ABC Game

Improvisers play a scene in which each sentence they speak begins with the next sequential letter of the alphabet from A to Z.

Performed: 06/28/08, 11/15/08

Actor`s Nightmare/Playbook

This one is played by 2 players, one of which gets their lines on paper (like a script). The other player should justify whatever the scripted player says.

Performed: 06/27/09, 10/03/09, 02/20/10. 08/28/10

Animalistics

Actors take on the qualities of animals. They still have a scene that is human in nature, but they act like the animals they are given. Sometimes there is a predator/prey relationship, sometimes they are just a couple of turkeys pecking around in the dirt together.

Performed: 08/08/09

Armando

This is a long form, named after its creator, Chicago Improv teacher and player Armando Diaz.

This improv format starts with a storytelling-style monologue, based on an audience suggestion. After the monologue, players play improvised scenes inspired by the monologue, and the monologue may even continue, later on in the performance.

Performed: 11/21/09, 02/20/10, 04/10/10, 05/29/10

Ballet

Actors perform a dance number to a story provided by a storytelling actor. It is vital that the actors keep moving and add as many NITWITty flourishes as possible.

Performed: 03/14/09, 05/08/09, 05/09/09, 06/27/09, 08/08/09

Beatnik Poet

Actors are given two topics. They must express these two topics in a lyrical cacophony that would please the muse himself...or just make silly rhymes.

Performed: 06/27/09

Before or After

A short scene is improvised. After that the host asks the audience whether they want to see what happened before this scene, or what happens after this scene. This is a variation on the Fast Forward improv game

Performed: 06/27/09

Behavior Changes

Two actors play a scene, except one has a list of different behaviors that they must switch between during the course of the action. It is a classic example of schizo-manic-Nitwititis. Look it up, it's a real word.

Performed: 02/20/10

Change

A scene is played and when an offstage improviser calls “Change.” The last improviser to speak must make a substitute for the last offer they made.

Performed: 10/11/08, 11/15/08, 02/07/09, 03/14/09, 05/08/09, 05/09/09, 06/27/09, 08/08/09, 10/03/09, 11/21/09, 02/20/10, 04/10/10, 05/29/10. 08/28/10

Character Swap

2 players improvise a scene, and make distinct strong physical and vocal choices. Scene is played until we know the characters. Then the roles are reversed, and every player plays the other's character, in the same scene, same location.

Dating Game

Based on the popular game show of the same name, one actor is unaware of who the bachelors or bachelorettes are and the must figure out what quirk or persona the other three actors are displaying by asking oddball questions. And yes, they will be sent on an all expense paid date afterwards.

Performed: 10/11/08, 03/14/09, 05/08/09, 05/09/09, 08/08/09, 10/03/09, 02/20/10. 08/28/10

Day in the Life

The MC picks a member of the audience and interviews this person about their average (work) day. Questions asked may include `What is your job?", "Where do you live, with who?", "What are your hobbies?", "How do you get to work?", "Who are your colleagues?", and more. The players then improvise a day in the life of this audience member, based on the elements provided by the interview.

Performed: 05/29/10

Dead Bodies

Two actors, or audience members, begin on stage dead and they can't move themselves during the entire scene. A third actor enters and moves the two dead ones like puppets in order to complete the scene. Another actor enters and dies to make things even more troublesome for the last living actor.

Performed: 08/16/08, 11/15/08, 10/03/09

Director

Title is given for the scene. "Actors" begin a "rehearsal" of the piece. Periodically, they are stopped by the "director", who gives new emphasis or emotional focus to the scene. This game can also be played with the audience playing the character of "Chris". When the "director" needs an emotion, a physical direction, etc. he consults "Chris" to fill in the blanks.

Performed: 06/28/08, 08/16/08, 11/15/08, 02/07/09, 03/14/09, 06/27/09, 08/08/09, 10/03/09, 02/20/10

Double Lists

A list scene where two lists are used to change the improvisers in a single scene. For instance, Emotions and Film Styles, a scene begins neutral, then the emotion "Happy" is called. The scene becomes "Happy", after awhile, the film style "Sci-Fi" is called. The scene becomes a "Happy, Sci-Fi" scene, if the emotion changes to "Sad", then the scene becomes a "Sad Sci-Fi" scene. If the film style changes to "Film Noir", it becomes a "Sad, Film Noir", etc. Take your time with this game and make the transitions slowly.

