by Gary Schwartz | Feb 12, 2019 | Refining Awareness, Warm Up Games
Relating an Incident – Adding Color Active Listening This is a good warm-up to the exercise VERBALIZING THE WHERE. In this exercise, Player A narrates a simple story. I.e., “I was walking down the street and saw a parked car, blocking the house on the...
by Gary Schwartz | Feb 11, 2019 | Blog
This post is an esoteric one, but an important one. I am always at a loss when I send out a side-coach and, in the words of Viola Spolin, it doesn’t penetrate. My first thought is to say it again or louder, but if it makes no sense to the players, I am only referring...
by Gary Schwartz | Jan 7, 2019 | Blog
Do this, don’t do that! Like this! Here’s how I want it! That’s better! That’s rotten! That’s not funny! Now that was FUNNY! That’s what I want! – spoken by a director at a recent improv workshop I attended. If you teach or direct,...
by Gary Schwartz | Oct 18, 2018 | Improv Games, Lecture / Explanation, The Where
Quick Selection for Where The Where In setting up a scene, the group will benefit from being able to quickly agree on basic set pieces in the Where. During play, more may emerge, but everyone needs a door, a window, something to sit on, etc. More than one room for...
by Gary Schwartz | Oct 18, 2018 | Improv Games, Orientation, Warm Up Games
High energy warm-up This children’s game is a favorite. Play for fun and also to incorporate an intro to “What is my Occupation?” You can also use it to work on the sensory exercises in orientation. Viola would often play this instead of Seeing a...
