Proposed change to Group Improv rules for 2014.
• Team Improv • Definition: Each team comprising of between 4 to 6 performers shall stand before the judge at the appointed performance time. The judge shall give the team a game to be played. No consultation time shall be allowed; the contestants must begin the game immediately. After the game has progressed for approximately two minutes, the judge will say "Stop". The performers must continue until the judge says, "Stop". The procedure is then repeated with an additional game to be played, then finally with another game to be played. The entire performance, including all three games, shall be kept under an twelveminute (12) time limit by the judge.
Additional information: Chairs will be the only props allowed. Game topics supplied by the IESA to be printed on a single sheet. The sheet will be supplied to the judges. The judges will select three games to be played from the list.
• An adult facilitator must be provided by each team and for each team participating in the event. The judge will have the option of conducting the event him/herself without the use of a coach facilitator. If a facilitator is used, the duties will be as follows: The Judge a) determines what games will be played and in what order b) Will end each game by saying, “Stop.” The Facilitator will a) determine which contestants will be used in each game, and b) read the prompts provided by the IESA.
• Adjudication Criteria: Spontaneity, articulation, body and facial expression, characterization, fluency, staging, entertainment value, participant interaction, working together as a team, creativity, and adherence to the spirit of the game.
• The IESA advises each contest host to assign the Group Improv entries to an experienced judge, and preferably a judge with experience in judging Improv events. If the number of entries allow this, it is both permissible and advisable to assign all of the Group Improv teams to one judge.
Suggested games for 2014: Hitchhiker …four chairs set in “car” formation. Three family members taking a trip. The fourth and other participants stand up and thumb a ride one at a time. They stop to pick him up and his small quick slowly infects the rest of the car’s inhabitants. When someone offstage yells “Hitchhiker!” a family member is thrown out and former hitchhiker becomes a family member and the process is repeated. The judge or facilitator will begin the event by announcing where the family is headed.
Scene with 3 Interps 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.
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. 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!”
Late for School Ideally, five kids are used. One plays the school principal, two play the kids who are late, two are the “mimers” in the background. The two tardy kids stand before the principal and the principal asks them why they’re late for school. The mime duo stand behind the principal and through frantic gestures give the two late kids cues as to why they aren’t on time.
Foley Room One or two students become the “actors” in the scene. These actors may not speak or make any other sounds. The other team members stand slightly offstage and provide all the sound effects.
Sit, Stand, Lie Three contestants. Give them a situation to improvise. At all times, one person must be lying on the ground, one sitting in a chair and one standing. Whenever one person changes positions, the old position must be filled by another. The trick is to make these changes logical and not haphazard.