Dubbing

Offstage improvisers provide the voices for the onstage characters.

Expert

At least one improviser is an expert on a topic of the audiences choosing. Talk shows, lectures, debates, or interviews have been used.

Performed: 06/28/08, 08/16/08, 10/11/08, 06/27/09, 04/10/10

First Line, Last Line

Improvisers are given a first line and an unrelated last line of dialogue. Scene begins and ends with these lines.

Performed: 10/03/09

Foreign Film

Two actors perform a scene in a foreign language poorly imitated. Other actors offstage supply the English translations, supposed English translations that is.

Performed: 03/14/09, 05/08/09, 05/09/09, 06/27/09, 08/08/09, 10/03/09, 11/21/09, 02/20/10, 04/10/10

Freeze Tag

Two improvisers begin a scene. An off stager improviser, at some point, shouts out "Freeze." The on stage improvisers freeze. The off stage caller then jumps on stage, taps one of the improvisers out of the scene, assumes that persons EXACT PHYSICAL POSITION, and begins a new scene based on the physical positions.

Performed: 06/27/09, 08/08/09, 10/03/09, 11/21/09, 02/20/10, 04/10/10, 05/29/10. 08/28/10

Gibberish Dictionary

Improvisers stand in a circle. An improviser turns to the person next to them and says a gibberish word. The receiving improviser repeats the word and then offers a definition to the next person. The third improviser uses the word correctly in a sentence. The next person says a gibberish word, etc. around the circle.

Growing and Shrinking Machine

Start with Improviser 1 on stage. Improviser 2 freezes the scene, jumps on stage and begins a new scene with Improviser 1. Same for Improvisers 3 and 4. Unlike Freeze Tag, improvisers do not tag out of the scenes. Eventually, the entire team will be on stage (let’s say 4 for example). Then!!! Improviser 4 must find a justifiable reason to leave the stage and the scene reverts back to the original 3-person scene, but time has passed, the improvisers are in new positions WHICH MUST BE JUSTIFIED. Then Improviser 3 finds a justifiable reason to leave the stage - back to the 2-person scene. Finally, Improviser 2 leaves - back to the solo scene.

Performed: 06/28/08

Half Life

A thirty-second scene is played. It is then repeated in fifteen seconds. It is then repeated in seven seconds, then three seconds, and finally in one second.

Heroes

A hero with a funny name coming from an audience suggestion discovers a problem of the audiences suggestion. He calls for help and more actors arrive getting funny names and powers to assist the first actor.

Performed: 05/08/09, 05/09/09

He Said, She Said

A scene for two improvisers. Each improviser describes the action of their partner. Example: Improviser 1, "I'd like to talk to you, Mabel. Improviser 2, "He said, standing up and putting his hands on his hips." Improviser 1 carries out that physical action as improviser 2 continues, "All right." Then Improviser 1 responds, "She said, pulling out her bullwhip and snapping it over his head." Improvisers refer to each other in third person, to keep the narrative strong.

Inner Dialogue

Improvisers perform the scene while off stage "voices" create the inner dialogue - what they are REALLY thinking. May be played with just one character having an inner dialogue, or with the actors giving their own inner dialogue directly to the audience in the style of an aside.

Performed: 10/11/08, 05/08/09, 05/09/09, 08/08/09. 08/28/10

Last Letter - First Letter

Improvisers play a scene in which each sentence they speak begins with the letter with which the other improviser ended his sentence.

Performed: 06/28/08

Little Voice

One actor is onstage in a locale, while another actor is offstage creating the voice of a strange character. Sometimes it can be an inanimate object talking onstage, sometimes it's just a pesky penguin in a top hat.

Performed: 06/27/09, 08/08/09. 08/28/10

Move On

A scene begins and at anytime an offstage improviser can yell, “Move On!” forcing the story to immediately move forward in time. Location and characters may also change when a story moves on.

Movie Review

Two actors play critics of a made up film. The title is usually taken from a series of audience suggestions. During the review the critics will reference film clips that two other actors have to perform. Michael Bay's got nothing on us.

