is going in each hat. The actors enter the stage, and have some reason to put hats on. Maybe they all put hats on at the same time, maybe they put them on one at a time. Maybe they react to the goo, maybe they do not. “Watson, it seems a bird has left me a present in my hat.” A great way to create humor and tension, is for people to say they are gong to put on their hats and then… something gets in the way. “Gentlemen, let’s load our rifles, put our helmets on and begin the long march to the front line.” “Sir, if I may, before we don our helmets, shall we say a prayer to the queen.” “Now that our prayer is completed, put on your helmets and tighten your belts.” “Sir, may I suggest we all have a nibble of this biscuit I brought, and it wouldn’t be polite for us to eat with our hats on.”
One variation would have everyone put their hats on separately, and one actor (maybe an attractive ingenue) actually knows that a certain hat will be empty. Everyone else should avoid this hat. She can have excuses to not put on hats throughout the game. “Oh no, I cant possibly, it would ruin my hairstyle.” “Sorry, its Ramadan and I mustn’t wear a hat until after midnight.” Then at the end after everyone else has been “slimed” she puts her hat on after much deliberation and it has, surprise, nothing in it and she is the winner.

I came up with this game after hearing of a troupe (Scared Scriptless) who had a game called Most Dangerous Improv Game, where a scene is to be performed on hands and knees, wearing blindfolds, with hundreds of set mousetraps all over the stage. How are you going to keep the energy up while gently setting all those mousetraps? I think my game is better and people just get messy instead of hurt.

Tips for a Manager/ Leader

That’s all the games I know, but there are probably hundreds more. You can see that many are variations of each other. As a director, take notes as to who has a great singing voice, who seems to shine in each particular position and plan a show accordingly. It is acceptable to go back to familiar types or even recurring characters if used sparingly.

I recommend you make a set-list. Giving each troupe member roughly equal time, and giving each a chance to shine. As the show goes on, sprinkle into your dialog references to previous games. This will usually get a laugh. Games with everyone involved make great closers, but be sure to start the show and end the show with two games you can really nail. Keep the show short, 50 minutes is really a maximum.
Use your own experience and wisdom. Make yourself a method- improv actor: as in take your own strengths and experiences and put them into your characters. Details are funny, so if you are a civil war buff, or a classical musician, a gamer, a sports fan, a mechanic, a med student (Osamu Tezuka and Grahm Chapman were pretty funny doctors) or a Rogers and Hammerstein Fanatic, or you devour french pulp mystery novels of the 1800s: use it. Use the obscure details that you remember because someone else will know it too. If you say it with confidence, the audience will trust that it’s true- but if it really is true, it might end up getting bigger laughs than jokes. People love genuine specific details. You might have a fellow archeologist in the house so get your facts straight.
Always expand upon your experience and wisdom, There’s no reason to ever be bored. The research never ends- suddenly you have a reason to listen in to people conversations, to constantly research new forms of entertainment, high brow, low brow, new, old- it doesn’t matter! It can all be material to utilize in your scenes. Read it all, Watch it all, Take it all in, how can you parodize it if you aren’t familiar? I heard that authors read the phone book to get names for their characters. I literally read dictionaries and try to make puns out of the words. Then you’ll bring them into your songs and games.

If you are serious about improv, you will be perpetually fascinated by human behavior, communication and all forms of entertainment. Thanks for reading and do let me know if you have success or suggestions for the games I developed. Make up your own games! Take improv out of the stage and rehearsal room and bring it into the kitchen, the bedroom, the street corner. Use these tips to be game and willing, make “yes, and” your philosophy,  and raise the stakes in your next work meeting, be an entrepreneur, be an adventurer and make strong choices!

The only place I hope improv doesn’t influence is weapon design and the war room, though you have to wonder if it hasn’t already (bat bombs for instance).

strangecharm99@gmail.com
Isaac Paris

Willis Fireball, Avery Wolves, Feeding Frenzy, Pretty Birds that Kill

Willis played with John Keech and Caressa at a house party in Fairbanks last week. It was a fantastic show, he played his originals, songs about traveling, Caressa songs, Mountain Goat songs and even a Muldoonies cover! He hasn’t played in Fairbanks for years and it was a real treat to see him live. He most recent album “Secret Grey City” is a real treat from start to finish. One to listen to as a whole album.

