Conducted story

Three or more improvisers stand in a line.

  • Another improviser will stand in front of them and act as the “conductor” for a story that they will tell together.
  • The conductor points at an improviser who begins telling a story.
  • The conductor will then randomly point at a different improviser. The improviser currently speaking will abruptly stop telling the story. Then, the new improviser being pointed at will pick up telling the story at the exact moment where the previous improviser left off. The same rule will apply each time the conductor points to a new improviser.
  • The conductor can point to a new improviser at any time.
  • Caution: Don’t try to be funny. Don’t try to add absurd twists for laughs. Your only goal is to tell a simple story with a clear plot and consistent tone throughout, as if written by a single author.

Purpose

This exercise will improve your listening by forcing you to be in the moment. You don't know when you are going to be called on to speak. You could have to continue telling the story at any point-the end of a sentence or in the middle of a word. This means that you must be listening intently to know both what has been said just before you are called upon to speak, AND what has happened so far in the story as a whole. If you do a good job of listening, they will be able to tell a seamless story that sounds as if it is coming from one person

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *