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Funny Acting Games to Play

Acting games are a useful way to teach students the art of improvisation. These games can also warm up an acting troupe before they do an improv show in front of an audience. The games are intended to keep the actors on their toes, as well as teach them to stay in character, no matter how funny or silly the scene becomes.
  1. Actor's Nightmare

    • Two actors go onstage for this game. One of the actors is given a script to read from. The other actor does not have a script, so he must improvise his lines. The challenge is for the actor without a script to make statements that make sense with what the other actor is saying. The game becomes funny because the improvising actor is not able to anticipate what the other actor's next line will be, so the dialog might become nonsensical.

    You Idiot!

    • This game involves about six actors. They go onstage and another actor is added to the group as a host. The host gives professions to each of the actors. For example, one of the actors is a salesman, another might be a doctor, etc. Once all of the professions have been selected, the host gives one of the actors an object, such as a banana, the group has not seen yet. The first actor improvises a name for the object, as well as its function within his profession. The next actor takes the object away and says "No, you idiot, it's a..." and fills in her own term and use for the object within her profession.

    Bartender

    • One actor stays on stage and plays the "bartender." Another actor plays the "patron." The two actors pantomime being inside a bar, and the actor improvises a problem his character is having. He makes up a song on the spot about his problem and sings it to the bartender. The bartender then has to make up another song giving advice to the patron.

Stage Acting

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