The Avery Wolves are a fantastic Rockabilly band. One thing I love about them is that their drummer plays standing up, and their bass player has made his own bass. They have fantastic fast energetic songs including “Psychobilly Jesus!” I have seen many incarnations of Nathan’s bands before, including “Black Noir,” and “Aces and Eights.” It has always been good but his current incarnation is fantastic and very tattooed.

Feeding Frenzy is Fairbanks’ current Best Band. I said it- they are much adored and rightly so. Acoustic, with hints of bluegrass and Appalachian folk. Its danceable, its sentimental, its very fun and sweet. Ephy plays cello and violin, Rebecca plays the melodica. Daniel Firmin could grab an audiences attention, make everyone shut up and give him their ears.

Pretty Birds that Kill play fun dancey electro party music. They spent a year in Chicago and toured the states and they are back in Alaska. They play at  Trapper Creek Music Fest on August 14.  They performed a live concert at KSUA, and it will be available on the web soon.

Murder By Death, Pretty Birds That Kill, Barney McClure Trio, Young Fangs, Squirrel Nut Zippers

Wouldn’t that be a crazy festival?

I just got to see Murder by Death, they played the Pub here in Fairbanks and were amazing. Their bass player makes all kinds of crazy ambient sounds with pedals, their cellist provides amazing counter melodies  and accentuates with pizzicato, their keyboard player wails the organ like its a demonic choir, or picks up the accordion and pleasantly bobs along, and of course their singer can really really sing. Sometimes he seemed to affect an accent that was a little Pirate, a little Sean Connery, and his range and tone remind many listeners of Johnny Cash. Well they are a show not to be missed, here is Adam holding three of my drawings of them.

 

Here is some older drawings that I am now getting around to posting, many more coming soon. Pretty Birds that Kill are playing tonight at the Marlin with the Avery Wolves. its 5$ at the marlin in Fairbanks, for ages 21 and up.

Fairbanks' freshest young pretty boy Indie band, kinda like a death cab/jimmy eat world thing

Fairbanks’ freshest young pretty boy Indie band, kinda like a death cab/jimmy eat world thing

i saw them play in 2009 in San Fransisco, CA. Fantastic! but missing the violin

i saw them play in 2009 in San Fransisco, CA. Fantastic! but missing the violin

He's legendary, he's Barney McClure, with a sax player named Nef and a drummer named Diamond

He’s legendary, he’s Barney McClure, with a sax player named Nef and a drummer named Diamond

Caught this crazy grrl punk band in Brooklyn in 2007

Stumblebum Brass Band

The crazy Stumblebums tore Fairbanks a new asshole with two shows at the Marlin and the Boatel this last weekend. There was moshing, tuba, insane trumpet solos, full frontal nudity, copious amounts of alcohol consumed, dancing and cursing in spades. Here are some photographs, my drawings, and an article I wrote about them. Thanks Johnny, Ronnie and Smidge for good times.

 

http://mobile.newsminer.com/view/full_story/13612531/article-Raucus-brass-band-stumbles-in-to-Fairbanks?instance=latitude_65_headline

Clucking Blossom is nearly upon us.

May 21 is Clucking Blossom.
Its a free outdoor Festival at Birch Hill Recreation area, May 21 noon to midnight.
Confirmed Bands include Sweating Honey, Let’s Hotbox a Delorean, The Jeffreys, Eating For Two, and The Phineas Gage.
There are also  art supplies to create and decorate your clothes, a kids zone (maybe with baby goats in a petting zoo?), an indoor Metal stage, a free market, an art walk in the woods, information booths from local non profits and much more!

I will be walking around drawing portraits of anyone who wants one and giving them away.
This is a 7 year tradition in Fairbanks and like the previous years it is free.
Of course it isn’t free to rent the space or pay for the security, the sound gear and the insurance. The only way this comes together is with pluck and vigor, passion and a whole lot of volunteers! We don’t usually have out of town bands play because without a cover charge or corporate sponsorship there is no budget to play the bands.