Performed: 08/08/09, 10/03/09, 05/29/10

Moving Bodies

Audience members or teammates provide the locomotion for the improvisers on stage. Improvisers may not move any part of their own bodies (except to provide dialogue by moving their mouths). Movers should put the "puppets" in challenging positions and puppets should challenge the puppeteers with their verbal endowments.

Performed: 06/28/08, 08/16/08, 10/11/08, 11/15/08, 03/14/09

Mr. So and So

Players call for new characters, by giving them names that refer to character or physical traits. Things like: Ah, here comes mr. Bad Irish Accent; I think we need Mrs. Pathological Liar for this one; Dear dear, if that isn`t Sir Eats-People. And so on.

The idea is to challenge the other players with weird and unexpected suggestions, and forcing them to come up with an extravagant character right away.

News Conference

One improviser is giving a news conference on a topic of the audiences choosing while playing a character of the audiences choosing. However, the improviser does not know who he is or why he is giving a conference. Improvising reporters ask questions and the person giving the conference must figure out who he is and why he called the conference.

Performed: 06/28/08, 08/16/08, 10/11/08, 11/15/08, 05/08/09, 05/09/09, 06/27/09. 08/28/10

No P

Actors must create a scene without using the letter P anywhere in their dialogue. If they do use P, then another actor takes their place and continues the scene.

Performed: 06/27/09

Paper

Actors create a scene with slips of paper spread out on the stage. The slips have genres, quotes, or directions that the actors have to perform. Sporadically, they pick up pieces of paper during the scene and hilarity ensues.

Performed: 02/07/09, 08/08/09

Park Bench

A scene is started with one actor sitting on the bench and the other actor enters. The actor entering enters with all of the information of the scene such as: who he/she is? who the actor sitting on the bench is?
what his/her relationship to the person sitting on the bench is? what the situation/story being told is. The scene ends when with the entering actor, the sitting actor or both actors exit.

Party Quirks

One actor is throwing a party and is unaware of the strange quirks that his guests bring with them. Three other actors enter one by one and proceed to party, but all of them have one odd characteristic. The host must deduce the crazy quirks while still holding an exciting get-together.

Performed: 11/15/08, 02/07/09, 05/08/09, 05/09/09, 06/27/09, 10/03/09, 02/20/10. 08/28/10

Pillars

Two actors perform a standard scene, but must get help from two other participants on the side of the stage who are providing crucial vocabulary for the scene. The two participants on the side are the pillars of knowledge that have to guide the scene with their choice of words.

Performed: 08/16/08, 02/07/09, 03/14/09, 06/27/09, 08/08/09, 10/03/09. 08/28/10

Playback

Two actors create a regular scene, and then they perform it a second time. The second time through, however, the host controls the scene with a magical remote control. The host can tell the actors to rewind, fast forward, pause, slow, or play.

Performed: 08/16/08, 11/15/08, 02/07/09, 06/27/09, Rehearsal, 08/08/09, 10/03/09, 05/29/10

Props

Two groups of actors try to come up with uses for nondescript objects. They must be fast though, because the other team is also trying to come up with ideas and the MC is getting very impatient.

Performed: 03/14/09, 05/08/09, 05/09/09

Quadrants

Actors create a scene on a stage which is divided into four sections. Each section has a genre or scene style associated with it. When the scene carries an actor into a different quadrant, she must change the style.

Performed: 02/07/09, 03/14/09, 08/08/09, 10/03/09. 08/28/10

Questions

Both teams line up on opposite sides of the stage and a scene takes place in the middle. All the lines in the scene must be questions, and if not, the actor is buzzed and must be replaced by someone else on her team. The winning team is the one with actors left.

Performed: 10/11/08, 03/14/09, 04/10/10

Rumors

The troupe stands in a line and a rumor is started at one end. Each actor passes the rumor along to the adjacent actor in their own way via a mini-scene and by the end you have a heavenly example of what a rumor mill can accomplish.

Performed: 02/20/10

Scene Styles / Genres

Get a list of genres from the audience (styles of...books, TV styles, plays, movies, paintings, etc). Play the scene in the different styles as the scene progresses.

