Description: Player A is the conductor of the story; all the remaining players stand in a line facing the audience and the conductor. (Player A has his/her back to the audience.) The conductor will point to one player (Player B) in the line to begin telling a story; when the conductor points to a different player (Player C), Player B will immediately stop talking, and Player C will take up telling the story exactly where Player B left off. The conductor will then point to Player D, who will pick up from where Player C left off, and so on.

Tips: If performing this in a show, the group may want to get a story-starting suggestion from the audience - the title of the story, the theme, a character and/or a conflict, etc.

Gimmicks: Each player in the line can choose a different method of storytelling - a particular author, genre of literature or media, style of speaking, etc.
The director can bounce back and forth between two players rapidly. The director could also choose two players simultaneously to speak; if agreed ahead of time by the group, this situation could be handled by those two players having to speak in unison.

Description: This game can be played by a large number of people. All players stand in a circle, and Players A and B stand in the center of the circle. They each adopt a physical position, and then Player A begins a scene suggested by and justifying these positions. After a short time, another player in the circle (Player C) yells "Freeze!" Players A and B freeze in their current positions. Player C then steps into the circle, tags out either player (C's choice), and adopts that player's same physical position. Player C then says a line to begin an entirely new scene, also suggested by and justifying the players' positions.
This continues until everyone in the circle has joined a freeze at least once.

Tips: Making large, exaggerated actions will help other players be inspired to tag players out.
Players can practice returning to common themes by having characters, situations, etc. recur throughout the game. For example, Superman may recur throughout the game if positions suggest flying, lifting heavy objects, fighting large opponents, etc. (The player playing Superman may then refer to the other as Lois, Jimmy, etc., even if the players are different than when those characters first appeared.)

Variants: Also known as Switch. 

Description: The group of Players stands in a circle. One Player steps into the middle, and begins singing a song of his or her choice. When another Player is inspired to think of another song, that Player steps in, tags out the current Player, and begins singing his or her new song. The game continues until at least all Players have stepped into the circle once.

Tips: Even if the song is enjoyable, the point of the game is not to let one Player stay in the middle too long - and to go with your instinct when inspiration strikes. As soon as a Player thinks of a song, they should step in and sing, trusting that the rest of the group will not leave them in too long. The group is more than welcome to sing along with a Player's song - that only adds to the group energy and camaraderie.

Variants: Also known as Diva.

submitted by mickeyjo

Description: Players A, B and C are actors in a movie. (Get the title of the movie from the audience.) They will play out a scene from the movie for a few minutes, until Player D enters the scene as the Director. The Director will critique how the scene went (often being negative), and then give the Players a suggestion for how to play the scene. A, B and C play the scene again, incorporating the Director's suggestion. The scene will be repeated another 2-4 times until the Director brings the scene to a close.

Tips: A, B and C can adopt stereotypical actor personas to play in the moments between the scenes (diva, method actor, "I'll be in my trailer", "What's my motivation?" etc.).
The Director can end the scene with an appropriate commentary on the movie - that was the most brilliant scene ever; we've run out of money in the budget; we're going straight to video; etc.

Description: This game requires four Players. Player A will be the contestant on The Dating Game; A will leave the room. Players B, C, and D will be given particular characters to play by the audience. Once chosen, Player A returns and asks the other Players successive Dating Game questions: the type of date they'd go on, what they'd do, what kinds of things he/she likes, etc. Player A will end the scene by describing each of the contestants (asking further questions if he/she is slightly off base). It's up to Player A whether they want to date any of the contestants.

Tips: Be careful of pop culture references other than the most obvious. If Player A is unfamiliar with the reference, it will be very difficult to get him/her to guess it. Depending on your audience and community, you may need to stick to appropriate gender roles - Player A is male and B, C, and D are female or vice-versa.

Gimmicks: One player persona could be one that is gradually changing ("A baby growing up to be an old man"). If any chosen personas are non-human, the character should probably be able to speak in order to answer questions.

Description: This game requires two audience Volunteers. Players A and B will start an open scene, but during the scene will have trouble determining the next thing to say (word or phrase). At this point, the Player can point or tap one of the Volunteers, who will provide the missing information. The Players will then continue the scene, justifying whatever the Volunteer added to the scene.

Tips: When introducing the game at the beginning, it is usually prudent to do one example for each Volunteer. You can give one a simple example ("I think I'll go to the store and pick up some...") and one a more complex example ("You know, there's one thing my grammy always told me in situations like this. It's...").

Description: This game takes two Players and two audience Volunteers. Players A and B cannot move their own bodies during the scene; Volunteers A and B are required to move their bodies for them. The Volunteers will tap the Players on the back (or the front) of the knees to get them to move their legs; they will have to turn their heads or move their arms when appropriate (or desired). The Players will be able to speak, and throughout the scene must justify their positions with the current action of the scene.

Tips: Frequent Gets involve a necessity of action - one Player is teaching the other to do something, they are playing a sport, they are working at a factory building ___.

Gimmicks: The Players will often need to verbally justify their positions, but can also describe what they're about to do, to lead the Volunteers to move their bodies appropriately (or not, depending on the whims of the Volunteers). Players describing/engaging in a repetitive physical action (i.e., jumping jacks) can play with the Volunteer and get a good audience reaction.

Variants: Sometimes known as Moving Bodies. You can have more Players (usually no more than three) or fewer Volunteers, if you want to make the Volunteer(s) work harder.

Description: The entire body mills about on stage. The conductor will call out a number of people and a type of scene or tableau to form - for example, "Three people form an airplane! Seven people form a national monument! Six people form a family vacation!" (For the duration of the exercise, a particular number will always be associated with the same tableau.) All the players must then get in groups of that size and form the tableau with their bodies - ideally a still frame, but can have some movement if the theme suggests it. If the group isn't evenly divisible by the number called (for example, five was called out but there are three people left over), have the left overs add themselves to an already formed group.
The conductor will continue to call out different numbers and tableaus. Occasionally, he/she should repeat a number and tableau - the player must then form the exact same tableau as earlier with the exact same players.

Gimmicks: Instructors can call out very large numbers (if the number of players supports it). "Twenty-seven people form a parade!" Instructors should also think outside the box for the tableaus they call out (to challenge the players' physical and creative skills). "Four people form what's in my pocket!" "Six people form anguish!" "Five people form what Mona Lisa's really thinking!"

A game Improv High writer Parker Hughes considers one of her favorites!

Description: Two players sit down before the audience. They are given two objects that are just plain useless (EX: a bottomless drawer, a shoe without laces, a scratched record, three playing cards, a clock without hands, one shoe, etc.) PLUS take a suggestion from the audience for one more useless and unappealing item to sell. The players now have to give a pitch to the audience to try and sell these three items.

Description: Four players are divided into two groups of two. Each group is given one or two props (if the groups are given two, the two props they are given are identical) and they go back and forth creating original uses for the items that stray as far as they can from the object's actual purpose.
Tips: Be very creative with your props, and keep the game short and sweet with punchy one-liners. When finding props for this game, try to find objects that are a bit off the wall.