So what kind of a festival is it? I have been to Bumbershoot , CMJ, and South By Southwest and the one thing I would notice is there is a complete absence of corporate logos! There is no “Starbucks” stage or “Rockstar sponsored events” it’s all by us for us: and by us I mean the people of Fairbanks. If you want to help now or perform in future years, you TOTALLY CAN!! Because its YOUR FESTIVAL.
I will post more as it comes to me, here are two flyers I made for the event. Feel free to print them and post them.
I will be back with photos of the event, photos of my portraits, drawings of the bands, and some notes to review their performances. There are many special things planned. we have just 2 more meetings before the event, tonight-wednesday the 11 at clucking blossom, next wednesday and next friday we will construct the stage and put together the ART WALK.

Hello, this is the first two chapters of my new book. I may re-imagine it as a screenplay to be animated. I wrote a similar book when I was about 19, but now I’m starting over and doing it over again. I fully realize it is derivative, I heard that Hollywood prefers things that way.
Pitch: A Disney Princess Story meets Kurt Vonnegut Jr.
Other Keywords: Princess Mononoke, Cats Cradle, Dyson, WallE, Iron Giant

Jellybean  Jill and the Universal Construction Machine

There were 4 rules.

1 No living things
2 No destructive weapons
3 No money
4 No more universal construction machines.

Usually new technology is discovered by the military first and then slowly ekes its way into the public sector. The submarine was first used to destroy an enemy, and then only later was it put to exploring underwater trenches to learn of new lifeforms, ecosystems and prove the theory of continental drift. Rockets were used to deliver explosive force long before they were used to take people to the moon or satellites to space.
But this invention was used by civilians before the military even imagined it was viable. In an attempt to reduce destruction one of the built in “limitations” was an attempt to prevent the construction of guns and bombs. Many useful tools of course have tremendous destructive power, and the dark imaginations of people can fuel hugely destructive forces.

I am writing this for readers of the 21st century, in an attempt to prevent disaster. My mind is struggling to imagine a metaphor that you will understand. The closest thing I can think of to the UCM is the lamp from the tale of Aladdin, one of the stories Shaharazad told to delay her execution. There was an animated film made of the story  which featured a jovial blue genie who explained there were rules with the lamp, he couldn’t kill anyone, and he couldn’t bring anybody back from the dead. There were rules with the first generation of UCMs as well; but Jill proved that with logic and inventiveness, they could be bypassed. A more apt comparison may be that of a girl who opens a certain dangerous box in a Greek myth.

Still struggling, I apologize; another similar story might be that of a superhero origin, someone discovering they have a newfound power, and coping with this and trying to wrap their heads around the possibilities. H G Wells wrote a story called “The Man who could Perform Miracles.” I don’t suppose you read that though. Jillian quickly found herself opposed by government forces, but her potential for defense more than matched their power to apprehend her, and fortunately they realized that before the collateral damage occurred. Once the first shots were fired in her direction, she developed a force field that could protect her from projectiles, and harmlessly dissolve the weapons that had fired them.
Jillian quickly shared the UCM with individuals, who were inevitably as confused as she had been and the government watched helplessly as their illusion of control vanished.

I find myself wanting to make another direct metaphor; I apologize for the repeated use of allusion. I was given universal knowledge when Jill became bored with having no one intelligent to talk to. My mind was flooded with the text of millions of Earth’s mythologies and so again, I utilize a literary reference. Jill thought of herself as a modern Robin Hood, redistributing wealth was one of her hobbies that began at the age of 6. She found great joy in giving to others, and if she had been more selfish and restrained herself, disaster could have been avoided.
Once the UCM caught on, it was unstoppable, spreading from household to household and continent to continent like no airborne virus the world had ever seen. It was first developed in a small lab in northern California, its influence expanded exponentially; suddenly space tourism was safe and affordable, and so millions ventured into the atmosphere to see the earth from above.