Performed: 06/28/08, 08/16/08, 10/11/08, 11/15/08, 02/07/09, 06/27/09, 10/03/09, 11/21/09. 08/28/10

Slide Show

Improvisers pose in non-specific poses while narrator explains what is happening to the audience - vacation, area of expertise, etc.

Performed: 06/28/08, 08/16/08, 05/08/09, 05/09/09

Sound Effects

Two actors give the sounds for the scene of two other actors onstage. Sometimes the sounds fit really well, sometimes it sounds like the Police Academy guy on acid.

Performed: 06/27/09, 05/29/10

Standing, Sitting, Kneeling, Lying Down

A scene in which the improvisers must be standing, sitting, kneeling, or lying down. No two improvisers can be in the same position and all positions must be justified.

Performed: 08/16/08

Stimulus/Response

Each improviser gets a simple action that one of the other improvisers will naturally do in a scene (blink, or touch their lips), and something they will do in response (When improviser one blinks, I will sneeze!). A scene is then played with the stimuli and responses activated.

Performed: 06/28/08, 08/16/08, 05/08/09, 05/09/09

Survivor

Four actors perform a realatively normal scene. However, after it is completed, one of the actors is kicked off the "island" and the other actors must perform the missing role as well as their own. This continues to happen twice more, until eventually one talented, and very tired, NITWIT is all alone to complete the scene.

Performed: 04/10/10

Three-Headed Broadway Star

Three actors sing a song to an audience member. However, each actor can only sing one word at a time.

Performed: 02/07/09

Trivial Pursuit

Questions from the popular trivia game are read to the actors, who then try to come up with NITWITy responses.

Performed: 06/27/09

Understudy

A scene is started, played by 2 to 4 players. Mid-scene the MC interrupts, and all characters are replaced by new players. The new players should take over the original characters, and stick to the story that was being developed.

Performed: 06/27/09, 08/08/09, 10/03/09

Weird Newscast

Four improvisors pretend to give a newscast. One is a regular person as anchor. The co-anchor, sportscaster and weather person all have strange quirks or qualities that make today's events... interesting.

Performed: 05/08/09, 05/09/09

What Are You Doing?

Improviser 1 begins an action, (eg: jumping rope). Improviser 2 says, "What are you doing?" Improviser 1 says something OTHER than jumping rope (e.g. "Building a bird house.") Improviser 2 begins building a bird house, improviser 1 asks 2, "What are you doing." and so on.

Performed: 06/27/09

What Next

Actors ask the audience members what happens next in the scene. Whenever they say "What Next" the audience will shout suggestions for what is going to happen.

Performed: 08/16/08, 10/11/08, 11/15/08, 02/07/09

Whose Line?

Improvisers keep two unknown lines in their pocket that they must use during their scene.

Performed: 06/28/08, 10/11/08, 11/15/08, 02/07/09, 03/14/09, 06/27/09, 08/08/09, 10/03/09, 11/21/09, 02/20/10, 04/10/10. 08/28/10

Wikipedia

Similar to the popular website, actors are required to give their take on a subject. Other actors can interrupt their entry with an adjustment of their own. The MC also likes to hyperlink in order to find out more about a tangential topic.

Performed: 03/14/09, 11/21/09, 02/20/10

Zulu

Actors try to come up with new names for random products. They must be quick and original, if not they are quickly killed by an audience yelling "ZULU!!!"

Performed: 03/14/09

2-Line Vocabulary

With three improvisers, two improvisers only allowed to say one of two lines, supplied by the audience.  The third improviser must push the story and action of the scene.

Performed: 06/28/08, 11/15/08, 02/07/09, 03/14/09, 05/08/09, 05/09/09, 06/27/09, 08/08/09, 10/03/09, 11/21/09, 02/20/10, 04/10/10. 08/28/10

3-2-1

Three pairs of actors are given criteria for their individual scenes. One is given a place, one a time and the last is given a thing. The first pair starts of the action improvising a scene. When one of the other pairs hear a line that they want to use in their scene, they clap their hands, repeat the line they stole and then move forward. It continues in this fashion until everyone's hands are raw from hilarity.

Performed: 02/20/10, 04/10/10