Game Descriptions Additional Wording In Red>
Hitchhiker Four chairs set in “car” formation. Three students take their seats in the chairs, leaving the “passenger seat” of the car open. A fourth participant thumbs a ride, they pick him up. The fourth actor has some sort of strange quirk and gradually each member of the family in the car is infected. When the judge shouts, “Hitchhiker!” one member of the family jumps out of the car, the other three switch positions to become the new family, and another hitchhiker presents himself with another quirk. The judge will begin the event by announcing where the family is headed. These destinations will be provided by the IESA. (Steve had some ideas for this. I’d suggest wording like “ . . . member of the car is affected. Quirks might include…(and here’s where Steve’s suggestions go)). What to look for: Complete commitment of all team members to the new quirk, a focus of the action by all group members, creativity in inventing the quirks.
Freeze/Switch Two students stand in front of the judge as the facilitator gives them an opening line and they begin their Improv. After the scene has been established, the facilitator will say “Freeze!” and the acting students freeze their position. Two other students then tap the frozen students, assume the first pair’s body positions and begin an entirely new Improv based on those positions. This can be repeated several times at the discretion of the judge. What to look for: Creativity in taking the scene to a whole new place by adopting the previous body positions.
The Brain Three students stand facing the audience, one behind the other. The student closest to the judge sits on the floor, the second student is on his or her knees, and the student furthest upstage stands. The facilitator then asks “The World’s Smartest Brain” to answer a question. The three students improv their answer one word at a time with each student saying only a single word. When the students end their answer the final speaker says “Period!” Judge will end session with “Stop!” What to look for: Creativity in their responses, a confident, fluid response as if answering as one person. The ability and willingness to stretch out the answer and not be satisfied with a short response.
Let's Try That Again Group is given one scenario to act out quickly. Ex: “School bus stuck in snow.” After perhaps 30 seconds the judge says, “Stop!” and then directs the team to act out the same scene in two other genres. Ex: as a Western, soap opera, children’s TV show, opera, in mime, detective mystery, in gibberish, etc. These genres will be provided by the IESA and will be selected from this list: Western, soap opera, children’s TV show, opera, mime, detective mystery, game show, foreign language film, science fiction, cartoon. What to look for: The ability of the group to keep the original idea of the first scene, then change only the genre.
Movie Critics Two actors are given the title of an imaginary movie and these two become the “movie critics.” They talk about the film and at various points they “play” a clip from the movie by saying something like, “Let’s see that scene.” The other students act out the clip. At the end of the clip the scene goes back to the critics to continue the process until the judge says, “Stop!” The movie titles will be provided by the IESA. What to look for: The ability of the two critics to take charge of the game, the spontenaeity of the two actors portraying the movie scenes.
IESA provided prompts:
Hitchhiker • Disney World • Africa • New Zealand • Wedding • A family reunion • Hollywood • The Oscar Meyer factory • A water park • McDonald’s • Wal-Mart
The Brain • Who invented the hula-hoop? • How many grains of sand will fit inside your nose? • Why do bubbles go up? • Describe the people in this room? • What's it feel like to go to speech contest? • Do alligators have feelings? • How do you raise a baby rattlesnake? • Who would anyone enter Team Improv? • Why is the ocean so wet? • How do you buy shoes for a spider?
Freeze Switch • That outfit is all wrong. • Could you hold my cat for just a minute? • You have the strangest hands. • It's your turn. Go. • Look. They're all staring at us. • I've never ridden a bicycle built for two. • We've got to move this giant turtle. • Could you itch my back? • Quick! Get down on the ground! • Okay buddy. Stick 'em up.
Let's Try That Again • A Western • Soap opera • Children’s TV show • Opera • Mime • Detective mystery • Game show • In a foreign language • Science fiction • Cartoon
Movie Critics • The Monster of the Lunchroom • Star Wars in Slow Motion • The World’s Worst Speech Contest • Hunting Alligators in the Sky • The Life of the Crazy Kangaroo • Polar Bears in the Basement • The Day the Bulls got Loose in Math Class • The Haunted Locker Room • The Invasion of the Giggling Aliens • Swimming in Vegetable Soup • Krazy Kitties