Economics is the study of how people deal with scarce resources, so you see why the UCM would obliterate the concept of economics. Once the UCM was a household item like a toaster or microwave had been to the previous generation, the only scarce resource was empty space. The whole world became a parody of the garages of the american suburbs, crammed with the junk associated with impulse spending, yard ornaments, pool toys, trampolines, video game systems, sports gear, musical instruments, toys, “collectibles.” Only now there was more of it.  Everyone became a spoiled child. It was as if the collective attention span had been diminished and no one could be bothered to clean up their mess. “Americanism” ran rampant.

Rule four was instantly bypassed and abandoned.
Rule three proved moot: No one needed money anymore.
Rule one was broken, as my existence demonstrates .
But rule two was the tricky one.

But once this was in everyone’s hands, greed was no longer a factor prompting violence, people were killing each other over much more petty and banal things; because they could.

I realize I have a unique perspective about this, but let me emphasize: I  knew Jill personally. I was her “pet.” She became bored with the dogs, cats and bunnies she created with the machine (I did explain how she bypassed the self imposed limitations, didn’t I?) and gave me the ability to talk, and think. I became a living embodiment of the UCM itself, and began to speak for it. I am a talking, floating… again I struggle… sorry, hamster?

———————————————————————————–The first sound I heard was that cheerful voice of hers. “Hello! wake up!” My mind reeled, with centuries of history lessons and seemingly endless novels, tales, blogs and encyclopedia articles.
“Can you talk?”
“um… yes.” I heard myself saying.
“I was bored with Mimsy and Flopsy and Roofer and Harold and Kermit and all the others were kind of… boring. So I gave you a little more pep.” Her brown hair reached down to her shoulders and had a slight curl at its end.

“I’m a hamster? And I’m cerulean?” Looking at myself I observed a sky blue tint to my short fur.

“And you can fly- I hope.  I’m not sure I can trust this thing anymore. my specifications were quite… specific. Hmm” She indicated a white cylinder, the size of a wastepaper basket. It had glowing lights and a peaceful air about it.

“What kind of ridiculous anime sidekick do you think I am? Who are you? What are you doing with all that food!”

Her voice was calm, but had a slight wavering in pitch that indicated a lack of confidence. “My name is Jill. I… uh, made you. You are a manifestation of the collective knowledge of mankind. We are going to go on a picnic. If your inclinations are so… inclined? I mean, if you want to. but I do hope you want to.”     She was packing a watermelon, a six pack of soda, smoked gouda cheese, rice crackers, deviled eggs, a mango, three pears, olives (without pimentos),  a can of tuna and another of smoked oysters, a jar of pickles, some chocolate chip cookies (with walnuts)  and tortilla chips into a bag.

“A picnic: a pleasurable excursion in which a meal is eaten outdoors.” I grunted, rolling my eyes to express annoyance but also to take in my surroundings. We were in a suburban house, with French wallpaper I recognized as Pierre Deux and some Walnut furniture with linenfold carving. Recognizing them reinforced the the burden of my knowledge, it weighed like a million tons on my back, the sheer quantity of facts. I felt like Marvin from Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy.

“Your my new pet. Your the thirty-second one. The others were all insufficient, but I tried to improve on them and make up for their… insufficiencies. Golly Gee! I really need to expand my vocabulary; I have been too ebullient to sleep recently that may have a stifling effect on my verbosity. I gave you the knowledge of the internet.” Her smile gave me an excited rush of energy, as I recalled an emotion known as “companionship” from a story by Jack London called “Stickeen.”

She encouraged me to come closer, and I found that effortlessly, I could levitate nearer to her. Once I was close she pressed a button on the white cylinder and a white bubble engulfed us. We lifted up and out of the door of the house. Out side, beneath us, were endless, decks, lawn furniture, basketball hoops, fences, swimming pools, slip and slides, and dog houses but scattered among them were people in fist fights. Arguing over whose sculptures were taller, whose RVs were larger, whose stereo systems were louder,  whose fountain’s were prettier, and whose furnaces were more efficient.

Up we traveled, levitating over the madness, the gunfights, some nerf, some authentic. We settled over a hill that was littered with discarded four wheelers, pogo sticks, bigwheel tricycles, scooters, badminton rackets, bird feeders and baths, viking costumes, Duplos, bookshelves, and a gigantic wheel of fortune. With a wave of her hand, the detritus was swept away: and a trace of green grass emerged and struggled to absorb some sunlight.

We landed in the center of this crater and she unfolded a white blanket and began taking out her feast. “Olives contain antioxidants… of course the pickling process spoils that. Chocolate does too, but of course the Dutching ruins that. Look, pickles! I love pickles. Oysters contain Zinc and natural antidepressants but canning and smoking them of course diminsh their health benefits. “  With each food item she removed she took a nibble.
She displayed her pleasure with every bite, which was beautiful. I felt like Jane Goodall observing a Gorilla as it ate its own grass colored vomit. This was a human, and as I had only just been blipped into existence, the behavior of humans was novel to me: I felt a need to observe and note. Jill looked like the humans who were arguing and fighting outside the bubble- but Jill seemed to behave much differently.
In my memory I recalled learning of “tea parties” and picnics. I was supposed to eat as well, I scrambled over to a plate with my clumsy little legs, sat on my bottom and brought the bit of a tortilla chip to my mouth. It was salty, crunchy.
A rocket soared by high above us as she brought a thermos to her mouth. “A lot of people think matte contains caffeine.” Fireworks exploded about a mile away. “Actually it contains a chemical that is similar and has a similar effect, but doesn’t carry with it the jitters or the post caffeine crash.” some gunshots were fired to the west and a hang glider crashed into a helicopter to the south east. The sun was setting and I tried to relax. I took a bite of a smoked oyster and recoiled.
“They are kind of an acquired taste… sorry if you don’t like it.”
“Jill?”
Hmmhmmm?” Jill mumbled while slurping an oyster.

“Is this a real oyster?” I asked, looking it over suspiciously.

“You mean, is anything real- that comes from a UCM?”

“It didn’t live in the ocean, it didn’t filter water though its valves, right?”

“It was created by the UCM for us to eat it. So, its real, but it never really got to be an oyster.”

I struggled to my feet. I stood up straight and looked her in the eyes. “Am I “real”?”
do you feel real?
Yes.
Well i think you are. who was it who said I think, therefore I am.
Descartes, though he wrote it in French first as “Je pense donc je sues,”
“Oh I’m so glad I made you smart! the animals I made before you couldn’t hold a conversation.”
“how can i function, without having had a childhood? how can my tiny brain hold so much knowledge?”
I threw my paws up to my ears, a deafening roar now willed the air and our tea cups rattled on their plates. I looked up in horror and saw a jet airplane come swooping down at a steep angle, it appeared as if it would crash into us. Though it was pointless, i dove behind a load of Raisen bread. Jill looked toward it, and effortlessly, her bubble extended and “grabbed” the airplane, causing it to gently land a hundred feet away from us. Emerging from the cockpit with exuberence was a 7 year old boy, who threw his fists into the air and shouted “YES!” then climbed down and ran off.

Our UCM seems, better than theirs, faster? Why is that?
I developed a technology to allow it to read my thoughts, and translate those into reality. We wont be harmed by anything outside the bubble.

“Why didn’t they think of that? why didn’t they think of a bubble?”
“I don’t know.”

“Why do they make airplanes they don’t know how to fly? Why do they make zamboni machines when there is no ice rink to smooth? What is wrong with them?”

“You are quite the curious little bugger aren’t you? Well I did make you that way, Ok lets try to answer that. Kids shouldn’t play with guns, and they shouldn’t look at pornography. I can’t say what is the magic thing that transforms kids into adults and makes it OK for them to do adult things. I think the UCM is more for someone who… is, well, more matured than an adult.”

“You used the UCM to make, a picnic, and a cute dress, and Me. But they are using it to make well, too much stuff. violent stuff, ridiculous stuff.” I was so upset that I may have stammered a little.

“one man’s opulence is another’s banality.”
She shrugged, with all the composure of buddha sitting under the bodhi tree. She took a sip of Matte.